The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-30
THEATRICAL REHEARSALS.
The stage In the Glare Of Day-some
Anecdotes fram the Pr0mpter's BOX.

New York Timesl
The arcana Of tho stage have q fascination
above most other mysteries, and the assur-
ance that any investigation OF them must
lead to pltlleas disiluslonment does not dis
courage or divert a prying interest concern
ing them. To be present at n rehearsal, to
see the undraped stage from one OF the wings,
and to hear how the manager behaves toward
his company when mingllng among them
without an audience, to be Bcandalized by the
conversation interpolated in the text OF the
drama-thls Is boon, sought mportunately,
and through many channels, above the most
celebrating OF other diversions, and the
stage is probably much better for the fact
that 1t Is seldom granted. At any rate, re-
hearsals are not cheerful or stimulating. The
stage undraped has the atmosphere and
vague dreariness Of the primitive theatre-a
barn; the auditorium, with the lights out
and the seats vacant, gapes with magnified
en- fitness, and the manager Is apt to be
| brusque and dogmatic.
III one is captivated by the sweet aspect Of
some favorita actress, who has been known to
| him only from "the front OF the house." i'm
agine the bitter Observation-Disclosures no would
suffer were the manner OF her professional in
tercoiirse with the manager at rehearsals dis
closed. She (recitiDg new part)-"I have
sacrificed everything to Henry-my maiden
| innocence, my hopes Of happiness, my -"
| The manager (severely)-"Stopl When you
say I have sacrificed everything to Henry,
| you must make a resigned gesture, as II you
| felt the sacrifice to be worth something; and
when you say my maiden Innocence, try
and avoid smiling, as you did Just now" She
| lmad)-I don't do anything Of the sort
| "Then 1t was the gas that made 1t seem 30, >
| retorts the manager, and minute later ne
| attacks another actress In this fashion: "Iiss
Montmorency, don't throw your oTae about
that hat 0 wax; you s sge always looking
look at the orchestra stalls" Miss
Montmorency holly responds, and, heed
| less Of her denial, the manager contiL ues "A
/ good actress is 30 enwrapped In her part that
| the world ends for her at the footlightS."
/ "Fiddlesticksl' murmurs the lady in an un-
! dertone as the manager devotes himself to
Miss Highnyer: iss Highfyer, pronounce
the word narrowing five times over, which
rowing; thereP' articulates Miss Highhyer,
| fiercely, and the next one censured Is Miss
| Montgomery. 81 have told you, Miss Mont
/ gomery," proceeds the manager, ito assume
an outraged expression when you are asked
to betray your family for gold, and you don't
look outraged In the least" II shall look
outraged at the performance" insists the
actress. "Ah, that is what you all say" adds
the manager with sigh, "and when the per-
| for.uance comes you are all as bad as ever u
The @agement Of the London Haymarket
| once a ssed from its usual custom to the
extent, 'ducing Richard Ill" and Dor
rowed til feSsary armor from Astleys,
The night -ge 9us to the opening perform
ance dress l;aT .r5al was held, and all went
| we'll until the lie scenes. Perhaps as q
joke the Catesby and Radcliffe were not per.
mtted to wear their beavers up, and they
wandered about like two animated Dutch
ovens. None of the armors fitted the wearers
and in the final combat between the candidates
for the crown, the Earl of Richmond, on lift
ing his arm up to strike at Richard, found ii
would not come down again. Some OF the
helmets worn by the soldiers, having needed
much coaxing before they could be- got
on the heads OF the wearers, strenuously
refused to come. off again; and an unfOr-
tunate super, who had been upset two OF
three times, much to the amusement OF his
comrades, was so Disguised that he was heard
to say: "If this armor dodge goes on, shall
retire from the profession" a serious loss,
which was averted by the utter failure OF
the production. An Interpolation OF Quinn
Cato" at the Drury Lane Theatre, Williams,
who acted the Messenger, In delivering tne
sentence, Caesar sends health to CATO, gaVs
such peculiarly ludicrous PRONUNCIATION "
the last word that Quinn replied es' anu
he's sent a pretty messenger. WHIiaIns
. challenged him there and then, ana quinn
being the better swordsman readily dls-
. patched him. Queer orders 70 tne seage
, | WOrkmen are sometimes Htef PoiaIou ~ VIC
lines of the part, and one OF Rtchdrds pest
known speeches has been thus transformed
Hence. babbling dreams. you threaten here In
vain.
| WHERE'S hat- gas mani
Richards himself again"
The most experienced actor is apt to find
his tongue unruiy at times in performances
| and much oftener in rehearsals. Quinn was
rehearsinp Balance and Peg Wellington
sylvia in the Recruiting Officer" play sell
dom heard of nowadays. Quoth Quinn: ''SyI-
via. how old were you when your mother was
married." "Mr. QUINN exclaimed the in.
dignant Peg. "Pshaw mean how old were
YOU when your mother was borng"
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