Please Don't Quote Me By Caralee Aschenbrenner Soubrette. Ingenue. Those two words went out of fashion years ago. If being used at all in the theatrical world today it would be seldom or merely as a description of a particular role. Actresses in the modern day are rarely soubrette or ingenue! Soubrette ... A saucy, coquettish lady; flirtatious, intriguing or frivolous. Ingenue ... Actress playing a young girl or woman who is guileless, unsophisticated, without worldliness; open, honest, frank.

Once upon a time however playwrights commonly wrote those characters with too, actresses often specializing in those roles. Ads. Playbills, promotion for a play printed those words in large letters. (See)

It may be difficult today to believe that many, if not most small towns had an Opera House, a large hall in which several shows a month with soubrettes or ingenues were to be seen regularly. Lanark for a short time had two Opera Houses; the Vineyard Hall and Sherwood's Hall. The first was used for theatrics only a short time and eventually became the skating rink while Sherwood's persisted for many decades as not only for plays, concerts, school activities, church socials, but campaigns to lure in a second railroad, political rallies which would see the likes of such someday-to-be-famous figures as Fredrick Doublass or Frances Willard appearing. Both "Opera Houses" were in second floor rooms but would be the venue for such as "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Ten Nights In a Barroom;" Shakespearean excerpts; rolling, moving canvases featuring paintings of a Civil War battle; entertainments up until actual "moving pictures" with live piano music.

They were a town's bragging rights to modernity even if on a second floor, in a converted church such as at Shannon, or built especially for "Operas," such as Ohio, IL.

Entertainment was LIVE even unto its being local. People performed for others. There was no radio or television. Movies didn't arrive until well into the second decade of the 1900s. Live, traveling "stock" companies were much desired entities, stock meaning theatrical troupes going town-to-town. A company of AC-TORS.

Just as our neighbor Wisconsin's southeast corner was longtime seasonal host to accommodation for over four decades to the Brooks Stock Co. and others ... A kind of center for the traveling show of another day. It was a unique chapter in American history but the Brooks' were your next door neighbor. The show's popcorn was stored in a closet at their riverside home in Sabula. Costumes were covered over in the entryway. Props for the sage shows might do double duty as living room furniture!

The riverside home looked like any typical Iowa residence because Maude Tomlinson, our feature player, had grown up in Savanna, having been born in Carroll County to a pioneer family. It is thought she and her mother moved to Sabula in 1895. Everyone knew Maude and even before she appeared on stage was known to have talent beyond the average. For some unexplainable reason unusual women members of the Tomlinson clan were beyond the ordinary ... Women with professional careers which comes later in this story.

Perhaps Maude Tomlinson the heroine of our story (and a soubrette and ingenue) had not set out become an actress though her aim seems to have been to become an elocutionist, another word you don't hear much today. You've most likely seen what could be identified as such in a loosely defined manner. A comedy club might have an elocutionist, an Internet Cafe with stage acts. Recognize someone on the Ed Sullivan Show or PBS? SNL? They might be called "readers" and dramatize prose, poetry, a scene from Shakespeare or an original piece. High school speech contests could focus on elocutionism ... Public speaking emphasizing gestures, vocal production and delivery ... A style or manner of public speaking, rather artificial; a forced manner of speaking.

Elocutionists could make "reading" their career. Maude Tomlinson was noted a couple places as using the poetry/prose of Indiana humorist, James Whitcomb Riley as her specialty. A program with her name solely as performer had five items written by Riley of thirty-two pieces. She also is noted as being part of the Lyceum circuit.

Lyceum was popular the last half of the nineteenth century and first couple decades of the twentieth. It was merely a hall in which plays, concerts, music, could be regularly performed OR the courses themselves, organized to appear throughout a section of the country, city or rural. Show bills, ads, newspaper items announced the Lyceum program. The show bills seen here are, unfortunately, all undated but feature Maude somewhere on them in all sorts of roles, this being after her opening as an elocutionist for which she had trained following high school graduation. She attended Chicago College of Education and Oratory to become a "reader."

With her petite figure (5'2"), wide expressive mouth, and large eyes, most surely she made an appealing sight on stage during stimulating comedic readings or showing depth of emotion in the tragic.

The short reviews that follow were the earliest phase of Miss Tomlinson's career as far as we know. It seems that her beginnings had no modest introduction because early on she was teamed with experienced professionals. It was probably in the 1901-02 season. Maude was in her late teens.

Angelo Patricola was a headliner pianist, apparently on the Lyceum circuit. It was reported that he would soon be leaving for Europe and wouldn't return for several years because his time was contracted for on the Continent. Ticket holders (75¢) were urged to see the Grand Concert which also included Herbert Butler, violinist; Agnes Rapp, soprano; Winifred Grey, interpreter and to quote, "Maude Tomlinson formerly of this city (Savanna) making her professional debut as an elocutionist," this at Pulford's Opera House still recognizable in Savanna. The company had had a short tour in the area ... Waukon, MacGregor, Dubuque, Sabula and now in Illinois.

A few reviews follow: "Miss Tomlinson gave several readings, and charmed her audience with her comedy as well as with most difficult impersonations of immortal masters." Bellevue Herald.

"Miss Tomlinson was accorded a hearty reception and bouquets of flowers were passed to her across the footlights. It has been sometime since she was heard in her home city and her friends realize that she is rather coming to the front. Her reception in her old home must have been very gratifying!" Savanna Journal

"Miss Maude Tomlinson, as reader sustained her reputation as an artist of the first rank. She held the audience with her delightful dramatical selections and convulsed them with her little comedies. All in all it was the best musical program of the season." Savanna Times

"Miss Tomlinson is one of the best elocutionists ever heard in this city and she has the ability to move the whole audience at her will." Miles Reporter

"As an elocutionist Miss Tomlinson ranks high and she is sure to be successful in her chosen work." Preston Independent

Imagine, a girl you'd grown up with going to college to become a professional elocutionist. Be on the STAGE. ACT. Her many friends and family here in Carroll County as well as in Sabula had their own American idol. The newspaper urged folks on the east side of the Mississippi to come see the program. Miss Foster of Shimer Academy was bringing several pupils as a lesson in performance. Newspapers weren't far behind the audience in their praise as you have read.

Of course the worthy reviews would be the positive ones to save for scrapbooking but in years after Miss Tomlinson and the stock company she would assist in forming received hundreds in the same vein.

Of course, it was a twist of fate which moved her from elocutionist to actress.

Of course, the ingenue fell in love with the hero/comic/clown/magician/manager/everyman as all good fact or fiction stories have done. Their stock company existed for over forty years with Sabula, Iowa its headquarters. It had the distinction of being the last of the traveling troupes in the nation. Such a colorful chapter in our Northwest's history.

Next week.