The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-19
DRAMATIC sKETCHEs.-NO. A.
The Stage Manager.

trate the gloom Of the theatre it aghted on the
stage manager he being the most important man
behind the scenes. As q consequence, it is not so
easy 10 say that about him which shall be entertain
ng, and at the same time entirely new. 1t is for
this reason that have heretofore spoken of ind-
Vduals who might, although beneath the stage
manager In Importance, outrank him in a scheme
like the present. Still, his claims are not to be
overlooked. They may be, as "Hamlet" said,
'common," but they also, as the 'Queen" re-
marked to her son on the same OCCASION unavoid-
able
The stage manager is in effect, condensation OF
the whole show He is naturally the strongest,
most practical man in his company, the man readiest
in device and expedient He combines (or should
Ccmbine) Intelligence with talent dsciplinaran
Such parts will lift man into the stage managers
place certainly similar qualities ensure milf
tary promotion more surely in fact, inasmuch
, these qualities excessively rare I'm the thea
ire. For we are met here by this strange contra
dictlon: that the offered by the stage is not
always such to attract the kind Of talent which Is
necessary to it. The qualities which make a man
successful stage manager would make him good
! army officer, engineer, surveyor, or manager OF
manufacturing interests. With such chances as
these 6fe very seldom woos the muse, and the stage
must in mest cases. therefore, put up with an inferior
administration. But where the right man has been
selected where the stage manager is all he should
be- we are within the truth when we say he is an
eptome OF the entire entertainment In his brain
the whole performance takes shape before the first
sign OF it is seen upon the boards He mentally
devises the scenes and effects. The costumes,
properties, furniture, and appointments Of the
piece he also determines, with an indntude of
smaller details. Calling then around him his lieu
tenaRts-t1e prempter, the painter, costumer,
property man. etc.-he gives his orders That is
the beginning; but II he is the man we are imagln-
ing he does not rest there. He follows up the
matter ruthlessy, calling each official promptly and
frequently TO account, and having every point OF
the proposed entertainment, however slight, COM
pletely covered In studying new piece the actors
know only their own parts the artist knows nothing
OF any of them; props" knows nothing of the
scenery; and the wardrobe man (or woman, to speak
more nearly by the card) knows nothing of the pro-
perties; but the stage manager knows ALL He has
pored over it whilst his company slept or ided, and
he has it thoroughly digested. After the work
is cut out, the parties abov e-named take their
smplfed share, and with it great deal OF credit
that does not belong to them.
The phrase, ''acting and stage manager" is IA
mar one to persons and who has not been
used at period other OF his life?-to the Pc
rusal OF paybils 1t is often strangely msinterpre-
ted. We can well enough remember when we
thought it meant (and our guileessness has doubt
less been shared by many persons that the fortunate
Official was not only manager of the stage, but that
he had also the inestmabe privilege of acting If he
so chose. This theory supposed that the altogether
too favored individual being intrenched in such
stronghold could OF have his pick Of the best
parts and the whole arrangement offered lively
picture to the imagination OF the partial manner
in which the good things OF this world
are distributed. When it Became known that the
term only meant that the stage manager had dele
gated powers to act in place OF the proprietor the
result was rude shattering Of highy-elevated
Idol. Whatever this phrase may have meant once
it is now little more than msnomer. Propretors
as rule manage the business affairs OF their thea
tres themselves, and stage managers have nothing
to do but TO attend to the concerns OF the stage
There still some exceptions to this new ruling,
although they are few The case OF the Boston
Museum will be recalled by those familiar with
theatrical affairs. For many years the name OF Mr..
r. NJ Field, acting and stage manager OF this estab
lishment, has been the only one announced on the
Museum bills in any managerial capacity whatever.
He has had entire control OF the business both be-
fore and behind the curtain, and there has been but
difference between his position and that OF the
proprietor, viz, the Insignificant consideration OF
financial return. But, as stated, the case of the
Museum is an exception. The phrase is still cur
rent, but it generally means nothing. Stage mana
gers are well content that is so, for the managing
OF a theatre money matters is a barren honor.
The duties OF the stage manager are numerous aud
exacting. Not only has he to cast the pieces and
keep strict eye upon rehearsas and performance,
but he should be master OF every detail either OF a
personal or impersona nature. He should know
the exact OF his STAGE what stock OF all
kinds there is on hand, how best to econOmize old
matter, and how to get the cheapest. He should
be diplomatist in dealing with stars,
and as much OF a good fellow, as he can without
sacrificing dignity with his company. The jealousies
OF the fraternity are proverbia, and it is in the
power OF a stage manager OF even temper and plea
sant manners to make the sailing toerable If not
plain. But he must be firm, too. He should adopt
sRicheeu's' motto: First, all means to conciliate
failing these, all means to crush" The difficult
ties that a weak, vacitlatng man would lind himself
in, in temporizng with first one clique and then
another OF fretful dissatisfied actors, would be in
credible. In about week he would be candidate
for the nearest convenient asylum for the insane.
And these mutitudnous duties (and we merely
hint at them) make but the least part OF his work
Everything depends on them, but one large ide;
covers ALL The stage man ager is an administrator
The details mentioned serve the entertainment
but what entertainment to give? That is the grav'
question upon which all successful management
depends, aud it is the stage manager who must an
swer it, He must be qualified by TACT experience
and by intuition no less, to give that answer. Tn
right pieces, to the right audiences at the rgh
time 1t is problem, and the man who solves
must have peculiar gifts.
One of his most important and trying duties is tn
selection OF material for his company. Tits scarcel
to be believed, but in this choice-where merl
should be- if anywhere In the world the only test
preferment is not seldom matter of favoritism o
personal influence. Numerous people grow gradu
aly 10 have claims upon the theatre, and If the
choose to press them in this shape and are partcU
larly inportunate about it, they carry their end
and foist appointments upon it which, so far froI
GhIins the soul OF that waste place with joy" al
calculated to have a directly contrary effect Whi
makes the especial hardness OF this matter,
relates to the stage manager, Is that thes
appointments are mostly made over his hea'
ana that he is at the same time he
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