Evening star., 1937-10-17
Before Spotlight Career
Prettv Audrey Was a
/ Keeper.
By Lucy Salamanca.

Joy nave ali seen ner O. huneuea
" times or more-5 feet, inch
of charm and friendliness,
4 with about the incest smile
that ever flashed across a footlight.
More than $4,000 times she has said
to Washington, Ladies and gentle
men, it is my pleasure to present ;"
and more than $4,000 times Washing
ton has warmed to her CHEEKY and
colorful presence, wanting to know
more about her, and wondering about
that endless procession Of delightful
gowns.
So definitely has she become part
of the Washington picture that we
wager you will warm to her story as
you would to information about an old
familiar friend. Audrey Sieber having
developed into something Of a Wash
1ngton tradition, it's about time we
found out more about that little mis-
tress Of ceremonies down at the Earle
Theater, who stepped from a book
keepers desk in a local department
store into stage spotlight without
so much as noticeable fluster. And
all because she bearded theatrical
manager-who didn't really need to
be bearded at all-in his den one day
while out on her lunch hour.
Il was pretty peeved about it at
first" says Audrey, MY mother made
me do it and I felt she had let me in
for an humiliating turn-down But
am glad camel" Mark one up for
a persistent mamma. And just be-
cause I felt somebody ought to mark
one up for Audrey, too, l went down
to see the little local girl who made
good with a wallop!
AS is customary with Tarzan, that
oficious stage feline met me at the
stage entrance. had expected it to be
Dan Terrell instead of Tarzan, and
although Tarzan can in no wise be
considered an adequate substitute for
Dan under any circumstances, l found
her antics with a handful of fresh
shrimp highly diverting while waiting
for Audrey to come off the stage.
60" SAID Tarzan, the stage cat,
cooking a bleared and vmous eye
In my direction as she munched her
shrimp, You're waiting for Audrey.
Well, did she ever tell you about the
stage folks pitched in with so cents
apiece to pay my hospital bill? Well,
that's what they did, and $50 is
what it cost That's what they think
of me around here. Audrey sent me
post card, too. I remember 1t as if
it we're yesterday: Hurry up and get
we'll is what it said and the pretty
sentiment was framed in flowers"
Just then, in furry of blue taffeta
and that grand smile of hers, Audrey
whirled out of the darkness of back
stage.
Hello there" she greeted me, "Wait
until get out of this thing and I'll be
right with you" And in no time at
all, there was Dan, escorting me two
steps at time to the second floor and
Audrey's dressing room.
One Of row of doors it was, but
door with difference. Upon its little
knocker swung parrot, gay of hue
and countenance. When Audrey is
snatching 40 winks between shows
he bears this warning in his beak.
in Audreys hand: Danger. Gal
asleep inside" It's the kind of a,
notice you'd expect from the kind of
girl who would send post card to a
convalescent stage cat. That sense
of humor of hers crops up everywhere.
1t was evident in the rows of little.
elephants that paraded across the top
of the mirror in her dressing room
~ 6rr 1,iy f6a
swung open.
Their noses all turn up and they
all face the door," explained Audrey,
That's good luck"
A ND it is evident in hundred little
clippings and cuttings where
people who don't belong at all in the
group turn up surprisingly side by
side, due to Audrey's scissors and a
pastepot-vaudeville and grand opera
cavorting en- famille, not at all as they
appeared in last Sundays roto pages.
Under the sunny window, stretched
on a chintz chaise Tongue reclines
Audrey, in a red silk tailored lounging
ensemble. There's just room for the
makeup bench alongside one wall,
myself in chintz chair and Dan in
one corner in the tiny dressing room
after that. But it's honey, pleasant
place, informal and unaffected as that
little mistress of ceremonies herself
whose official home it has been for four
years now.
-Four years is long time, and it
holds long procession of announce
ments, with four shows a day. And
here's Audrey talking, telling us how
1t all began.
Il was born here in Washington and
went to grade school here and to
Western High School. was working
in department store in Washington,
a bookkeeper in the credit department,
when one day, in my lunch hour,
dropped into the office of the manager
of the Earle and told him I would like
to try out for the job of mistress of
ceremonies. I had heard in a round
about way that they were looking for
some one to replace Maxine Doyle who
was going to Hollywood, and while 1
didn't think had chance and didn't
want even to try for fear I would
6Cb WI dONll, L llSteIlSu W my
mother, screwed up my courage and
came in.
II hadn't had any professional ex-
perience at all, although I had ap-
peared in the usual array of amateur
productions. had studied ballad and
tap dancing, too. The management
had been looking for new mistress
of ceremonies in New York and other
large centers and when I turned up
they looked me over, heard what I
had to say and announced they didn't
want local girl So I said thank
you very much and turned away. But
I hadn't gone more than few feet
when the manager called me back
and said, Wait minute and we'll talk
this over
THEY gave me an announcement
to memorize and asked me to
L.. SAt>