davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

press representative for David Belasco,
contains so much of interest concerning
Mr.. Belasco's forthcoming premiere of
an important production here that l am
appending it. in part:
New York City, Dec. g. 1914.
Dear Mrs. ManZ:-Mr. Belasco will
make the first presentation on any stage
OF Edward Knoblauch's latest play. with
Miss Frances Starr in the title role, at
the Belasco Theater, Washington, on
Monday, January IS. The fact that this
will be the first time in several seasons
that play by Mr.. Rnoblauch has been
produced first in this country. coupled
with the appearance Of Miss Starr in a
new and more appealing type OF role
one of distinct girlish charm, full of
poetry and possessing a deep spiritual
quality, such as only Miss Starr among
actresses can well portray-and also the
fact that this marks the first time In
several seasons that Mr.. Belasco has
chosen the National Capital for a pre-
miere, makes the event one of unusual
Importance. Another point of interest
is that Mr.. Knoblauch, who is coming
from London to be present at the open
ing performances, both in Washington
and New York, will go down to Wash
ington with Mr.. Belssco for the pre-
miere.
With very best wishes and holiday
greetings am,
Sincerely yours,
WENDELL PHILLIPS DODGE.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
CasinO-VaudeviIIe. G

In line with an entirely new policy IN
be inaugurated, beginning with the mat
lnees tomorrow, the Casino Theater
management will offer this and each
succeeding week a headliner Of musical
comedy, presented by capable commands
supplementing 1t with several acts OF
varied vaudeville. This week the Vic
torta Girlies, with a cast of nine people.
headed by Elsie Toilette and Jack
wilkes, will present their rollicking gem
to revelry, "Schultzs Cabaret" with
pretty girls, good comedians, clean and
enjoyable merriment and lifting music
The show will run about an hour and
will be supplemented by several vaude-
vile numbers and Il series OF selected
photoplays, with tho country store, as
an added attraction every night except
Sunday night. The change means a ma
terial Improvement in the quality and
character Of the entertainment offered
at the Casino Theater
Today's concerts will offer a fine or
chestral program, with new specialties
and other attractions.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

Hilton, Billy Evans, Lloyd Pedrick.
Harry Ford, and a feminine cast headed
by Maudie Heath, Percie Judah, and
Bonnie Dale. The program opens with
two-act musical comedy entitled THE
Tango Factory" from the pen Of Thomas
]. Gray. The music is by Raymond
Walker and the song numbers were
staged by Julian Alfred. The company
Is large one, numbering fifty people
and includes a chorus OF thirty show
girls. During the play sixteen musical
numbers will be introduced among
which will be You're Here and I'm
Here" Way Down East Follow
the Crowd Chicken Farm" "Crooney
Melody" Mississippi Cabaret" and
Reuben Tango" During the second act,
The Country Club a cabaret scene will
be offered in which a number of vaude-
Vile specialties will be given including
a violin speciality by Bonnie Dale; a
speciality by the Carnes Sisters and
Burns; and Maude Heath and Harry
Ford, introducing their new C'3 in ~
dance; and songs by Lew Hilton and
Billy Evans. Now that the holidays are
over the usual country store event will
be hold on Friday evening as usual
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

by are said to be wonderful In their
fidelity to human nature and in their
Photographic realism. The central figure
is young clubman who comes in contact
with a strange assortment Of human be-
ings-the hotsam and jetsam Of great
city. Eventually there comes to his rooms
woman-a woman who stirs his heart
and there develops an absorbing romance
which grips the hearts Of all audiences.
The author of ''Passers-by is one OF
the foremost literary lights of England.
He was born in Sydney, New South
Wales. in 1859, and has been writing for
the stage since 1886. Last year John
Drew revived one of Mr.. Chambers
greatest successes-"The Tyranny of
Tears" ''Passers-by shows Mr.. Cham
bers at the height OF his career. 1t Is
an admirable example of perfect dra-
matte construction and at the same time
it tells a very human story in a very
human way.
The many character types which the
author draws will affOrd ample acting
opportunities for the Poll Players
and Charles Mackay will be particu-
larry we'll suited in the stellar role;
while Miss Kemble. as the girl who meets
the hero under such odd circumstances,
will likewise be well cast
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

down her back. She wasn't a healthy
child and the doctors told her parents
that she should go up into the hills with
some old woman who tended the goats
and cows in the summer live on milk
and eggs and breathe the pure air, and
the promise was made that she would
feel better in the autumn when she came
back. The little girl was fourteen years
OF age then and the treatment was ben
ehcial. so the following spring she was
sent away with the same old woman with
the goats and cows. During the four or
five months she saw no human beings
but the man who came to them once a
month to bring meat and the old shep-
herdess.
Then when she came back to her viii
lage the next fall. the family decided that
she should he educated, so they sent her
to Stockholm. where her best friend soon
became Gretchen Strindberg The name
meant nothing to her at the time, for
she had never even heard the name the
ater and wasn't aware of the fact that
her chums father was the most famous
dramatist in the country. At Christmas
Strindberg wrote a little fairy tale into
dramatic form for enactment by his chill
dren and their friends. And at this lit
tie family party, Martha Hedman, lead
ing woman for John Drew, in THE Prod
igal Husband" made her debut as an
actress.
Il played the prince" she related the
other day, and it all seemed so natural
to me. 1t was exactly what had want
ed to do, the very thing for which 1 had
longed, during the long summers up there
in the Swedish highlands, but / didn't
even know that there was such thing
as dramatic art, but felt instinctively
NhoA her rngrH,N ~n ~,
Then went home for the summer vaca-
ton and my parents sent me to my uncle
and aunt at Heisingfors, England. This
was a great treat. for 1 felt that at last
! was to see a real theater, the thing
Gretchen Strindberg had told me about.
And it happened that the first play 1
went to see was a drama from her faith
er's pen. Ny relatives imagined that 1
would be surprised at what 1 saw, and.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Keith'-VaudeyIIIe.

Joe Howard, who wrote Wonder Who's
kissing Her Now and Mabel McCane,
the musical comedy star, will make a
joint excursion Tn Songland" at Keith's
this week. Old fsvorites and new hits
will be sung by Mr.. Howard and Miss
McCane. Another inclusion will be the
aquatic spectacle, ''Neptune's Garden"
with its company OF twenty divers, mod
els. water nymphs, and pantomimists,
with the Spanish mines, Carlo Casetta
and Lillian Lestors, interpolating their
weird La Danse Dementia-" Boganny's
Royal Comedy Troupe, in Fun in Bake
house. will be another offering. iden-
tically as given before the English King
and Queen at the last command per-
formance. Other additions will be Fos-
ter Ball and Ford West. in their char
acter delineation, Since the Days of 81: :"
Nonette. the violiniste; Lady Alices Pets,
tiny tots of animaldom: Ray Raymond
and Florence Balm. in Locked Out" and
Eduardo and Elisa Cansino, dancers, OF
Spain.
Mr.. and Mrs. Carter De Haven, Walter
Kelly, Valerie Bergere and company, and
all the other attractions Of last weeks
bill win be presented at the concerts to-
day.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Mathematician Drew in "The
PrOdiEaI Husband"


The coming of John Drew is always
an event of interest to playgoers and the
announcement of his engagement at the
National TheateT this week is a well
come one Mr.. Drew comes in THE
Prodigal Husband" r new comedy by
Dario Niccodemi and Michael Morton, in
which he has been playing at the En-
pire Theater in New York since the be-
ginning of the present season.
As the comedys title suggests. Mr..
Drew appears as a husband slightly
given over to the life known as sport
ing" and the story deals with his career
during a period in which his young wife
has become estranged from him. In an
extremely interesting and sympathetic
manner his shortcomings are brought
home to him by q slip Of a girl, Simone,
In whom he has evinced a protecting
interest, the daughter OF his housekeeper.
Aside from its laughter-arousing ele-
ments the story contains much unex-
pected tenderness, notably In a delight
full scene with. the little girl In the first
act in which pathos occasionally inter
rupts the humor.
Charles Frohman has surrounded Mr.
Drew with a notable supporting COM
pany, Martha Hedman appearing as the
girl, Simone. For the past season Miss
Hedman has been leading woman with
Sir George Alexander at the St James
Theater in London, returning to this
country for her present role in The
ProdigaI Husband"
Surrounding roles are entrusted to Fer
dinand Gottschalk, Henry Crocker, ClIn-
ton Preston. Harry Leighton, Walter
Soldering, J. Homer Hunt, Grace Car
lyle. Helen Hayes Brown, Rose Winter.
Josephine Morse and May Galyer. The
Prodigal Husband Is said to be pro-
duced with all the customary Frohman
care
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
THE CURRENT WEEK.
CoIumbia-"T,he Girl of Girls

CoIumbia-s"The Girl of Girls"
A libretto for an opera or musical
comedy that really deals out a novel
story and yet keeps within the bounds
of common sense all through is a
rarity. In The Girl of Girls" Edward
Paulton is said to have done that very
thing, and Sig. Oreste Vessella, of
Atlantic City, has atted his lyrics with
music. THE Girl OF Girls" Is a musi-
cal comedy and will be given to the
American public for the first time at
the Columbia Theater tomorrow night.
The story concerns a young Ameri-
can, Fred Wilton, teacher Of modern
dances at Mime. lie Grande's dancing
academy in Paris, who writes the book
of a musical comedy and calls IL The
Girl of Girls" taking the title from a
line in one OF his jingles. In order to
get a hacker to produce 1t Fred Wilton
attaches the name Of his uncle, Alfred
X. Wilton, q renowned librettist of
New York. as author. Certainly the
name Is q forgery, but Fred doesn't
mind. and Howard Winthrop. another
American of Paris, under a nom de
plume OF Adolph Schnapps. puts up the
money necessary to produce the play.
Under another assumed name of F1ovio
Scarzerola, Winthrop also composes the
music of The Girl Of Girls" and is not
found out. Uncle Alfred X. Wilton ar
rives in Paris the day before the new
production is to be brought out, and to
his amazement and anger he reads his
own name on the flaming bills as
author of the book. The opera Is a
tremendous success. Then generous
Uncle Alfred publishes a card saying
that he did not write the book but
that Fred. his nephew. is the authori
Yvonne St Cyr 10 q noted prima dom
na IN Paris and wa announced TO sing
the prima's part in the opera, Ths
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

deal like dirge
plays impossible the leading heae
This sustained
fewer than preceding recollection but does
such aticaly of dramas another day (Which have few
equals the day be brilliantly made Miss
Margaret Angns OF Oscar Wid ing comedydrama
Columbia Theate
which production
of a brilliant
complaint of of real
would we'll
take lesson from Miss Angn wisdom heng back the
material rather than responsibility
the ymantotay
fohadess producer
sents to public
AS local of the
is dark this week
The Ms. Shub accepted comedy Montgom-
entitled me and Grant" like Army afaiD
production of which have made
o
Since probability
Mr. l. further inforna
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

on the contrary, 1 remember that moth
ing surprised me that | saw at the play
house. From what Gretchen had told
me, imagined things just as they were.
1t was just what l thought there must
be somewhere in the world, If not in
the little town where I lived.
When we reached home my relatives
asked me what l thought of the per-
formance we had seen. l told them that
had enjoyed it and that l had decided
to become an actress myself What a
shock this caused. My aunt told me that
such a thing was not proper for a young
lady to say even in Jest. 1t seemed to
me, however, that my uncle was more
in sympathy and T found great encour-
agcment in his remarks. He suggested
that | could confide my ambitions to
Gretchen's mother, for the first-and not
the third, Madam Strindberg, as is usual
ly reported-was conceded to be one of
the best dramatic teachers in Scanda-
navia.
We'll. the rest may be- told quickly.
l did confidc my aspirations to Gretchen s
mother and she took me for a pupil. And,
oh, the hours and hours of training on
the minutest details. She kept me for
several months on the gestures Of my
hands, the infection of my voice and
such things, and then when 1 imagined
that L was ready for my debut she said :
Now, let me see you try to walk! IL
was a sumner, but 1 tried, and from her
criticism found that 1 had many more
months of study ahead of me. Per-
haps American actresses do not 60
through this rigid training, but we must
do so abroad, only to hear our teacher
saw at the finish: Now do not do any
thing because I have told you to do it,
but play a part as you feel it, 1t all
seems a paradox, but II goes to show
that we never know much after all and
that we must keep learning II we would
progress
"One of the first surprises that 1 found
in Misunderstanding countries was that
audiences here expect a star actress to
have what is tailed a sympathetic part,
or they say that so and so played an
unsympathetic part so sympathetically.
Why, such thing would be unheard OF
in my country. Audiences there watch
for acting and they don't want an actress
TO make a part sympathetic when 1t is
not They want her to characterize and
they Judge her performance accordingly.
This may account for the unpopularity
of some of our actresses and dramatists.
They are called cold, unrelenting and too
horrible. But that IS their training and
what they think to be right
Miss Hedman suddenly decided that
Sweden was too narrow for the proper
development of her talents, so she boldly
announced that she was going away to
England because she imagined that the
English drama offered better opportuni-
ties for the actress. This also was
shocking to her relatives, but by this
time they had become somewhat used
to the shocks she gave them, so she went
to England, mastered the language In
a year and began to play with Sir George
Alexander. Then Charles Frohman
brought her to America. and she's likely
20 remain here for some time, because
she likes America and America likes her;
and so everybody Is pleased,
A letter which 1 received last week
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
CoamoH=KnudeHiIIe.

A bill of novelties will be provided for
the entertainment OF Cosmos patrons this
week, headed by The Passenger Wreck. -
a spectacular surprise of the melodra-
matte type. To more fully describe il
would be to destroy the pleasure of wit
Messing II, it is said. The Bulgarian
Duo, in songs and dances of the Balkan
states. and the Riva Larsen Troupe Of
daring athletes in midair feats and
thrills on the hanging ropes will also
be new to Washington. A dainty spe-
cialty by Peggy DouEherty in which per
sonality figures largely: Bennington. the
merry monopede, and Carson and Will
lard in laughable coIloquy of twisted
language will be other attractions. The
Hearst Selig news pictures Of the war
zone and the remainder of the world
will head the finn features which will
include a series OF selected photopIavs
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Bandbox Theater.

The Bandox Theater in East Fifty
seventh street. New York. was formerly
used as a German theater by Adolf
Phillip, but has been acquired by COM
pany Of which Douglas Wood is the d.
rector "A guarantee by several peo-
pie" said Mr. Wood. Safeguards our
finances. The salaries to the entire stan
arc small and include a share OF the
profits. Fifty per cent OF our profits 90
to the company FOR further work: 10
per cent goes TO the actors fund. which
is just now 50 much in need
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
PoIi,s-ssPassers-By.,

The Poll Players are again to give
Washington its first opportunity OF see
ing an important play which has awak-
ened wide interest in other cities. This
week Il Is to be c. Haddon Chambers'
'Passers-by." a dramatic masterpiece.
which ran for an entire year in London
and then was brought to America by
Charles Frohman. who produced Il at the
Criterion Theater. with Richard Bennett
In the leading role. "Psssers-by' re-
mained on Broadway for an entire season
and the next year was sent on tour with
Charles Cherry as the star
The character of studies in "Passers-
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Maiestic-Fad. and FoIIie..

Beginning tomorrow Fads and FoIlles
with bunch of pretty girls will be the
attraction at the Majestic Theater With
every thing brand new from start to
finish the Fads and Follies company are
said to be giving a better performance
than ever before. Two burlesQues both
by ]. Theodore Murphy will be present.
ed. One scene follows close upon the
heels of the other. and the whole affair
is said to race along with a series of
surprises. Prize waltzing contests are
given every Tuesday and Thursday even
ing.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

ANpll NhllNtl lllllB lllN plaNs allNs up ~ lilt
time Of our going to press had received
no booking for his playhouse for the
current week.
Thus we will have but one premiere this
week here We had looked forward to what
practically amounted to twO-that one
being a new musical comedy which will
he seen for the first time on any stage
at the Columbia tomorrow night The
piece is called The Girl of Girls" with
The book by Edward PauItou and the
music by Orestc Vessels, and those in
torestcd in the production claim that
the entertainment contains real Paris
ian dash and atmosphere. We know that
Mir. PaultOn is capable Of a deal of aC-
tIon and fun. and are lead to hope that
The Girl Of Girls has been written in
his hest vein. OrCste Nessella, known
for eleven years as director Of his own
Italian band in the daily concerts on
the Steel Pier. Atlantic City, and also
as q composer of note. will conduct the
orchestra in the first presentation of
his score tomorrow night.
The cast selected to interpret The
Girl of Girls contains some well known
names that are synonyms Of both vocal
and dramatic ability. Miss Natalie Alt.
the prima donna who received so much
praise in her creation of the title role
bI Auele- VIII nave luG ledulIlB leIl-
mime role; Frank Pollock, lyric tenor;
Alexander Clarke, the well-knOwn COM
edian; Charles Angelo, Charles Butler,
Ben Hendricks, Miss Ollie Osbourne, Miss
Jeanette Thomas, and Nine. Lucy will
be seen in the other important parts and
a large chorus is promised as another
feature of the new musical comedy.
To the New National comes John Drew
this week on his annual visit to the Cap
ital in The ProdigaI Husband" which
had its initial performance in New York
at the Empire Theater September Z, with
the resultant trite comment from the
press that il was written by Dario Nicco-
demi and Michael Morton expressly for
the purpose OF fitting the accomplish
ments of the dapper comedian.
When the piece was presented in New
York Miss Jessie GIendinning, formerly
a member of the Columbia Stock Com.
pany Of this city, won much Of praise
in her assumption OF the young girl role
at the point where it is left on in the
play by little Miss Helen Hayes Brown.
another One-time popular member of the
Columbia Players. Little Miss Brown Is
still In the cast but Miss Martha He'd
man (whose excellent work when last
seen here with John Mason in The At
tack" will be pleasantly remembered by
local players) has replaced Miss Glen
dinninE.
4 few years ago there was a family
living In a little town in the north OF
Sweden that prided itself on two things;
the butter made by the women and the
number of boys Il had given TO the
church as priests. In this family was
a little girl with blonde pigtails hanging
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

very day of the opening Yvonne dis
covers the presence in the city of
Joshua Bates, a millionaire from Bos-
ton. Yvonne is Joshua's divorced wife
of long ago and draws alimony from
Joshua. The moment she goes on any
stage or remarries she forfeits her ali
mony. according to decree of court. She
doesn't sing that night, or any night.
but Cora Dale, Fred's dancing partner
at Nine. lie Grande's academy, goes on
and sings Yvonne's part, while Yvonne's
name is still on the bill. Joshua Bates
Is jubilant! Now he is relieved from
paying alimony. he thinks, but he
thinks again! Uncle Alfred, however,
is captivated by Yvonne and soon re-
Iieves Joshua of the trouble of paying
any more alimony to Yvonne.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Jardin de Danse-MIIe. Reba and
Parquet.

Patrons of the Jardin de ,Danse who
saw the cyclonic dancing of Mile. Reba
and ParQuet at the F street cabaret
last week will be delighted with the an
nouncement of Mr.. John Maury, pro-
prietor and manager, that he has been
able to re-engage the sl<illful pair to
present q series Of altogether new terp-
sichorean feats this week, in addition
to the eccentric tangoing, and whirl-
wind dances with which they entertain
ed the holiday crowds last week.
Mile. Rela Is a dancer of international
fame, having appeared in leading the
aters all over Europe. In South Africa,
Australia and America-always aston
Ishing her audiences with the remark
able skill and speed of her unique
dances. in which she Is ably assisted
by her partner Parquet.
Supplementing the metropolitan
dancers, Mr.. Harry Chick and Miss
Clara Neacker will sing as an accom-
pauiment to local devotees of all the
latest society steps, and the dancing
contest which is held weekly at the
Jardin de Danse will transpire again on
Friday night Of this week when a hand
some silver loving cup and a pair OF
dancing slippers viii be awarded as first
and second prizes.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
CALENDAR OF THE WEEK.

CoIumbia-@The Girl of GIrIs."
National-John Drew, In ssThe
PrOdiEaI Husband"
BeIaseO-Dark.
PoIi's-sPaHsers-By
Keith's-Vaudeville
Jardin de Danse-aIIle. Reba
and Parqust.
Gayety-''Anerican Beautiss.-
COnmos--vaudevflI
CaHino-YaudeViIle
Matestic-Fads and FoiIiea.
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

Gayety-'.American BeaUties."
B. F. .Forrester's American Beauties
company comes to the Gayety this week
with such well-known comedians - Lew
The Washington herald., 1915-01-03

A letter which 1 received last week
from Wendell Phillips Dodge, general