Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-11
OMAHA GIRLS ON THE STAGE
Many Have Made Good Behind the
Footlights' Glow.
ACTIVE IN ALL THE MANY LINES
Tragediennes, Coincidence, Singers,
Dancers, Acrobats and Clowns
In the Long List of Tall
emit Sprouted Here.

emit Sprouted Here.
Mother Omaha has reason to be proud
Of her galaxy Of attractive and talented
daughters who as stars and lesser lumi.
nsries are acting. singing and dancing or
the stage for the pleasure OF audience:
throughout the country. From coast u
coast, from the gulf to the Canadian
border, these young women, born anC
reared in the Gate city. are meeting evel
new successes in the theatrical profession
In plays grave and gay. in light opera, IN
musical comedy anu in vaudeville-yoJ
may find the daughters Of Omaha wht
have followed the CLEAN OF the footignts.
Most OF these young actresses had theil
training In the home city; only a few
studied in dramatic schools in New York
or Chicago. Local teachers gave them
their first instruction and inspiration and
local stock companies offered them oppor-
tunities to show their ability as newly
fledged professionals. Then with very
little backing. but with confidence in
their ability, with ambition to make good
and with the fascination Of their art as a
constant spur-these young people went
forth to try their wings in alien atmos-
pheres.
Julia NaEI the Latest.
The one who has most recently sprung
into popular notice is Miss Julia Nagl.
daughter of Mrs. N. A Nasl. Very glow
ing reports come from her from New
York, where she is playing an ingenue
role In The Bird of Paradise" q Mo-
rosco production at the Shubert. Miss
Nagi, who has chosen the stage name OF
Margaret Negele. writes: My work takes
most Of my time and all Of my enthusi-
asm and interest"
While In high school Miss Nagl sordied
with Miss Lillian Fitch In the Boyd Thea
ter School of Acting and played in a
number Of public performances. While
at the state university she took the lead
in dramatic work. She also captured Phi
Beta Kappa, the honorary degree for high
scholarship. Last fall she went to Chi
lumbia university to study dramatic art
aud philosophy, and vas there until De-
cember. when offers came which she
could not resist. The Omaha girl, who
had never appeared in any but amateur
performances, was given a part with Viola
Allen in a Liebler production. 1t Jailed
on the road and Miss Nagi Immediately
stepped into the THE Bird OF Paradise
company. While this play was on the
road Miss Laurette Taylor, the leading
woman, strained her ankle and Miss Nagl,
who is her understudy, played her part.
Miss Allen q Song Bird.
Vera Allen, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
II. II. Allen, is the latest Of omaha's
young women Of the stage to appear in
her home city. She was here last month
with the Aborn Opera company playing
Airline in THE Bohemian Girl" That
she is starting her theatrical career
as a star makes her success seem almost
meteoric. She modestly admits that
Dame Nature has treated her kindly. but
maintains that downright hard work has
been the chief factor in her climb upward.
1T takes hard work 10 succeed. You
have got to keep at 1t with determine
ton never TO give up. 4 believe a person
following this rule can win anything
he wants to do" said Miss Allen while
here. II would add that one must make
the most of every opportunity"
Miss Allen has had much to fight
against. chiefly poor health. She studied
violin and vocal music here. then went
TO Chicago, and while studying voice
and dramatic art put into practice her
precept OF hard work. She made her
clothes, trimmed her hats and did ac-
companlst work with her violin to help
pay expenses. Last year her opportu-
nifty came to sing minor roles with the
Chicago Grand Opera company.
After that / felt that 1 should go to
New York" So she set out for Gotham
alone and without influence and sang
for those dreaded beings the opera man
ayers. She had two offers besides the
one with the Aborn company which she
took.
81 was asked to sign a contract before
] left the ROOM" said Miss Allen, re-
ferring TO her tryout before Manager
Aborn.
Leads in California.
Another Omaha product beginning her
career with bright prospects is Edna
Levi, daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs. /. Levi.
She plays leads for the Essanay Film
company in California, and is seen in
moving pictures all over the country.
She began studying with Miss Fitch
when such a tiny girl that at her first
lesson she fell off the stool on which
her mother had placed her. Through
high school she studied elocution with
the idea Of being a reader and gave re-
citals in Nebraska and Iowa towns.
Then came 9 chance to join the Wood
ward Stock company. and before long
she was taking leading parts and was
pronounced by Mr.. woodward "a find"
A year ago she went TO San Francisco
TO visit her sister, Joined the Belasco
Stock company and from that worked
into the moving picture performances.
Mis- Alice switzler. daughter OF Mr..
and Mrs. Warren switzler, after a sea-
sons study with Miss Fitch was given
a place with the williams-Hughes Stock
company. Now she Is travelling In Ne
braska and nearby states, playing lead
ing parts in the william Grew Stock
company.
started in Locnl stock.
An Omaha girl played here in school
days" during the holidays. This is
Laura Laird, known as Babe" She
began her stage life with the Dick Fer
ris Stock company. Then, after a period
Of work with other stock companies and
in vaudeville. she obtained part In the
..Innerrmnnn Trail +" At the beginning