The Washington herald., 1912-02-18

lowed the girl all over the country to
| Mes De witte herself as she sat in her
| own luxurious apartment smiling over
my amazement at her record OF success.
Artists are seldom practical people"
suggested, remembering her present po-
sitlon as manager Of Chase's Theater.
Inheritance from Her Father.
That came from my father. He was
one Of the leading shoe manufacturer
OF America" she answered me simply.
But why did you leave a success 90
well established; why did you give ur
the applause Of the world TO become
manager OF a big business that has its
| commercial as well as its artistic side?''
questioned, with no concealment at my
lack of understanding.
| Because ! was born a Eentlewoman.
and the woman In me Is stronger than
the artist" was the frank reply.
You see." she went on, II believe in
| womanhood. believe in love and home
and motherhood. As a dancer. I trav-
eled endlessly. While some OF the dearest
\ friends ! have are stage folk, and while
many stage folk are refined, splendid peo-
pie. yet one must touch also the other
/ side. II was tnis other side / didn't
| like, so when my chance came I gave II
all up. and am not sorry"
THE big chance that came 20 you
does not come to every girl. and 1 dare
say has never come before or since TO
a stage artist" remarked. asking to be
told how in the world she stepped from
the role OF dancer TO that Of theatsr
manager.
That is simple" she said with a
smile when ! met Mr.. Chase I was
my own manager. I created my own
dance. arranged my own costumes and
lighting effects. and. in addition to this.
I did my own booking. After meeting
Mr.. Chase a number Of times he offered
me the management OF his theater and
accepted his proposition.
Washington owes its polite vaudeville
to Mr.. Chase. When he took hold Of the
old Albaugh Grand Opera House and
turned II into the home OF polite vaude-
willie the public shook its head and ex-
pressed sympathy for this ohioan who
seemed 20 be inviting financial ruin in
launching such venture.
Worked Against Great Odds.
Il admit that those first years that
came TO Washington were hard. Every
thing was against us. The location Of
the theater was worse than poor. The
confidence Of the people had to be won,
and We did not make a good beginning
in offering a first-class show at the
prices with which weSbegah the sale Of
seats at Chase's Theater, and that we
nave continued until now. It sounded
cheap, and It took little while to break
down prejudice. Those were the days,
too, when people found 1t hard to dis
tinguish polite vaudeville from the old
music hall performers. In other words.
vaudeville was new and little under
stood and the prejudice was against 1t.
But, Mr.. Chase had discerning eye.
He Hooked into the future. and what he
saw for the future Of vaudeville was
true II Is the most popular form Of
theatrical entertainment to-day.
'As for Chase's." said Miss De Witte,
in speaking Of the vivid contrast OF that
far away yesteryear with to-day, our
patrons are our best friends."
Thirteen years ago when Mr.. Chase
engaged ''Soiaret," the spectacular
dancer as manager OF his vaudeville
house. the public accepted the event with
something Of amazement, for at that
time 1t was an unheard OF thing for a
woman to manage a theater.
To an interviewer at the time Mr. Chase
said:
And why not7 II woman's taste can
embeIlish and beautify a home why not
a vaudeville house which caters pafticu-
larly to the family elementg'
Referring TO the transformation OF the