Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-13
FAMOUS ACTRESSES
CUSHMAN

The sudden illness of another actress | and her ability to prepare for a strange part in a few hours, gave Charlotte s. Cushman her chance to quit being g theatrical drudge and to become d star of the first magnitude. She had been poorly paid actress in stock company playing at the old Bowery Theatre in New York, and then at it's more fash ionable rival the Park. But hers was a struggle with difficulty before she came to be. known as Queen of Tragedy "a position she held for 20 years, with England joining Anieriea, in paying hoin- age.
 As Meg Meprilies, Nancy Sikes, Hell en McGregor, Lady Macbeth and Queen Catherine. she became renowned through out the world A gentle, good woman Of Puritan stock-tlle best in New England -she did not mar her spotless reputa- tion at any stage of her long career. Boston produced her July 23, 1916. Her father was a prosperous merchant She was an arrant tomboy, with all the dar- ing of the type, and while she was a1- ways feminine to the core, she carried this virilfty with her to the last. She was distinguished in school as a reader. Her father lost his fortune and she took music and sang in church ,choirs She was offered a place in the musical production of f'The Marriage of Figaro, at the Fremont Theatre, Boston, and | made her first appearance in April, 1885 | Then, singing with the Maeders at New Orleans, her voice failed and she was in despair. A stage manager to whom | she told her trouble advised her to act and introduced her to Barton, tragedian Of the local company. He fancied her and even had her play Lady Macbeth at his own benefit.
 She came to the Bowery Theatre in New York at s25 week. At the outset I she was ill and was laid off for weeks, 1 Then she rallied and made good For rthree years she was at the Park Thea 1 ire, playing all conceivable parts as a | general utility actress She had played Romeo, Portia, Joan of Arc, Lady Mac beth and 8 long list of other parts with
 success, but she had no chance for real
 hit. Her faculty for compelling the sym
 pathy of the audience was notable. | One day the woman who was playing the gypsy part Of Meg 8errilies in Guy i Mannering" became i'll.
 The management sent for her She
 was told that she nilist take the part and that 1t would be all right if she took the manuscript and read it on the Stage. The emergency was acute en-
 ough for such a step. But with the few hours at her disposal she mastered the
 part. and appeared as letter-perfect as 1 though it were an old friend. Her abit ity to memorize rapidly was astonish.
 ing.
 The womans work was instantly ap.
 preciated It was her night and her hit
 But she did not leap to fame so easily and it took several years of hard work
 to arrive During these years she play.
 ed mems parts. The really big day caInt
 when she went to England. There sh, was engaged to play with Edwin For rest, and began with the role Biancs
 in "Fazio".
 The town went wild over her. Critic awarded her the highest praise, and sh
 found in a strange land what her owl had refused to give her-the elevation to the topmost rank of stage nobility
 When she came back to the United State in her triumph, she repeated here wha [ she had done in England and it was wit 7 real regret that public saw her last Ney
 York performance at the Booth theatr
 in 1870.
 t Five years later she was seen for tn ? last time on any stage in a single per : formance of Macbeth" She caught col
 and became misefably i'll The Hines
 resulted in her death. March 15, 187! o A clean-liying woman of the highes . type. she came to prove that straight . laced Puritan stock can produce stag C geniuss 8 readily as the streets of y foreign capital.