New-York tribune., 1880-03-07
STEELE MACKAYE'S ROMANCE

TGEATRF.
He WAS a very thin and tall and grave
voung man when he first came to New YORK. ana I"'o
at some one Of the Musical Halls, readings lo l'I"
the sy,tcm OF Dssarte IN elocntion ana iacia "a p
and acting His idea at first was to establish "
school Of riocution on the Dlsarian principle WHICH,
a. then explained was the illustration in acting of every
nassou by facial EXPRESSION. He n1d acted IN LONDON
n well a. Paris In London he had play cd Hd"t ioi
number Of nights aud his extreme nervousness ""'
cor1poed the MANAGER 20 cut ont all the Hahe' t''
y m the third act TO give him time TO recover rom
the nervous exhaustion of the second. Here he S"'
became recognized enthusiast. Only ano'n'
enthusiast like himself John S"iDton' DeIle'e"
in him and swinton was 30 eX;raNa agnht IN HS "uu
tions OF the artist that everybody douotcd hih'' -
was a complete failure as far as the puWc was va
cerncd: the trouble with him was that he NouIu
not recognize that the pubic verdict was co"e'" ~
pevcr knew when he WAS whipped II he ever was li'
was rejected ,n every eide and hy everyday
hut himself He was compelled after some Ic'''S's
to enlist as ore Of Wallacks company, ana Pi'!'i
one or two heavy villains W WIN many '"'
v,,c.sio, which made the habiiues OF WailackS WISH
t5at D.l.arte had never becI born lie wrote P''
,bi,, nc cot pro luccd IN some way-irobiDy N "''
iusuir,fionll cnthasasm-lud which half succeeded.
A. lsugth wear ago. De impressed q number oi c'l-
itasts with The idea that he could bnli ana niah"ie
novel theatre The success of the theatre Is sun
pr cin but the character whose name Is steele M'A
ayc D., already c-tib.isA-d
Heis now illustration, as rope anu 9H''H''" WIZ
and are OF the idea that
Tine ecniu. j. 10 madness sure allied.
FIrt.Iu partitions DO their bounds WNlic
Maclayo is q man Of strong viii ard
ryous temperament. He could accom-
pish little by any individual q f',o"
renern. phv.ral strength but he compel from his
.u,orlina,es am excess Of zc, an Overflow OF SPIRITS
andayI,oro of ,x,rt.on which more tnan make up Tor
his own in4bity in jat respect. 1t happens In every
ar. thlt the Inspired accomplish more tlan tho me
calaical. lis nervous tcmperment really MAKES
M,cbayr something AKIN 30 tho inspired.
Oi.iis ,,rccr Of Late thc public wei aware. They
know Of As building a beautiful theatre IN West
rw,ut,.r.uri-5t and thoy have lclro Nat 'ho drop
.nr,ain work o. art costing $1,000, Was burned on
Thursday NIGHT To hear Macsavc tel the story OF the
burning of hc curtain well worth the price OF the cur
i, bur II happens that neither the curtain as cmbo
d,fcl nor the story tId can De- cN"ciy pi"du''"'
though ar-c force is Al work on new curtain, TO De
displayed or Eistcr Mondlv
." was at home in Forty .ourths;..' said MackVe
last evening" as he spped hi, carct, when some one
came m 4nd told me the theatre on hrc They say
IL was the servant girl don't know. don't know
how Got 20 the F1rtvscconi street Depot "i the skin
Av-nuo Elevated Railway. do know. however ihat
for that occasion at least-ond | hope for ii't
occasion ony-I thought that tla was the yleSt sun
Nrcu fhe train stopprd nf Thirty tlurd~t must nave
DE -
s,,rd nlv thiris seconds aui svo.c 40 them for r
ay ne ne. Whcn got 70 IwcntJ-tn rdst lJumred OIL
ara r.. ran n. the Who'll Ole, %$ TO The 'h'a'''
"Yrs: It vJ- out And there ISM another theatre IN
tho World where such fire could have occurred With
ont The destruction OF tue whole budding III tel yon
an about %: was d,l"yed ny ne ,.iiiIc''TI in rn
rot 'cn yet. but am promised them ncTt w'tk.
Meanwhile, while lithtns an 'He oirIhi nEn'S, E S,E E
lights by ordinary means. The machnist -rut on hoJ
to light them Ihnr-dIl night about l",1t "in",'' o.
f,. 10. "A Ifr L.
torch touched me embroidered curtain. Both curtains
In hs cuthusia.m and rNciicme VT Mickayc
reached for Biz carct, oui lbs m. axe ana on key
thc glass of brandy and soda which The reporter AAd
discipline Is a erea; thing" he rc.gnrd. Having
heard i'e 'n' a''' ION ii'lh V.'' ~ % n, 80 &
and scene shicrs Each is The head OF a small brig
sle of Bremen -ilat Is. sc.no,h ,hfcrs Who are
trained b. them also 10 n.ht 1nm... on cyey
know whose paicut--aud hose. cx iqgu shcr. aud
nrrmcu numbered so To case oi alarm rhch nian
knows wnat De- is 90 do Il't ii-cpnc ond pr'caIion
sounded tha9 each man was At his po-, Inc %
man IN the nie-, John Williams, Who iI9iuHg,d ~.
curtains. cool a. cucumber, ana NJ N.lh't
hvea -s IA tle l lst OF ne smoke aI nam, '' 'os'
TO The fes Gii more t"@h HIJ 'Rh| 49, /" F.'U
fastened iuc couItcrwc ,t- Oi The curtain 80 ttat iry
cui away the from the roller 80 that they ZEN
II "e"p p1 n iic HE Sa. M t ihc tore down
tno curtain, or tined 10, when % was mass o! nimcs
Thl, was before vou got to The thcatrai" :"
Yes when there 10 tiiu' 20 open D. doors
rau back saw the extent O the disaster, ana called
10 Wallun tine sage carpenter and seeing none oi Tie
.ccurr, was damaged. SAID Nrlfc. we'll give The re-
u.r pfrfermaHce tonight Hes pucky fellow and hc
nu.wcrcd I'll be- ID " We donL' ! thlnk he
had an idea good opportunity 10 show "a" WORK
ing of double Stage which, IA yod know, ne
CONSTRUCTED for me. heard Gt the same time
th, the police who haI been called With The rrmcu were
telling people who coming that there would hc no
performance. around to the front, Had Tie doors
thrown oprn, and told tho u-hers ana Others
70 admit everybody. Those who had secured seats
were offered their money II they Cuo-c but nouc nc
while wc Wefe clearing NJ the stage Ih" bpys worked
TO ircs, the actr-s- took mop aud went down her
knees tO swnb up The sagca in View ~ tie gathering
audience | handled broom, and pride
myself that I handled it with some dcNtcriy.
had taken N my coat in bury and when addressed
the audlcnccmv face bllck with Loot from the burned
curtains lad assisted IN removing Tho audience ~h.
aud ppla tacd everything did and a
Isnld Fuay rggCd acurtaiu composed OF plain can
vas winch had bought and sCwcf together that day
for the backing ~ scene, nd when, after haW
merng on pair OF Ddttiurs. II was hO5icd b} ropes
they appaudcd as II 10 were The American
flag which was being un up And all through the
Than usual, for each excited by the unusual
event ana nearly all got recalls After IL was all over
pr1 lt the boys Ia the PIN leo, and gave ID
supper. tell you. old boy I'll nrvct fOrgci them"
AID the enthusiastic gentleman reached out
again and flushed the brandy ud soda ~ the rpurtr
who was compelled 10 retire with glass Of carct That
had grown sour from cXp0-urc ana neglect