Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-01
The Play the Thing
A Breezy Review of New York Stage
Written Especially for Bee Readers

Aft Hayman is the managing d.
rector of Charles Frohman, Inc, and
he wanted just such a little girl for
Dear Brutus." He called up Mr.,
Tyler and told him so.
Nothing doin," replied Mr.. Tyler.
II want her myself" Then Hayman,
who is persistent sent Tyler the
manuscript of Dear Brutus" to
read.
You can have her" said Tyler.
1T would be crime not to let
her play that part"
And so Helen arrived.
Il wish | could 60 on playing
Margaret with Mr.. Gillette forever"
the girl said the other night Hes
lots of fun. | was afraid of him at
first, but now I'm not. He lets me
tease him. And isn't it great to be
in Barrie play? It's clever and
beautiful, isn't it?''
Then Helen was asked if she liked
being a matinee idol
ooh, it's just grand! said she.
Oh, but can't woman keep a Sc
cret though! Mrs. Otis Skinner had
signed contract, and promise of adj
vance royalties from Alfred Hay
man, general manager of Charles
Frohman, Inc, before her husband
was aware, that she had even written
a play for him.
Evidently Mrs. Skinner knew just
what her husband ought to have so
she wrote him play that suited him
right down to the ground and sent
it without any name or address in
evidence to the Globe theater, where
he was playing Captain Brideau in
THE Honor of the Family" Mr..
Skinner read it and fastened to sub
init the play to Mr.. Hayman, with
whom it found instant favor. Mr..
Hayman announced that if the au-
thor would come forward contract
and advance royalties would be
forthcoming.
Mrs. Skinner was it. Wifelike she
was afraid to hand it to Mr.. Skinner
for fear he would, husbandlike, smile
indulgently and that would be the
end of the matter-which was not
her intention at all.
But" Mr.. Hayman wanted to
know, when you found out that
Otis liked the play, why didn't YOU
tell him you had written it?"(
"a woman's reason" replied Mrs.
Skinner. when he seemed so
pleased with it and talked so much
about it, l lost my nerve COM
pletely and I didn't dare tell him I
was the author"
Dangerous Years" new three
act play by Edward Locke. has been
accepted by the Messrs. Shubert for
immediate production. Alma Tell
has been placed under contract to
play the leading role.
mis- Nelly of N'Orleans" will not
greet New York audiences in her
fascinating way any longer, as Mrs.
Fiske has closed her engagement in
that play at the Henry Miller
theater. Next season she will tour
in this, her favorite of all roles.
Because she was born under a
lucky star and had the great fortune
to achieve a remarkable success in
her very first Speaking" part, Con-
stance Binney, the young star in "39
East" at the Broadhurst, has Of
fered to personally advise all stage
struck girls who write to her ex-
planning their qualifications and am
billions. All letters addressed to her
at the Broadhurst theater Gf the
mail does not swamp her dressing
room) will be carefully read and an
swered by Miss Bfnney. After max
ing the offer Miss Binney comment
ed as follows:
eff were able to make my way in
the theatrical world without the as
sistance of so-called pull" without
the backing of long experience and
without the assistance of anybody
but myself, then surely there are
hundreds-perhaps thousands - Of
other girls with similar ability and
similar desires who, with a little
friendly advice, can repeat the per-
Torrance by stepping from obscur-
ity to fame. To all these girls I
offer my counsel and hope that they
will not hesitate in writing to me"