Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-20
SKIP FIRST NIGHT
OF YOUR NEW PLAY
That's May Tully's Advice, and
She Supports 1t With Af-
fecting History

ppring my twelve years experience In
Arc theatre two first nights stand out prom
,n.r,lv in my memory Naturally the first
sIgbt in New York Of my first play "Mary's
Ant,e." at the Bijou Theatre. is my most
,,,v,d theatre experience, and 1t is too re-
.snt and real to be very humorous to me.
mt I can laugh heartily over the MEM
orv Of the first night twelve years ago.
,eft McGnl University, Montreal, in 1905
co become a great actress). SO strong
was my yearnlng to uplift the drama that
did not finish my college course. My
erst actual engagement was in Hall Gains
"rbe Christian" The heroine, Glory, is a
very difficult and exactng part. But moth
ing daunted me, who impatiently awaited
,he role of Lady Macbeth. Unfortunately
nv tour in THE Christian" was of short
duration. We lasted just ten days in the
. south I came back to New York un-
daunted and with expectations high. l jour
neyed from one agency to another and was
amazed that l found no great demand for
nv services. | admitted to myself by de-
Rrees that perhaps, after all, l would con-
slder a minor part, and finally arrived at
the stage where the 'minorest' part ever
written would be seized upon with graft
tude At last one day l was offered posi-
zion in the chorus of "The Good Old SUM-
mertlme." The following week, which
brought the premiere, we were to play
Montreal and l naturally wrote my col
lege friends that was coming. l neglected
10 mention that l was member of the
'merry merry" our press agent diabol-
ically printed story in the Montreal pa
pers to the effect that May Tully, a McGil
student, was making her stage debut in
Montreal The first night arrived. the
boxes were occupied by members of the
faculty in evening dress. Two hundred
Of the college boys had purchased seats
in the balcony and the entire first ten rows
of the orchestra were taken by students
from the Royal Victoria COllege-the name
given to the women's dormitory. I thought
OF running away, but the long line of girls
behind me blocked the exit. Finally, | felt
a push and a gruff voice ordered me to
"go on and remarked that these show
girls have more temperament than prma
donnas" Fortunately no one recognized
me for a moment or so, but soon ! heard
a gigge from the balcony and my agony
began. After the performance the dean
of the college, who was a titled English
lady, said in her softest and loftiest tones,
Don't you think, my dear. the more ser-
Gus side Of your profession offers more
satisfying Career|' | mumbled something
about developing grace from dancing, and
made as hasty an exit as possible
NY other first night was the opening Of
my play, "Mary's Ankle" in New York \
thousand impressions flashed across my
mind Some of them are funny and some
are not II you ever write play don't go
to your own first night I always fancied
that when my first night came ! would be
calm and philosophical--no sense i'm being
all worked up, you know. / argued thusly.
81 have written Mary's Ankle for laughing
purposes only. | have worked long and
carefully. 1t had been accepted by one of
the shrewdest producing managers in
Amerca--A. II. Woods. He had given II
a good production and a splendid cast of
players 1t was playing at a charming new
and intimate theatre. I waited until the
curtain had rung up and the electric fans
had subsided. and after getting up ten
times TO allow late comers to be seated
and incidentally seeing several important
points overlooked on account of confusion
I gathered myself together and fled.