New-York tribune., 1921-03-27
A Musical "Cood Gracious,
Annabelle" for Billie Burke

ceived in a moment while Miss Kun
mer was looking at Lake Michigan
| from hotel window. 1t was written
in two weeks and produced two weeks
later. On the opening night in Will
mlngton, after the last curtain, Arthur
Hopkins, being unable to find Miss
hummer, lett a message for her that
the play was perfect and the opening
a triumph. He then returned to New
York. After going to the station with
Mr.. Hopkins, Arthur Henry found Miss
Summer locked in her room at work.
At 3 o'clock in the< morning she had
finished new first scene of the last
act, virtually one-fourth of the play.
When Clare Hummer read it to MI.
Henry he was surprised that such a
great improvement could be made in
anything that seemed SO perfect. After
a great deal of persuasion he got Mr..
Hopkins back to Wilmington and the
latter arrived with the weary determi-
hation TO influence temperamental
playwright to let we'll enough alone. Mr..
Hopkins heard the new scene in silence.
hurriedly took it to stenographcr and
had the parts typed, given to the
company to learn on the train to
! Washington, rehearsed on their an
rival and the new scene was incor-
porated into the play that night.
James K. Hackett saw ga Successful
Calamity" in Washington for the svn-
dicate and reported to Mr.. Erlanger
that the piece lacked the punch and
was altogether worthless. 1t was ad-
mitted to the Booth Theater and by
Wednesday Of the opening week 10000
had passed through the box Office. "a
Successful Calamity" played to un-
broken capacity business, and William
Gillette could be quoted as saying that
IN all his years in the theater he had
never experienced anything like it.
From the opening night to the time
the play was interrupted by vacations
there never had been one unsold seat.
Of all her plays Miss Hummer thinks
that ga Successful Calamity" had the
best production. She was able to get
1T as she wanted it because Mr.. Gil
lette, in ways peculiar to himself.
helped her cope with scenic artists,
When the first act set appeared for
the first rehearsal Mr.. Gillette asked
what the hole OH the right was and
when told it was a fireplace said in
nocently: ooh, l thought it was a
cellar drain" After which Miss Kun
mer was able to have real fireplace.
real staircase and real bell button
TO punch instead of an imaginary SPOT
on the wall.
MISS RUNNERS experience has made
her feel she has diverse, wide and
friendly public. 1t was managerial
difficulties that halted the runs of "Bc
Calm, Camilla and "The Rescuing
Angel" and she hopes to reproduce
them.
1t was impossible for her to get
any theater in which to- produce
"Rollo's Wild Oat" until Charles Hop
kins opened the doors of the Punch
and Judy Theater to her. The only
drawback there is the fact that crowds
OF people who can only afford dollar
tor theater ticket cannot get in, as
there is no room for them
Two plays as interesting as any
Miss Hummer has done are "The
Lights Of Duxbury" and "Roxy," both
OF which have been tried out and both
OF which Miss Hummer expects to pro
duce next season. She virtually has
finished musical version of Good
Gracious, Annabelle" for Billie Burke
and three-acy farce called "Pom
efoys Past for Ernest Truck, under
the management of Sam Harris