Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-16
AMBITION, !" NEW ).
PLAY, ENTERTAINING
Scene Laid in clearinghouse and
Only Four Characters in
the Plot

In clearinghouse Just around the
corner from Broadway are brought
together the four characters of Am
bltion,' three-act play by Ashley
Miller. which opened only last Mon
day night,
Miss Love-" a quiet.refined and SEN
sibly philosophical, Keeps the board
inghouse, in which Marie" an or
phan with only the education of New
1ork's street, is the maid of all work.
In the clearinghouse lives Zelda Sell
Ey, chorus girl, out of work, who,
though she neglects to o-pay room rent.
buys fashionable gowns that she may
present good appearance to the
manager from whom she seeks po-
siuon. To the house comes Bert
Chester, young English composer,
who seeks the opportunity to pro-
duce his light opera in New York. I'm
hued with ambition and with pro-
found belief in his work. he meets
only disappointment. Miss Love"
thinks that through Zelda" he might
obtain an interview with the man
ayers Chester" in going over the
opera with Zelda" realizes that she
can fill the role and trans ner Ia ...e
part. Interviews, however are diff
cult to obtain and after three months
they are indefinitely postponed.
Miss Love" has realized that in
Marie are possibilities and trains
the young girl to both think and live
right. Chester" gives up in despair
and Zelda after wasting three
months declares he is a failure and
leaves him to fight alone. An at
tempted suicide is averted by Marie"
who with her girlish philosophy per-
suades him to think that everything
is sure to come out all right if you
never give up hope
A messenger brings news of the
long expected interview. Zelda and
Chester" with renewed vigor. take
up the work where they had stopped.
The play is accepted and all goes we'll
until the day of the premiere perform
ance. The night previous Chester"
finds 1t necessary to quarrel with
zelda" and she during the last few
hours deserts him and runs away to
be married. Marie" who for months
has been living and thinking the
philosophy of LAS man thinketh, so
is he" has been thinking hard about
Chester and his opera. and as she
describes it to Chester" she can fore
see the success. the crowds, the ap-
plause, but she cannot ''see Miss Selby
in the leading role" Her parents We're
in the chorus of the Metropolitan and
the spirit OF music is within her. She
has during all the months secretly lis
tened to the rehearsals in the attic
room and in a trial reluctantly grant
ed by Chester" proves that she
knows the role better than Zelda"
The play is success. Chester" !"
musing over the events of the day, is
confronted by Zelda" She admits
her serious blunder and asks another
trial, which is refused.
Marie" who has overheard the
pleas of Zelda" her philosophy tell
ing her that 'Zelda's" is the part,
tries to give it back, but Chester is
firm in his convictions and compels her
to keep 1t, decla, ing that he felt the
power of love true and unselfish on the
day of his success. His and 'Zelda's'
love was false, he declares, and ac-
knowledges his true love in Marie. -
The cast was excellent. Margaret
st. John as Miss Love-: Ethel Brown
ing as Marie; Helen Roylon as AeI-
da Selby"; Charles Maude as Bert
Chester" played their respective roles
with a full sense of dra n'Ht'o ~"e~'
ties. The music of "Chester's" opera
gives vocal opportunity .~....,
baritone of MIR. Maude and the vibrant
soprano voice of Miss Browning. Miss
Royton's conception of the chorus girl
who never had a chance to show her
voice" was excellent. 1t Is a role fire.
quently overdrawn beyond recogni-
ton.
Ambition" in conception and pre-
sentation, is refreshing. Based upon
really serious philosophy. it Is worked
out in most agreeable manner in that
the truths of the play charmingly
brought to the minds of the audience
phase of life which everyone meets
In one OF countless forms.