New-York tribune., 1920-10-10
alfred L. Helton and Cenevieve Tobin
Here's the Story of an
Ambitious Chorus: 1t
Ran Off With the Show

In sense, the musical comedy
chorus is an insurance policy Should
confusion overtake principal in the
midst of his lines, the stage manager
counsels from the wing, "Go into your
steps old mani" and the chorus has
been known to run on and join in the
general alarm, jubilation, surprise,
tush tushness, or whatever emotion
was befitting. Good little Samaritans
IN dancing shoes, they have retrieved
many situation.
Time was when the poets and peas
ants, the shepherds and shepherd
esses of the ensemble were just
nurses to the plot. cherishing and
guiding and explaining. so this is
Paris" says Pink to Blue, and the
latter tosscs on the information. The
newer type of chorus serves as uphol-
stery de luxe to the production 1t is
an expensive item, requiring greater
outlay than all the principals com
blned, yet subordinate to the princi-
pals.
1t does not often happen that the
more or less auxiliary chorus grabs
the show and runs away with it, The
stage manager is there to see to it
that proprieties are observed and the
proper ratio Of curtain and show unit
maintained Yet the chorus sometimes
does turn things topsy-turvy, and a
well pleased audience demands chorus
and only chorus until all the steps
have been done and done and it's all
there is, and there isn't any more.
There was an instance of this when
William B. Friedlander's "Pitter Pat
ter now at the Fulton Theater, opened
IN Boston. The chorus proved speedy.
we'll drilled and Of good voice, and it's
eiforts were so cordially received that
Mr. Fred lander commissioned it as a
sort OF Independent part of speech,
song and dance. This flying SQUADRON.
with its special numbers, continued in
Well dong, and Mr.. Friedlander prom
lsed a raise of salaries when the show
reached Broadway. Which came to
pass; and New York apparently has
affirmed the Boston decision.
"Pltter Patter' makes much of its
chorus. One Of the Independent num-
bcrs looked as if it warranted an in
divldual dancer, so Florence Carroll
was taken out Of the ranks to toe the
embelllshing step. Miss Carroll trained
IN the Metropolitan Opera ballet and
danced under Farrar. She thought she
might get a chance with Friedlander
name Is soon to go on the program as
premier dancer
1t is a chorus Of interesting person.
nel. There's Sunny Harrison, who
dances near the wings, the blue-eyed
enc with dark hair and the high Span
lsh comb. Il just walked into the
chorus she says. "Once | thought
was to have career in art and domes-
TIC science. One memorable day of
pound cake and portrait painting
s'ld to myself: I'm going on the
stage And put on my hat and went
TO the Criterion Theater, had trial.
ana went into the chorus Of La La
Lucille'"
Still another type is Aileen Grenier.
of darker beauty than Miss Harrison q
At ten she was doing child parts. Sew
Gral years ago she was winner in The
boston Travellers contest for anna
tours who wanted to 90 on the pro-
iesslonal stage Out of that came en-
gagements that led up to "Pitter Pat
ter Katherine Powers, an attractive
looking girl of slender~type, is e grad
uate in voice of the New England Con-
servatorS of Music, with experience in :
vaudeville and an ooh. Lady, Lady"
company. And for the sake of complet-
ing the record, there are Grace Lee,
''N'i ~ -'ipl GAM lawn IeN1ru, Anne
toose, Billie Vernon, Rae Fields, Hazel /
KiN, Alice Norris. Florence Davis. 1
N Mabel benelisha, George Gable, Estelle I
Callen, Pearl Crossman and Violet
Hazel
This is a fair example of the musical
comedy chorus of to-day Most of its
members have had good training in
Fundamentals of the theater. Several |
rave had exceptional opportunity "Why !
chorus = Because they believe the !
surest way to success is to begin at
the bottom, they viii tell you. $50 |
far as | can Judge says one, "the
experience of the chorus is essential |
10 success in the higher things OF the !
stage. 1t is exacting, but there is the |
loy OF work and lure Of reward And in /
tels particular company there is the /
chg, ming accord that exists through !
cut the entire cast. We have had /
courtesy from every one connected with |
1t. The company was out but q short |
TIME. We had a quick opening in
New York. 1t is gratifying to know
that the chorus contributed to that" !