The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-03
RitgmdIa 4!spatrt,


TUESDAY MORNING. APRIL > iss0;
ACAapser sn Actors.
A ,heatyiaal critic Of New York has sas"sa
his attention To the profession o.~ =.
eeenea a veil a. before The feOe.tea' rvs
thu uuhltc some facts about the acsoss OF wnS'a
ths rubaic 80 80 much. yet IN reality, saow
40 iit,,e. Tho following are some extracts
from the Article: e.
Multitudtnous aud constantly varying 70.
:, - ,ramsnts are made OF An actor who has
sschieyed q leading position. He must be lin.
s,rsats al eiocalionist, . fenceT, q dancer,
coxer. 4 painter, (for the proper coloring or
Of hts own face and nSare ~ no
q hall part Of his art) q soldier, ESQ far ~ =
knowledge Of military drill and The manual
exercise Is concerned aud he sAoald be . sing
Or, and = bat Of m author. And ALI these ac-
do not come 70 an &C t0r
by nature, more than to another man. re
must spend ~ much time with his dancInk
tAAc her, must put up with as many sharp Iaps
over the kaackles from his fencing naas us'.
aud take a. many black eyes ana soIe x i,oS
from the gentleman who teaches hin ooAius'
as you or amy other man, who desires 10
come pro6cient In those graceful arts. NOT
does an actor master his French Sero ana pro-
noun, or get through me- 40, . re- ana nsrse.
vernnce "a those documentary seumoIng-
blocks demand Of the un-Thespian student
Putting genius, or extraordinary aptitude Ior
.mour the nnfx,I qualifications the actor
should possess are, good memory, quick
study by which is meant the capaoility oi
words 70 memory Win rapa0Aty
a good form, straight legs, and a graceIul,
manly bearings handsome face IL not OF SO
much importance As false whiskers, pearl
white and rouge will mitigate or correct any
amount of facial ugliness. but where's the
cosmetic that shall straighten bandy.leks
Ina theatre where = drama, unfamiliar to
the company, is produced every night, as III
case of new "star' who plays his own pieces,
a days work Of an actor may be set down us
follows: To study (learn by heart.) part not
exceeding six ''lengths," u "iength" Is iorty-
Two lines attend rehearsal from ten 10 one or
two, and act at night in one or more pieces
That is, six lengths new study, renearsal ana
playing at night, is what may be required Of
an ~ tor for days work without giving occa-
sion for gruM.bIing ut the managers. There
are many sectors who, upon an urgent occasion,
will study from ten to fifteen lengths In day,
besides attending 10 their other duties. This,
hlleever is never required except in case OF
sudden sickness Of another performer, or some
similar extraordinary event.
In provincial theatres the actors are worKec
much harder than in New York, and paio
m UGH less. The starring system universally
prevails, which necessitates constant success
sion of new plays, most of which have to be
studied from night to night, as play Is NO,
often acted two nights in succession in small
cities. In New York, on the contrary, play
Is seldom brought out without opportunity Tor
slow and careful study and frequent reAear-
sails, and when the piece has successful
.srun. !" the actors have no new study for seve-
raj weeks. In the case OF "The American
COUSIN which WAS played at Laura keenes
Theatre for one hundred and forty nights,
there were several members OF the company
who, not being in the piece, not only had no
study, but had absolutely nothing whatever 10
do for several mon tbs. The salaries OF these
persons were paid with the others every Satur-
day. some Of them drawing hundred dollars
This hOwQypr extreme
case, that might not happen more than once In
Il lifetime.
The remuneration of actors comes next into
consideration, and the scale has a wide range,
from three dollars week. up to two hundred
dollars a night This last sum was for years
the demand of Mr.. Edwin Forrest Other
stars are generally content with certain "shar-
ing terms - that is, the gross receipts after
certain specific amount has been deduc ted for
the ex penses Of the theatre, is equally divided
between the Star and the Manager. Thus, for
example, if the expenses OF the house are three
hundred dollars per night, and the receipts
four hundred dollars, the lucky Star and the
flrtunnt. Manager pocket fifty dollars each
per night. This is the fairest basis on which 10
conduct the starring system, because by TINS
plan the salaries of all the stock company are
assured first, and the profit to the Star depends
on his own power OF attracting the public to
the theatre.
In New York the salaries paid to stock act
ors are higher, on the average. than those in
any other city in the United States. The
managers ignore, to great extent, the techni-
cal "lines Of business" and engage the best
artists that can be had, and thea have plays
specially written in which each Of their lead
ing actors shall have part suited to his pecu-
liar powers. While this plan secures to the
New York public the finest acting that can be
See IL In the country, 1t also entails upon the
managers salary list of dimensions that would
swamp provincial theatre in single week.
The leading actors, AS Messrs. Lester, Brough-
am, Blake and Walcot. at Wailack's Theatre;
md Doa ut RI.
Winter Garden Messrs. Mark Smith and
Vincent at Laura keenes Theatre, receive
from fifty dollars to one hundred dollars per
week The other salaries vary from fifteen TO
forty dollars per week. Salaries for women
are about half, or perhaps two-thirds OF what
are paid to men holding corresponding posi-
lions. General utility men, supernumeraries
and ballet girls receive from three dollars to
number Of "ladies OF the ballet or supernu-
merares VI The other sex are required on
some extra occasion, they are specially en-
gagged al fifty cents night, or sometimes for
even less money. The salaries on the east side
of the city At the Bowery Theatre are lower
than Broadway, the principal actors seldom
receiving more than thirty-fve dollars, or
forty dollars per week, and the others are in
In smaller Cities as Buffalo, Detroit, Chi
cage, etc, the highest sum paid to perfor-
mer seldom exceeds twenty-five dollars per
week.
Actors who have achieved a position which
warrant them in demanding it, stipulate for
Z" beneft" in addition to their salaries. On
these occasions, n third or q half OF the gross
receipts Of the evening is paid over to the per-
former, according to his agreement for " third
clear" or n half clear" benefit. The whole
beSst.t system is based upon the euppOsition
that none but an actor whose position in the
theatre gives him an opportunity of making
Himself q flyorite with the people, is eatitled
10 q benefit and that upon such occasions the
actor and his friends will SO exert themselves
fiji the house that the benefit will, in reaii-
ty, cost the manager nothing, the Z" third " or
~ half" which is paid over 10 the performer
BEING q surplus over what would otherwise
haye been the receipts. Thus, ii the average
nightly receipts Of u theatre are four hundred
dollars, and an actor claiming u third " clear
benefit can, ON that occasion, attract two hum
dred dollars more to the house, 1t will be seen
gains two hundred dollars.
The musicians receive for playing leading
instruments ter dollars per week each; for
aecond Instruments, nine dollars per week.
The leader has from thirty five dollars to fifty
dollars per week. The gasmen, carpenters,
etc. receive about the same money that Is paid
for sim liar services eiseWhere-thxt IL, from
eight dollars to twenty dollars per week.
Scene painters receive from twenty-five dol.
lars to forty dollars per week.
persons assembled near Baltimore Sunday,
TO see the 'sRev. Mr.. Ives, OF the African
church, Richmond, Va" perform the ceremony
OF baptism, ~ advertised In the city papers.
After waiting An hour or two, some one sent
a large Newfoundland dog into the stream,
Tor the purpose as alleged Of recovering the
body Of one Of those who had, while being