Gay Zenola MacLaren

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Gay Zenola MacLaren



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Gay Zenola MacLaren





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Dramatic Reader of Modern Plays





Gay Zenola MacLaren

A Genius in Imitative Recitals of Famous Plays



G
AY ZENOLA MACLAREN attends the production of a modern play five times, and then, without ever having read the original book or dramatization, or, in fact, any of the lines in any way, can go upon the Lyceum or Chautauqua platform and give an imitative recital of the entire production, impersonating every character.  This, at once, places Miss MacLaren as an entertainer in a class entirely by herself.  It is needless to try to compare her type of work to that of any other.




In preparing for her recitals she attends only great productions, sees the interpretation only by the best actors, and in the leading playhouses of her home city, New York.



Miss MacLaren frankly admits that her power is not the result of years of study and work, although it has taken close application and pains to develop and perfect it, but of a natural born gift for mimicry.  She does not claim to originate the many characters she assumes, but to give a faithful reproduction of them, as portrayed by the great artists and their supporting companies in the original productions.



Has Almost Ventriloquistic Power of Voice



In order to do this work, one gift is absolutely necessary, without which years of study and training and even natural dramatic talent would be useless.  That is, the power to change the voice to such an extent that the audience is able to distinguish between the characters the moment they are supposed to enter.  Of Miss MacLaren's ability in this particular, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle has to say:




She has an almost ventriloquistic power of changing her voice to portray a seemingly unlimited number of characters, and it is due to this rare and remarkable gift that she is able to present entire plays successfully.





Seemed to Have Large Company of Players at Her Call



A very clear idea of her methods of presenting a play may be gained from the following comment from the Asbury Park Daily Press:




She acts the entire play, portraying each character with such remarkable distinctness as to cause her hearers to mentally witness the play enacted by a full cast, and forget for the moment that they are being entertained by a single artist.  It seemed as if she had a large company of players at her call and as if by magic they entered, rendered the lines, and exited at her command.





Gave Recitals at Home of Mark Twain



Miss MacLaren knew Mark Twain and has given her recitals in his home.  He spoke of her as an unusually gifted young lady.




She has also given a recital for Ella Wheeler Wilcox at her bungalow at Long Beach, Conn., and this famous writer expressed herself about Miss MacLaren's work as follows:




I consider Miss Gay Zenola MacLaren one of the marvels of the age.  She possesses unique genius combined with womanly beauty.  It is a delight to see and hear her.




These are but a few of the many noted people who have spoken of her work.  Other comments are given elsewhere in this circular.






Received Marked Applause at I. L. A. Convention



Miss MacLaren appeared at the International Lyceum Association Convention at Chautauqua, N. Y., last September, where she presented the play—
Within the Law.
  Because of the lateness of the hour she suggested that she give but two acts.  At the conclusion of these two acts the audience did not cease encoring her until she consented to give the third act.





One Hundred and Seven Recitals in Panama



Recently Miss MacLaren returned from engagements with the Y. M. C. A., in Panama where she gave 107 recitals.  She was referred to there frequently as the 
Idol of the Isthmus.





Repertoire





WITHIN THE LAW


Bayard Villier




PEG O' MY HEART


J. Hartley Manners




THE GOVERNOR'S LADY


Alice Bradley




THE MUSIC MASTER


Charles Klein




BOUGHT AND PAID FOR


George Broadhurst




THE MAN FROM HOME


Booth Tarkington




REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM,


Kate Douglas Wiggins




THE SIGN OF THE CROSS


Wilson Barrett




THE MAN OF THE HOUR


George Broadhurst




MAGGIE PEPPER


Charles Klein




ROMEO AND JULIET


Shakespeare




DADDY LONG LEGS


Jean Webster







Miss MacLaren Pronounced 
A Genius



I do not hesitate to say that I think Miss MacLaren's work phenomenal.  She is a genius.




—
Major James B. Pond




She was certainly born to her work, and is therefore gifted with the elements of genius.




—
Bishop James B. Tabor




She is the most gifted young artist I have heard in recent years.  Her dramatic sense and power of impersonation struck me as truly wonderful.




—
Leland T. Powers




Miss MacLaren is to be congratulated upon the success of her four recitals before the Brooklyn Institute.




—
Franklin W. Hooper, Director of the Brooklyn Institute




(
Translated from the French
)




She does not seem to belong to any definite school; she has an inborn talent that belongs to her personally.  Her art is so natural she seems to improvise.  Although I am unacquainted with the English language, yet to me the characters were living people.




—
Duke d'Auxy




It is little less than marvelous to see and hear Miss MacLaren in her imitations of great actors and their company of artists.  The play is given so fully, the characters so perfectly presented, as to leave a profound impression upon all.




—
John W. Wetzel, Professor of Public Speaking, Yale Univ.




I cannot praise too highly Miss MacLaren's wonderful genius in Imitative Recitals.




—
Charles D. Hurrey, Executive Secretary, Student Dept., International Com., Y. M. C. A.




In behalf of the Canal Zone Club Houses and other organizations on the Isthmus, I wish to express my deep appreciation of your splendid work during your four trips to the Zone.  Your record of one hundred and seven recitals has never been approached during the history of the work of the canal, and the fact that I was obliged by popular demand to twice postpone your date of sailing speaks volumes for your popularity.  Your power to hold audiences from the beginning to the end of the play is wonderful.  Already we are receiving inquiries as to the date of your tour next season.  I will ask you to advise me as soon as possible when you can come.




—
A. B. Dickson, Superintendent of Club Houses, Canal Zone





What the Metropolitan Papers Say:



Miss MacLaren gave 'The Sign of the Cross' at the Brooklyn Institute both afternoon and evening.  Her work was superb.  It is not too much to say that she scored a phenomenal success.—


New York Times




No words can describe her power of keeping from eighteen to twenty characters distinct before an audience.—


Minneapolis Journal




She acts with a fire and intensity and authority and conviction that are startling.—


Brooklyn Eagle




Miss MacLaren deserves her fame.—


San Diego Union




Her imitations were perfect.—


Baltimore Sun




Miss MacLaren appeared before an audience of over a thousand people, who were held spell-bound by the young artist's marvelous work.—


St. Louis Times




Had the room been darkened no one could have believed one person was presenting all the characters.—


The Saratogian, Saratoga, N. Y.




The audience was charmed with the young artist's youth and grace and her clever imitation of the many characters.—


New York Telegram




Her recital before the country club was really phenomenal.—


Dover (Del.) Index




The audience sat motionless through the entire performance.—


Philadelphia Times




Her rendering of an entire play is nothing short of wonderful.—


Springfield (Mass.) Republican




The attention was so great as to amount almost to awe.—


Trenton (N. J.) Daily True American




Her sixth appearance in Buffalo.  Another triumph.—


Buffalo Courier




Her work is faultless.—


Youngstown (O.) Vindicator




Miss MacLaren gave her 100th recital on the Canal Zone at Culebra Saturday night.  She is a little wonder.  She is the idol of the Isthmus.—


Panama Morning Journal