The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-03


=. H sothern has been called !
crank. admits being Z crank, ana Is 8 |
crank. Hes firmer believer in syu-
tenn than the specialized schoolmaster
OF . century ago. A clock operated
oy United States observatory time
Sothern routine. While he's conceiv-I
Ing ideas Tor tho vastest productions
IN the country Mr.. Sothern has an eyet
Tho cracking Of = peanut In the
highest gallery mars the balcony scene
II Mr.. 6othern 10 reading Romeo. Al
heavy football behind the drops die-i
tresees him in his soliloquy a. the msl-i
During the great shakespeareanI
actors recent engagement in Topeka, |
q Washourn boy upset established
routine-disobeyed one Of the man
dates Of the organization. Sothern
was too clever.
Also Topeka baby has the distinc-
ton OF causing Mr.. Sothern extreme
annoyance. Immediately before the
mercy plea In the trial scene the baby
became frightened at the snarlinG
Shylock. and walled ''Ma-ma' in tones
1naudtble to the breathless spectators
In the orchestra chairs. but discon-
certtng to Mr.. SOthern,
Behind Scenes It Grand.
Persons behind the scenes at the
Grand declared there had never been
star so alert. 30 particular, so
cranky-they said cranky-as the
famous impersonator Of Shylock.
Mr.. S0thern was ready for scene /
before the curtain rose. He left his
dressing room for personal ex-
animation Of his stage machinery He
told the local manager he'd seen two
fellows he didn't know making for
the property room. and asked that
they be looked up. Then he pointed
to man standing near the switch
board.
ssWho.s THAR" he asked. sharply.
ITS the city electrical inspector"
responded Jack Truitt
Mr.. Sothern said his electricians
were perfectly competent-he couldn't
have the inspector around. The mama
/ watching the play from the other side
! OF tho footliGhfa. The electrfcian
moodfly decided he didn't like Shakes
/; peare. and left the house.
| Several supers had been engaged.
and asked to report ut the theafer 50
minutes before the first act. Mr..
S0thern ascertatned they were all
present. and gave strict orders that
they not watch the play from the va
rious exits. In order to insure the OBJ
+, servance Of his command. he had
screens placed at each opening
WAsnburn Chaps C1evernosa. -
| The college boys who had been e.
!ected to operate the heavy green cur
l
sight until their calls. Their faces fell
They had applied a. supers because
. they wanted to see The Merchant. One
OF the boys rolled himself in the cur
tain. nearly smothered. but avoided
Mr.. Sothern's eagle eye, and saw the
/ entire performance.
When the last curtain had fallen on
the charming scene in the Belmont
garden an English class climbed the
stage stairs, and were introduced to
. a
'Shylock is the only honest man in
the play" Miss Marl0we was saying.
what lot OF medieval loafers there
I werei"
The class was listening interestedly.
But Mr.. Sothern was frowning.
Did you hear the baby whimper in
the trial scene 2" he asked his wife. ''it
must have been in the fourth row In
the gallery. was afraid 1t would
throw you off in your plea"
1 Il am crank" Mr.. Sothern admits,
In an interview by Wendell Phillips
Dodge in the Christmas Strand ''in
| my own particular work have found
1t necessary to be q crank: that - to
say-a moving force. q person who
makes things move. or a. the vulgar
say. hum I understand have not
been able to hide this quality OF mine
under bushel.
| No Open Entxancos.
To many persons . theatre 10 .
ever. Supers. stage hands, helpers Of
all sorts, and even some actors, are
greatly disturbed when insist that
they shall be quiet and orderly behind
the scenes at q rehearsal or at q per-
Torrance
Stage hands and supers have to be
kept out OF the various entrances or
they may mar the performance. They
have to be kept silent. or they viii
talk: still. or they will fall over some
i thing In the dark scenes. These SUI
pers have no desire but to get their
fifty cents, and to sec the show.
"One Of my rules. which has estab-
lished me as q crank more than any
: other thing. perhaps. IL that every per-
!, SON who Ia in the play shall report at
the theater and sign q list half an hour
before the curtain rises This rule has
been considered 20 unreasonable thai
people have l0ft INV c0mpanv rather