Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-04-22
One thing for the rrompter to guard

One thing for the prompter to guard
against is hurryiug the players, who should
have ample time not only to speak their
lines, but to complete their stage business.
Any haste on the part Of the prompter
renders the actor nervous nervousness
affects the memory and mars the acting.
For instance, fthe player. after repeating
line or two, desires to cross the stage
before continuing, he should have full
leisure to do so, instead of having the
mu:tered words hurled at him again and
again, as if he had forgotten them. Let
the prompter be sure that the actors
memory has failed before he prompts.
1t may be metioned here that haste is
one Of the evils to which amateurs are ex-
posed. They seem to be af:aid that they
won't advance fast enough. and the result
is they rush on at such rate as to impair
the sympathy Of the audience and the
symmetry Ct the play. They should al
ways bear in mind that the greatest haste
is the worst speed /; that they not only LOSE
nothing but gain much BY delibera.,on and
rcpose,
1t is the province of the prompter to see
|
that the actors are called 10 time to make
their entrance on the stage. He should, +,
also. have ready anything that they may
heed as part of the business, whether go.
ing on or while on the stage. II a servant
has to carry letter to his master, the
promptcr must have the letter at hand.
and deliver it to the servant at the proper
moment and so, if he has occasion to take
IN a bottle Of WINE or newspaper, or Il
basket Of flowers. Should the curtain rise
upon dinner or snpper table, the prompt
er must have everything to set the table
with before the scene begins. II swords.
guns or pistols are needed, he must supply
them IN the mix Of time. At the regular
theaters this dcvolves upon the property
man but at mateur entertainments the
promp,cr generally adds the duties of the
property man to his own, and so simplfics
the matter.
REHEARsALs.
The success af any dramatic represcn-
sation will depenl very largely on rehear
sails, which cannot too often repeated or
t. accurately give The enthusiasm with
which amateurs begin is liable to oozc out
with the study and hard work that their
enterprise demands. They make great
mistake who imagine that cr1ditable act
ing of any sort is easily achieved. No ole
can hope to gain hisironic crown, even
in private circ,cs, without severe and unre.
mitting labor. Amateur theat,icas hi
rendered are too dull for past,ne and too
'uane for improvement. The actors must,
from the start anticipate many vexations
and disappoln'ments, and devote them
selves to earnest effort. They must work
not only hard but tremendously. aiming
at u rounded whole rather than at indi-
vidua distinction. They must rehearse
with strict couscientiousness, and puuctu-
ality of attendance must always be OBJ
served. They must go over their parts
again and again, unril they are perfect in
business as well as in text---until, in a
word they are eutir4y accustomed to
their character and to every detail there
of. @
When practicable, it is better, generally,
! TO rehsarse on the stage where the play is
to be given, so that all sense Of st ange-
ness shall be removed. AT least, two
dress rehearsals should lie given there and
as many more as conven' eut. At these
the stage should be set, and everything
arranged precisely as 1t is to be at the
regular performance. The number of
reh sails required will depend on the ap.
tituoe of the actors. some Of whom will
eyince an order Of talent that others must
hope to approach by severe study alone.
1t is the privilege Of the stage manager to
call as many rehearsals as he deems ncc-
essary to insure successful performance.
TIE STAGE.
A genuine stage in public hall is very
desirable, for hcn and there the facilities
for effective representation will be far am
pier than in private house. Many halls
have scenes. curtains and foot-lights, al
ways difficult to improvise, and in small
towns still more difficult to get. In New
York and in all large cit les, scenery can
be bought or hired, ,-someiimes borrowed,
and be forwarded by express without
much expense. II the unprofesslona!s be
obliged 70 depend on themselves, they
must chose simple pieces. for nearly all OF
which two scenes will suffice--one that OF
wood or out.door scene, and the other
an interior that may be converted at will
ino library. bed-chamber, dining hall ,er
drawing-room. No town that would as
pire to theatricals can fail TO turnish some