The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-05
The Seamy Side Of Broadway

Warda Howard, the bright Aneri can actress who is spending a couple of years as the leading woman with a dramatic company. presenting Ameri- can plays in China, Japan, India and other Eastern countries, was the author of an amusing incident re- lated at dinner given to her before her long departure. It was when she presented a dramatic sketch at a
 benefit performance out in California
 where she comes from. On the pro- gram were number of artists, musi- cal and dramatic, including a sing CT. The singer was of dusky hue, and equally colorful in her singing. The newspaper the following morn ing spoke of Miss Towards excellent acting and added: "A colorature so- prano also sang"
 The singer was highly indignant. ! What is my color got to do wid my singing?" she demanded, and it was
 difficult for the editor to square himself''.
 "Optismism" is the middle name'' of that remarkable new musical ar tist Madame Ruano Bogilav, whose recital of Gypsy and Slavic folk songs at the Princess Theatre in New York was one of the most remarkable, original and enjoyable events thus far given.
 Madame Bogislav has done a really notable thing for American music. She has introduced in an effective, colorful and highly intelligent man ner the music of this quaint people, | described by Madame Bogislav her ', more queens than any nation has ever boasted."
 Some time ago an attempt was made to form an all Optinlist Soci- ety in this country" Madame Bogis- lav declarded. Optimism can no more be commercia1ized than can art. We may place limitations about it, but the real artist will continue to be artistic, and an optinnist is one who is born with the gift. It may be cultivated, but it should be inher1- ted. The best exponent of optimism is one, who will remember the story of Jonah, a man who was, if a man could be called down, that man. And yet just see how he came up she smiled. ''Remember that, and YOU are bound to be an optimist." The fair members of the new French company at the Theatre Par isien in New York were quick to grasp the American point of view, and one of the first things they learned was repartee.
 In the play last week one of the actresses was discovered reading a late copy of a well known New York fashion journal. The scene was Paris, of course, and the language was French. It was as though one were in a Paris playhouse, and the American magazine caught the eye of critic who does column in The Evening Sun under the nom de plume of ''The Playgoer".
 ''Evidently the Paris ladies are ia miliar with American fashion maga- zines" he comm ented. "One was observed studiously reading a well known New York fashion paper in i Main Gauche'."
 And why not?" the guilty one | replied with a toss of head. Why | should I not be interested in Paris | fashions, and being interested where 1 can I learn most about them if not | in the American papers?' | Which was a happy tribute to the 1 American fashionable woman, who we are reliably informed, is. after al 1
 1 Ethel Newcomb, the noted Ameri- can pianist, recently returned to New I York after her summer vaction al 1 Whitney Point where she has a mus ical and now a literary atelier, since | she is writing a book of memoirs ot l her late teacher and friend, Theodore l Leschitezky Naturally the frs l thing she did in selecting her apart l ment was to make purchase of z l new and elaborate Steinway piano One of the movers, attendant upor | the placing of the new instrument 1T her quarters, was coal black negro l of the typical Southern variety. | Where are you from ?'' the pianis l inquired.
 ''I'se from Virginny, ma'am, ant my name is Poe"
 l Poe? Then maybe some of you
 | folks worked for the great Edga1 l Allen Poe, he came from Virginia,
 the artist replied. The smile whicl
 came to the lip< of the negro wa
 g. joy to see.
 "Yessum, sure do know Edga
 Allen Poe cause I is him.
 In the scrap book of Helene Kan
 ders, the soprano whose remarka bl, ] singing attracted nearly all New 4orl
 1 to Carnegie Hall some time ago, i
 more than singer She has won dis
 tinction as a, designer of advertisin!
 matter, using many of her design
 for her own promotion in musica
 papers.
 1 Miss Flanders has made a study o
 1 advertising, and recently ran acros
 musical advertisement which de
 serves, and by this token shall re
 ceive, a place high in the hall of fame
 It was the announcement of a musi
 store:
 GERMS FROM THE OPERA
 l Fifty cents each.''
 An applicant approached Langdol
 Mccormack, author of ''The Storm