New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-04

the part of stage director or producer
to minimize the players native gifts
and TO restrict his dramatic capabili-
ties. Only the actor of exceptional
talent or true genius recognizes the
fact that it is the bits which make ar
fists big.
A young woman had her ear to the
keyhole when Opportunity made his
round Of the New Amsterdam Theatre,
New York in the spring Of 1912. An
"all-star" revival of robin Hood" had
been in rehearsal for weeks. Such no
table grand opera celebrities as Bella
Alien, Florence Wickham and Carl
Gantvoort had been engaged for the
more conspicuous roles, while Walter
Hyde, Edwin Stevens and George
rockingham were names well known TO
playgoers and were expected TO share
with the famous Metropolitan song
birds the honors of the opening night.
SO confident were the producers that
the encOres for these principals would
cause the performance to extend well
beyond the customary theatre hour that
the stage director was instructed TO
eliminate from the score the one mu-
steal number allotted TO the role Of
Annabel, which was TO be enacted by
an attractive but inconspicuOus young
singer. The stage director. having
more sympathy than is usually &C
credited 90 individuals occupying his
position, delayed breaking the sad news
TO the young actress. He decided TO
wait until the opening night 70 notify
her, thus giving her the joys of antici-
patton as long as possible.
On the opening night Opportunity
made sport of the stage director and
D NIT
/ details Just at the moment when the
unknown young singer playing Annabel
went before the footliRhts for her one
/ song. And the audience forthwith be-
/ came a claoue hired by Opportunity.
Annabels solo received just twice as
many encores as the songs of any Of
the grant opera stars. The bit had
made Ann Swnburne big. In the fall
she was given the leading feminine role
in "The Count Of Luxembourg and
| last December her name was blazoned
/ in electrics as the star in THE Madcap
/ Duchess
/ When Charles Frohman announced
last spring that one OF mis- fall revivals
might be Diplomacy" and that Blanche
Bates would be seen as the Countess
Zicka, II recalled the fact that Miss
Bates owes her first success TO an adj
Although she made a sensational hit IN
/ the bit, Countess Mirtza, she was al
/ lowed to play il for one night only.
/ Rumor had il at the time that profess
sional jealousy was responsible for
Miss Batcs's immediate withdrawal
/ from the company. But the reputation
of Blanche Bates was quickly made.
/ Her Countess DeWinter in The Three
/ Musketeers," and her Cigarette in I'm
der Two Flags" were followed by no.
table achievements under the direction
of David Belasco-"The Darling Of the
Gods" "The Girl Of the Golden West,
"Nobody's Widow and THE Fighting
Hope
When Liberty Hall" was produced
many years ago the cast fairly scintil-
lated with such distinguished names as
Henry Miller, Ida Conquest. Viola Al
len, Ribert Edeson, William II. Cromp-
ton, Jameson Lee Finney and W. II.
| Thompson. After the first performance
new rame was added to the note
worthy group, for May Robson. as the
result o. her irresistible characterize
ton of the slavey, was given big char
acter roles in rapid succession until she
was generally recognized as the leading
eccentric actress on the American stage.