New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
REGRETS PAST DAYS
Chorus Girl Is Not What Shs
Was, Says Helen Lowell.

Was, Says Helen Lowell.
"since the Days OF Grandmamma" sings
Helen Lowell in THE Red Petticoat' at
Days Theatre. AS she sings, charming
picture in the satlns, laces and hoopskirts
Of grandmother day, around her are
ranged bevy of chorus girls in the cos
tunes Of former time, but with all the
airs OF our Broadway OF 1912. And there
by hangs this tale. E.rJ
Helen Lowell, the usually gfotesque in
appearance, the farceur supreme, Is the
narrator OF the story. and II Is as serious
as she Is funny--on the stage. II might
be made into another verse for the song
she sings. telling Of the changes in the
chorus girl since the days Of grand
mamma" or much more properly, since
the days of a quarter OF century ago,
OF which Miss Lowell speaks with no shade
OF hesitation.
Eyes. / was a chorus girl" she eN-
planned during the course Of a perform
ance OF her new musical comedy the other
night. People think it strange that
was ever in musical comedy, or light
opera, as IT was when I started out, TWEEN
ty-hve years ago. but I began there and
am glad Of it, -r
But times have changed. The posi-
ton OF a chorus girl is not what IL used
TO be; In fact, nowadays instead Of be-
ing a stepping stone to bigger and better
work. as il was when | was a beginner,
1t is almost fatal to Gny girl who goes into
II. There seems to be a barrier erected
between the chorus and the more prom
lnent branches Of the profession. and any
girl that crosses that barrier has 10 have
a strength OF character that few possess
perhaps / feel the change more keenly
because ! have been out OF touch with
musical comedy for so many years Dur.
ing the time | played with Maud Adams
in Quality Street; as Mis- Hay IN
Mrs Wigs OF the Cabbage Patch and
in other comedies. ! did not know what
musical comedy was changing into. Il
seems to have become a commercial
proposition instead Of a ground where
the ambitious young actress can start her
career on the stage.
"One OF the girls I'm our chorus re-
marked in my hearing, just before We
went on our road tour. that she didn't
mind the travel on the road, but that she
always did hate to put her automobile IA
storage. | don't know exactly, but |
think that particular girl gets S2j a week.
ION the other hand. there is a girl IN
the company who Is making her first ap-
pearance with us. Her people were fairly
wel-to-do In a city not very far away.
until their condition changed and this girl
had TO begin to support herself. She IS
attractive and has a pleasing voice, so
decided on the stage. She is beginning at
so a week
mot so long ago that girl came TO me
and asked me II she could live on that
II means little hall bedroom somewhere.
luncheon at small restaurants or 2 cheap
boarding house, and all sorts of little
economies. And she has TO save money
enough out of that to carry her through
the summer and other times when she Is
earning nothing.
What is going TO be the effect on that
girl when she hears this other one talk
about her automobile, and when she sees
the second appearing in all sorts OF pretty
things that she couldn't possibly get out
OF her salary Even If there are only
two or three girls of that sort in a com.
pany, IL is going TO take girl with
strong character and self-denal to 20 on
living as she must.
Contrast conditions as | found them
when | first started out in light opera, in
a fln f,r
several years afterward We had a train
ing that was chiefly work, but which
brought results.
personally, Ii is a pleasure to appear
In musical comedy again. aside from my
feeling OF disappointment over what seems
10 me the discouraging outlook for the
beginner In the field l think a player can
can be as artistic as on the comedy stage,
although, of course, the tendency | feel
| must avoid is getting a trihe too broad
In my methods. II is such relief to let
myself co. to dance and sing and be
merry. instead Of maintaining the abso-
lutte seriousness In order 10 be funny that
is necessary In playing a role like Mis-
Hay.
Then IL Is possible, too. TO tlnd in musl-
cal comedy pieces where interest can De
maintained in a central character that Is
funny. IL is one of the hardest things IN
the world to find play for what Is known
as character funny woman such as
play, because it is hard to keep up inter-
est in the character throughout the entire
play. Audiences want the love interest
and only by paying attention TO that de-
mand. as an author OF n musical comedy
can do by having various pairs OF lovers
can funny woman or man hold the cen.
tire OF the stage. The difficulty in gettihs
a play for me has been one OF the bisses.
with which | have had to contend. ana II
l can continue to find characters in mus,
cal comedy like Sophie Brush In The heu
Petticoat l shall continue with my nisS
love, the song and dance NAV"