, 1879-06-01
THE STAGE.
THE DRAMA.
CHICAGO.

s""..nre uiYen By the usual run OF auatenre
IN. benefit OF some charity or other. Said she
!ot -. t.;.,d who tried to calm her indignation al
~. ,xr-tched acting by telling her how anaiable
A.~.ormers we're working for charity's sake:
+. p1ex, my life! I can sec no reason why we
.en,d he obliged to 70 and roast in purgatory fol
:: honr OF go for anybody's sake,-Charity's in.
r,uded,-and be made to pay 81 Tor the torment II
MI. actress Is not oione. II the truth were told,
.t.ncY her indignation las been shared lately by
w.. fey in this city. Therefore, word or two
Nv. 10 in season upon this species OF entertain
.a+ 49,. ecainst which this acttcss-sansible woman
w.. 10 was-revolted. So far as We are aware
'a.s .rformance OF the kind will come of to-uaor-
". W.. =, next DAY. and therefore We cannot be ac-
.a ~ attacking any particular association OF in
stitution.
a.tenr theatricals when they kept in their 1e-
-.;r,te p1ace,-the salon or back-parlor, and
saad1cted Tor the amusement OF the performers and
49, aa,6catjon OF their friends. Excellent things
49, are in their way, and we will admit that oc-
..;on.l1y the amateurs have benefited this or that
sh,,,ty for which they haye played; but there has
,.,er been an appalling tendency among these
rorne men and women to oyerstep the boundary
Ine between the parlor and the stage.-invade 4
arby nro,es.ion to It's very serious detriment, and
mir hearts content bore their friends, and
,afen benefit no one. There can be no
sorht that the extent to which the amateurs
nv. been carrying things in the name OF charity
~. .fected the people who get their living tile
.t.c. and very seriously, too. This is not right.
w,,h perfect Justice, the theatrical profession
,,3,ht nrotest We can imagine the hullrbaloo the
grooe.s the dry-Coods Clerks the printers, or any
e,b.r body, would make If they were similarly
tr+,ted Fancy lot of people with penchant
~ Weighing cheese handling ribhons, or sticking
+,r, coming to an employer and volunteering to
derote Ill they mako to charity. and getting the
NM at the employees, who hays to live upon their
s,ls,ls, turned adrift-
Taere Is quite as much reason In the one case as
n The other
ssBut " says some one, ''people are not COM
relied to 60 to one Of these performances or stay
a.ay from The legitimate theatres."
This financial part Of the scheme has precisely
this in view. and what with ticket -peddlers aud
e,culats. the scheme succeeds pretty we'll. The
nroectors don't actually take their victims by the
eo,I., but they hold . moral bludgeon over their
head. Say that charitable performance is gotten
m The admission-fee is fixed upon-5o cents,
81. o. s. 50, ~ the Gaze may be. Young men have
oulrs certain amount OF money to spend upon
amuseuents Aaude OF Mary comes along with
hnndle Of tickets They are irresistible, and the
theatres suffer consequently. As a rule, the en-
tertainmtnt IS atroclous. Tha spectators are
rearied, and the performers suffer ungenerous re-
narka il they are fortunate enough to escape ab-
Bolute 1idicu1e.
..Nell, but my dear sir, or madam, it's all for
eharity,-snd charity ehould never be criticised
Now, we ask whether is it charity or vanity that
is at the bottom of this sort Of thlng2 Suppose
the people who took part in 8 late entertainment
given In this city had given to the charitable in
sttntions inst half what 1t cost them for dressea
ths charaties won1d have been better OF, and the
haEoc On maidenlY modeety which those public
displays Invariably cause would have been avoid
ed. There Is nothing more painful than to see,
as We frequently do: youne girls thrust before
mixed audience to display their aFectation and
their lack of talent, and no class is more to be
Pltled than the mothers whose frivolitr and van-
m exhibition Of themselves pro bono publIco for
the sake OF getting their names in the papers
and having their raiment descanted upon. II
charity per.o1mrnSss vii be given let the
OF it, expended in the adorruent Of the novice.
or let them wait anil some good regular dramatic
combination comes along arrange for the presena-
tion Of IN attractive programme, give matinee or
evening performance. letting the public have kome
thing for their money. This would be the better
con1ee, and 1t would avoid the: peraicous reeults
benevolent reople-well meaning enough-are |
bringing into prominence. One OF these results IS
tue taste for excitement fostered, and the out |
ladies' and gentlemen soliciting engaeements At
every managers office daily. OF course we know |
thst from amateur associations many fine |
sef ,esa 81 fss ess eone but
requirements we're entirely different to those en-
erained by the nsjorily OF the aepisauts we hear
D.. They think an actor or an actress has nothing
nFf0 In 1n~
ook pretty IN order to be at the top OF the theat
ical Tree. They never think Of the hard study, |
he patient observation, the great acts Of self
A1 Wallack's enort stny in this city, he has been
ion, or who haye read selection Of poetry before
he other day that the solicitations Of aspirants |
Ras becoming positively one OF the greatest bug
'eafs Of his existence. They come upon him |
morning, noon. and night, and tax his patience to
be crucking point with their recitations. their |
's:sionc exhibitions, and their collection Of news
= '.per e clippings in which they have been, from
nlk Of these people are wealthy, and IN
his managers long experience he never knew |
4 young man or woman from what is known IS /
iii par handsomely for The opportunity to appear
a leading role and will spare expense in the !
rag Of wardrobe. And Chicago Is not alone in |
b. hi, hi thing Nj. win Chapman who has been ind
sency, tell Us that similar state OF affairs exists
here. A few eharpers in Gotham hare taken ad- |
antage Of this 1nania established what they term /
chools, and grind out full blown stars At an as
on,ahing rate, and at most ruinous cost to the !
1ctin !: They are promised engagements, and |
H1en get them They Invariably discover this
fanatic confidence game, but not before their |
means have been exhausted, and they have be-
ONE, 20 to speak, paupers upon the profession.
10 any who like to look with opeu eyes at the
nonfes which prompt onr amBteurB to appear !
pon tae public stage. anu in the majority OF cases
n1ort1nately The amateurs are women, vanity is |
enetaiiy the fundamental spring. They don't !
ale straw for the object. they hKs the fun Of !
such as II is. secured, Indeed, when
ue looks upon many Of the shows to which the |
'aonc asEe been invited, they are apt to indorse
ne cynical couplet OF Pope:
Men some to business, some to pleasure take,
out every woman is at heart rake.
y at least believe that almost every woman is at ]
=: :ea1 an actress. or has desire to be one. Sc
rs OF performances were lately given at Nc
,lckers Theatre for the benefit OF charity. They
asted one week and engaged the services Of
y aRs number Of people every night 1t is safe to
~ @ maj had the performances lasted one month. |
.p@ Tue list Of applcants-arnong the better class
= a;a saia citJ-wlag to participate ladies enough
fn. fsa nave been easily obtained to furnish fresh
H. every night for the entire run. We sorry
seaose was failure for the sake OF the worthy
mst1y n whose behalf it Was made, but it affords
Tor congratu1ation as On indication that the
iena,h amateur business bas about run the ]
thts tsA1 nj OF 1ts rope Let us hope it hss, and
inss,.4s .4snefolent may turn their charitable |
ma; into channels 1ess pernictous to the dra-
xsst. n. p.o1ession aud to the fair amateurs who
por go end Of time and money to crafty what is
res;v frequently h petty vanity than deaire to