The Detroit times., 1913-09-02
THE STAGE
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE

DETROIT OPERA HOUSE
II 10 certainly some achievement
for q popular player to present her
self In the same play for the s06th
time, and that II Just what Rose
lStahl did, Monday afternoon. In the
Detroit opera house. when she gave
the opening performance OF her pres
emit season in Maggie Pepper" In
the last nine years Miss Stahl has
lplayed only two stage characters
Patricia O'Brien In THE Chorus
Lady" and Maggie in Maggie Pep
lper." And the latter seems good for
many seasons to come.
Miss Stahl is one Of the women
OF the American stage, dear to the
heart Of the great American public
simply because as Patricia. and as
Maggie. she has immortalized two
purely American types. Miss Stahl,
herself, is. about all, natural. hu-
man. generous-hearted and every
dayish In speech and manner, with
unlimited cheerfulness. sweetness Of
disposition, good horse-sense and
Quickness Of wit and tongue. and.
she plays herself when she plays
Maggie Pepper. That's why Maggie
has had so many stage birthdays
and IL likely to have just as many
more. The folk "out front" like an
everyday good sort of girl. uke
Miss Stahl's Maggie. and that's an
other reason there's always q big
audience to laugh and to cry. to be
glad and to be sorry, over Maggie's
q a. hAR
stage department store life.
Most everybody knows by this
time that Maggie Pepper" Is a COM
edy. all about q girl In q New York
department store. who pushes her.
self up from cash girl to be prac-
ideally. general manager Of the store.
or course, In with the business Of
selling dry goods 10 love romance
and q bit OF. melodrama but, II would
not be q real slice Of life II these in
gradients were not In the making.
Miss Stahl plays Maggie with just
az much care a. she did In the flrst
days Of the creation Of the charac-
ter. Indeed, II possible. she gives
la more finished study and perform
ance. She IL fortunate In having an
excellent all-round capable company.
Each part 10 filled with due regard
to personal fitness. The comedy al
ways has been admirably staged and
the performances given Monday At
ternoon and evening moved with per-
feet smoothness despite the fact that
they wore the FIRST of the season.
Miss Stahl will be In the Detroit
all week. and will give Wednesday
and Saturday matinees.
ELLA NAE HAWTHORNE.
-s oARRick. -'
n, In the weeks to come. the Gar
rick theater attractions for 1854
are half a. good a. Blanche Ring and
her new farce with music, When
Claudia Smiles" which opened the
season. Monday evening in that pretty
and newly-furnished playhouse. De-
troit amusement-seekers will have
nothing OF which to complain. La
Dor day audiences that taxed the ca.
pacity of the theater laughed and ap-
plauded and seemed to enjoy every
minute Of the fun and frivolity pro-
vided by Miss Ring and her clever
company.
No expense has been spared to
dress Claudia" and there 10 q won
derful sartorial display to keep the
eye Of the public. that knows q mod
ish frock when II sees 1t, and q hand.
some girl when she walks across the
stage In the latest "slitted" toggery,
glued to the footlights. And. the
blanche Ring girls" are some
girls. Their hnery IL the niftiest ex.
hibition outside of the Rue de Ia Paix
and Fifth" avenoo" dressmaking ga
Ions.
Miss Ring Is her jolliest self again
this season. She II ~ cheerful and
~ good-natured a hard worker a.
musical comedy knows, and she seems
to be able to make anything go" In
When Claude Smiles" she has plen-
~ Of opportunity to make her audi
ence laugh and be gay with her. The
piece is credited for Its foundation. to
. French farce. and its second act has
been lifted from an old farce which
served Miss Ring successfully several
years ago called "vivian's Papas."
Anne Caldwell, q clever woman who
wrote THE Lady OF the Slipper" for
E1oAC Sonio anu xnOut8OsnCty anu
Stone. whipped When Claudia
Smiles" into shape and very good
comedy shape 1t IL. There Ia . heap
of fun in 1t. many bright lines, farcical
situations that keep the spectators
on the Qui vive and the players on
the danger zone. and plenty Of tune
full and attractively-staged musical
numbers. A long list Of popular COM
posers has contributed the latter.
Perhaps the hit of them all IL the
Flower Garden Ball." which closes
the first of the three acts, although
every number has its tunefulness and
ginger.
Miss Ring has an unusually good
company. Dainty Marion Sunshine
Is too winsome and fetching to be
properly described in mere words:
Bertha Mann Is clever girl, and Mel
lie Fillmore, as Cynthia. Claudia's COL
ored maid. Is a screaming success.
The young women who wear the mar
velous frocks and walk in the latest
accepted styles of locomotion, to say
nothing of cavorting, or wriggling,
through the up-to the-moment dances
are the pick Of the Broadway show
girl crop, tbs said.
The men OF this company, headed
by Harry Conor, Charles j. Winning
er and johnny Scannell. the latter OF