Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-17


close her engagement in this city.
This will be unwelcome news to
her local admirers, who are legion
But the grueling work of the past
season and its continuance in the pres
ent summer season, without recreation
rest or intermission. has told heavily
on Miss Deans reserve strength. 1t
has now become imperative that she
take a good rest This she proposes 10
do by an ocean trip and an extended
vacation in Norway. Her physician tells
her this is absolutely necessary unless
she wishes to court a breakdown She
has wisely decided to take.hs advice
OF the many players who have become
popular in local circles in the past, and
there have been many who have risen
to stellar heights, and, indeed, who had
already attained that eminenCe when they
came here, none, perhaps, has taken q
stronger hold upon the affections OF local
play lovers than Julia Dean LeaulhS
the cast through weeks OF summer neat
for two seasons. in almost every CHAR
acter of play, she has helped pack the
Columbia Theater to its doors, and turn
disappointed hundreds away for want OF
accommodation
Inis mas not been due to eXtravaSant
press work, to sensational accounts or at
c0mpishments elsewhere or TO chance.
Added 10 a personal charm that reaches
over the footIights and anneXes all with
in it's horizon Miss Dean possesses dra-
matte genius and talent that coihpei at
tentiCn. 1t is TINS more tndn other
factor that has won for - the
wide popularity she enjoys In Washing
ton. She has the happy faculty OF living
her parts. of lending to the IDEAL chai III
Of the dramatic author her own Soul, heI
own individuality and her own concep-
ton of the character unprecedented, ana
yet withal of subordinating self to her
art and reaching out fer the ideal rather
than seeking to improve the setting ol
her own personality. Few outside her
intimates realize the intensity with
which she takes up her work. There Is
never q sparing of self, never an mao
lence or inattention, but always a Strenu-
Gus, never-endng persistence to reach
the goal at which she aims weather
and work might break down her health
but never weaken her purpose Such Is
Miss Dean as she appeared to those VINO
have more closely followed her career
since she first came here. With all her
genius and ability as an actress she Is
always the charming, gracious woman
that commands respect and lnvoluntarllE
aims admiration. 1t does not need the
need of the critic to point the way TO
success to such an artist. Capacity houses
whenever she appears, no matter now
warm the weather or how inciement, re-
feet the true sentiment of Washington's
play lovers toward this little woman, VINO
has won a warmer place in their hearts
than recollection can recall of another in
many years. Words are empty beside this
fact No praise could be less fulSome.
A NOTABLE CAREER.-Emelie Mel
Vile, the talented and versatile charac-
ter actress who will play the part Of
the Washington boarding house keeper
in THE Little Grey Lady at the
Columbia this week, is stanch advo-
cate of the stock system. She be-
lieves the increasing popularity of this
class of entertainment will not only I'M
prove the standard of acting In this
country, but, more than all other factors
combined. will discourage the production
of bad plays.
Miss Melville's many admirers. who
have watched with increasing interest
her clever representations during the sea-
son. will be interested to know that
practically her entire life has been spent
upon the stage. Her splendid stagecraft
Is the result not only Of natural talent
wisely directed. but Of years Of hard
work in a variety OF roles seldom at
tempted by a single actress in these
days Of stars who know but one part. and
opera singers whose repertoire is limited
TO three or four characters.
Il am glad the stock company is de-
veloping Increasing popularity" said Miss
Melville in the course OF an informal
conversation the other afternoon, for
l believe that its result will be 10 turn
out better actors than we have been
producing OF late years. All the greatest
actors of the past half century are the
product OF the old stock companies. Most
Of the stars OF today are the result OF
the same system. 1t not only produces
better actors, but also has strong and
decided tendency toward elevating the
moral atmosphere of the stage
I'D rather talk about the elevation OF
the drama than about myself. con-
tinued Miss Melville in response TO an
intimat!on that the public might be In
t.. to- NJ l,AN
for IL you print the whole list of things
] have done upon the stage people Will
ask: Why, how old is Miss Melville, any
way?
You see they lose sight of the fact
that ] was born the stage, you NJ ight
Say, my parents both being actors. That
was IN Philadelphia. l made my first
appearance there when / Was four years
old IN II stock company that played
principally Shakespearean dramas.
Il was starring when 1 was ten years
old IN Fanchon. and ! Was not very far
into my teens when | Joined the famous
San Francisco. That was a great
company Lawrence Barrett was the
light comedian. John McCullough. John
T. Raymond and-oh. lot of others
that afterward became famous were ia
the company. ] was the inSenue the
first season Joined. The next year
was leading woman. Edwin Booth Joined
the company the next season. and l
played Dphelia to his Hamlet and Juliet
to his Romeo
During this time ! had been Developing
my voice and | made my debut In grand
opera the following year. / sang Lucia
al LanHermoor, La Traviata. II
Trovatore' and other standard Italian
operas.
Then ! shifted TO comic opera in Eng
land and went TO Australia. where I gave
them both kinds. | was very successful
there. and made more money than have
since.
But came back TO America and with
John Mccall organized t6e Emelie Mel
VILE Opera Company and toured a while.
Later j took the mana cement into my
own hands and went with the company
10 Australia. where played one sea-
son. We then went 10 South Africa
British India China Japan Italy. France
hod S"itzeriand and finished the tour in
LonAon.
''t'l' "lateiy I came back to New York,
My So.c= - --~- troubling me a great
deal Ate: hi. operation performed while
rin",c@ ", ~t.at.. -,Fgtra | convinced
! would rover ir -. = sing in opera
again, although ! an r.ae ballads or
anything that does not require too much
strain"
Mrs Melville has been prominently
identified with "A number OF tn. foremost
stock and combination cOmpanies but
declares that IN none OF them has she
derived more pleasure and profit than
she has with the Columbia Players In
Washington.
Belasco Roof May Reopen.