Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-28
has the backing of no less an authority
than Daniel Frohman himself in this as

has the backing of no less an authority
than Daniel Frohman himself in this as
sertion.
Miss McDermott admits her faith is
based not upon experience. but upon
successful engagement with a Minneap-
oils stock company. There, as here, she
was generally admired for her refined
and womaniy representations. and when
she was cast in one of the plays in the
role Of "Bowery girl her friends were
startled. Not SO with Miss McDermott
however. She just gloried In the part
and made the hit Of her season in It.
Among those who saw her on that
occasion was Mr.. Frohman, who at once
offered her an engagement in his COM
pany for q similar part in a play he con-
templated producing.
Miss McDermotrs glee was short
lived. however, for when she broke the
ly and emphatically vetoed. But Miss
McDermott has, nevertheless, entertained
the hope that she might have another
opportunity, and unless the plans of Man
ayers Metzerott and Berger Erscarry, it
is said, her hope will be realized.
MISSED HIS GUESS.-There is young
cub reporter in the city who believed until
recently he had heard q great call to be-
come dramatic writer. DoOrAeepers at
the theaters know his kind. He is of the
type who wears a crooked cane-on his arm
and what he does not know about the in
side of theatrical life is probably the
barndoor for his fly speck of actual
knowledge. He had a violent setback in
the Belasco Theater a few days ago dur
ing the rehearsal Of play, and he prob
ably now realizes it will take several years
of arduous experience to effect his com.
plete recovery.
He walked into the theater, and by
f,er vso<y hi tn !,
sacred precincts behind the scenes The
players were going through with a fairly
difficult scene, and Young Cub watched
them with supercilfous interest. il not
contempt He appeared to be wanting to
give few directions.
However, his attention was attracted to
one of the boxes where a man with strik-
ing features and wavy white hair was
paying strict attention to something or
other In his hands Young Cub became
became impatient to let some one know
of his interest. When one of the men,
bers of the company had a lapse for a
second, he made his break:
Say said the Cub; 81 see my friend
Dave Belasco up there in the box. What's
he doing. holding manuscript on you, eh -
The actor gazed toward the box, and
looked a long time. Then he spoke, seri-
ously, very seriously:
IT really don't know. But l am sure he
would be very glad to see you"
Up the aisle bolted the Young Cub to
have talk with the celebrity in the box.
But he soon left in a hurry, and has not
been seen since.
The players think perhaps 1t Was be-
cause David Belasco' happened to be
the vacuum cleaner man who was wreS-
thing with a soiled carpet.
AMERICAN OPERA WILL COME
Walter Damrosch, whose first comic
opera is to be produced next fall by the
Shuberts, is an exponent Of opera in
English.
Years ago in France says Mr.. DAM
rosch, -.Gluck fought the prejudice of
the French people against the singing of
opera ings their own tongue, and finally
won victory and lasting fame. Italian
opera was the thing then. In Germany
Won Viewer had a similar fight. The re-
suit today is that both Germany and
France have a national opera that rep
presents not only the language of the
people, but their emotions, customs, his
tory and national life.
This leads me to the belief that the
same thing will come to pass in America,
not by translation mind you, but by the
production of operas written and per-
formed by Americans in their native
tongue, which will be just as full of life
and poetry as those of any other country
in the world.
1.-THE whole appreciation of opera is not
possible unless the audience understands
what is being said for the music and the
words are so subtly welded that one is
inadequate without the other"