Evening star., 1909-06-20

@vHE theatrical summer season in
Washington this year has been
fraught with events more or
less momentous and resembles
in some respects a busy regular
season. New plays, the histrionic debut
of a society girl, followed by her sensa-
tional retirement and the subsequent an
nouncement of her temperance, together
with the launching Of a novel venture by
the Shuberts in the matter Of play pro-
duction, are all events that one would nat
urally look for when the snow flies and
the busy wheels OF dramatic endeavor are
in motion in the land. Added to these is
the successful continuance OF two OF the
leading theaters, the Columbia with its
excellent stock company and the National
with elaborate and satisfactory revivals
of comic opera and musical comedy sue
cesses. One might almost imagine the reg
ular season in full swing.
Preston Gibson's play Success was
presented during the week for the first
time. It was we'll mounted and the COM
pany capable: but the consensus OF opin-
ion seems to be that Mr.. Gibson's drama
was prematurely exhibited Had the time
and effort spent in producing the play
been devoted to perfecting 1t perhaps the
| verdict might have been different.
The work Of the Belasco Theater Com
pany will be followed with interest. Wash
| ington Is not a good place to "try 1t on
the dog" But on the other hand the
| Messrs. Shubert have sent to the Belasco
| a coterie of players OF unQuestioned rank
and ability, and as they are not In busl-
| ness for their health, it must be assumed
! for the present at least, that the new
plays which are to be tried out" here
| have first been approved by competent
| judges as worthy. when perfected, of pres
entation in houses of the rank of the
| Belasco. Eight weeks of absolutely new
plays are promised. and expectation Is
| likely to run high.
Never have the Columbia Players es-
| tablished a better reputation for an even
| Iy balanced and capable company of ar
| lists than in their presentation of MY
| Wife" during the past week. Throughout
the cast proved itself thoroughly satisfac-
| tory, while the work of Miss Dean and
Mr.. Caldara was of the star order. This
| week they will essay 'The Man on the
Box" and their work in the past seems
full of warrant for the expectation that
they will be the center of dramatic at
traction during the coming week.
The Aborn Comic Opera Company, which
has been creditably presenting successful
offerings with cOmmendable regularity
during the summer season, will this week
produce the immortal "Florodora." The
leading singers of this capable organiza-
ton are quite competent to handle their
| subject in a manner that will be attractive,
and the really good work which the untir-
ing chorus has been doing week after
week, with a new offering each week, is
a guarantee that it's part of "Florodora"
will meet approval. "Florodora" should
draw generously this week
The stock company at the Lyceum, in
It's particular field, has not been behind
the companies In the other theaters. 1t
has been offering good burlesque and win
ming the favor of its patrons daily.
AN NINGENUES FAITH.-Those who are
not always dazzzled by the Hmelight that
surrounds the principals, but who have
| had the interest to observe the efforts
| Of the remainder of the several casts
| in which the Columbia Players have ap
| peared during their present season, have
I not overlooked the splendid efforts of
| Ethel Wright, the ingenue, even though the
| critics sometimes may have done so.
Each week this little woman, no mat
| ter how important or how humble her
part in the play, has been found in
| her place with the goods on her. to
| use current expression of the day.
Whether as the landlady,s daughter in
| Merely Mary Ann" Phoebe Fuckers in
The Prince Chap the clever
French Baroness Granclos in My Wife"
widely different in character and re-
qurements the roles are. Miss Wright
has always given good account of
herself. She IS one of the most conscien-
4 r1yarS of he md
cept for the consciousness of duty we'll
done at all times is seldom singled out
for special reward. She doesn't mind
it in the least. She isn't vain or self
! conscious. She just trips along her way
content in the belief that, to use her
own language. she is 1.-The most fortunate
girl in the profession She has the
New Thought" principle frayed to a
fra zzle. Whatever she attempts she
accomplishes. whatever she seems to
want-want real hard'-comes her way,
and whatever she loses is returned TO her
with but little, If any. effort on her part,
The following story leaked out during
the week to Illustrate these assertions.
Miss Wright is the proud possessor of
a beautiful gold locket. 1t is an heir
loom which she prizes very highly. 1t
Is not resplendent with precious jewels
or priceless in intrinsic worth but she
just loves it, that's all, and she lost it.
Miss Wright is a great favorite with
the players and when her loss was dis
covered every one of them hurried hith-
er and thither, hunting here and there
fo- the lost locket. Manager Berger even
went so far as to call Maj. Sylvester
into his confidence, and Stage Director
Thomson at once drafted his stage force
TO help hunt for the heirloom. Miss
Wright herself, grieving. of course, but
not aloud, simply retired to her dressing
room and got busy with her part in
''The Man on the Box" When charged
with undue Indifference in the matter. in
view of the value in which she held the
lost locket and the concern of the remain
der of the company. she simply smiled
and said, "Oh, it will be all right. 1
sure it will come back to me, for l
have never entirely lost a thing in my
life" Then followed the recital OF
some OF her experiences to Justify this
faith. and they We're remarkable ones.
too, and after their telling one could
not wonder why Ethel Wright belongs to