Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-16

A GNEs CAIN-BROWN, a new conner
"a in the local theatrical field, has
In visited Los Angeles once or twice
before with musical companies from the
east. She is already decidedly popular
at the Gamut club, where she has been
entertained, and with the members Of
the stock company at the Burbank,
where she makes her debut this after
noon.
One enthusiastic member of, that
company says: "Why, Miss Cain Brown
dances as we'll as a musical comedy
soubrette and sings like a grand opera
prima DONNA.
She chatted a few moments with me
during a rehearsal of The Circus Girl
the other day, and 1 readily understood
the reason her fellow players are so
enthusiastic about her. for she has a
most pervasive charm of manner and a
vim and ginger when going through
scene that inspires all those about
her with enthusiasm for their work.
mo, my ambition was not for comic
opera or musical comedy. In fact when
/ commenced studying 1 thought that
the only suita BILE place for a woman on
the stage was in concert, grand opera
or dramatic productions" she said in
reply to query concerning her aspira-
lions. 'In fact" she continued, 1
never was at all stage struck and really
drifted into operatic work just because
the opening presented, and could
make more money on the stage than in
concert work.
well, do you still feel uncomfortable
when playing comedy roles?" l asked
the dainty prima donna.
"Oh. no indeed, not in the least now.
Ideas about the stage have changed so
wonderfully in the last two or three
wears. Nowadays musical comedy or
comic opera is tome, positively tame,
when you compare it with the daring
to which the dramatic stage has
descended"
"Then you do not think that the
present dramas are elevating the stage
any?" / Ventured.
"Elevatingl Why. the chorus girl in
mink silk tights has q more improving
effect upon the stage today than do the
majority of women stars OF the drama
tic world"
isn't that rather a sweeping state
ment ?" I asked. you know. we nave
Maude Adams and others like her, VINO
do pretty Well"
yes Of course. Perhaps I shouldn't
say majority, but l really think the
tendency of the modern drama Is
shocking. When I went to New YORK
recently and saw the plays which have
been the big successes there I was
shocked-positively shocked.
"The silk tights gOO-goo eyes ana
nigh kicking of the most brazen mu-
steal comedy have at least the merit
of being amusing, While IN suGn pays
as The Easiest Way and The In
cubus,' Lawrence Irving's recent pro
auctions, there is nothing but sordid,
squalid gloom"
did you find The Incubus so un-
pleasant? The English critics said 1t
was a funny affair
well perhaps it was funny to an
Englishman. I only know that no less
than three or four managers in New
York refused to have the piece in their
theaters, and when a New York man
ager thinks a play is not nj IL mas 10
be pretty bad"
80 all these examples of wicked
ness set forth in dramatic version
reconciled you to musical comedy dld
they?"
yes. indeed. There was a time when
I thought that I would very much as
like having a role which demanded my
wearing tights or boys clothes but l
think now that such a costume, donned,
as it generally is on the stage, in
spirit of mischievous merriment, is IN
fnitely 10 be preferred to the handsoms
est long frock in the world when 1t is
assumed in the defiant spirit with
which Frances Starr concludes her act
in The Easiest Way announcing I'm
going to Rector's to make a hit
How did you come to take up comic
opera and musical comedy if you had
such ideas of life on the stage2'
"Oh, it was my small stature mostly
I suppose. You see. I studied for grand
opera and have sung in 1t. 100. Lucia
and most Of the Italian operas are in
Guided in my repertoire, but-Well per-
haps 1 lacked the traditional stage dig
nifty of the operate soprano
In short Miss Cain-BrOWn adopted
the light opera stage just as FRITZ
Shelf did. because, although she had a
voice plenty big enough for grand
opera. she lacked the necessary inches
Not that Mr. Morosco's new prima
donna Is tiny, for she is not that; but
she is petite. with appealing manner
and ingenious blue eyes, which make
It impossible to imagine her in any but
innocent parts.
She has a large repertoire, however,
and has sung thirty eight operas,
ranging from Lucia" to 1.-THE Girl
from Paris" in the past year The
Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the bet
ter known of the Italian and French
operas and some of the recent English
musical successes. including Rob
Roy" Sergeant Kitty" "A Wedding
Day" "The Country Girl" and 1.-THE
Runaway Girl" are included sin this
list
II hardly have any one favorite
part" said the singer, "but I like the
part in The Circus Girl and l am
very fond of the piece 1t has good
lines throughout and the music is all
bright and catchy"
All stage folk are supposed to be
superstitious, but Miss Cain Brown
admits to one such foible only.
At firmly believe that my good luck
would come to q stop if 1 should ever
leave off'-here she laughed at my ex-
pectant attitude-"if l should ever
leave off hard work"
Did you know that Los Angeles in
spires theatrical folk with an imme-
date desire to go to housekeeping?
Prima donnas, soubrettes and chorus
girls alike have their own apartments,
wherein they manipulate the coffee pot
and toaster with regularity and the
dish mop and pan with spasmodic en-
ergy
Miss Cain-Brown has been no ex-