The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-25
Superstitions Of Aetnrs

The superstitions Of players are many
and various, and are astonishing by rea-
son of their simplicity. Once, at pleas
ant afternoon conversation, Mr.. Bouci
cault made series of curious revelations.
He remarked especially upon the super
stitions of ballet dancers. Every grade
of the ballet in England and upon the
continent is slave to superstition. For
instance In his Babi and B4Ou,
premiere danseuSe and twenty cOTyphees
rebelled at the full-dress rehearsal be-
cause the scene in which they had to
dance was entirely in blue, without any
adornments of silver Blue is an I'M
lucky color among players all the world
over, silver being its only saving relief.
In the English theatres, to trip on en-
terlng on the scene on the first night of
play Is sure sign of success. To re-
ceive bouquet at the stage-door before
the play begins is an omen of failure.
In America, too. some strange super
stltlons prevail. When the Black
Crook was ready for production at
Nlblos Garden, under the management
OF Mr.. Wheatly. Mr.. Jarret, and Mr..
Palmer, the frst-named was nervous
about it. Everything depended upon
its success. Failure meant ruin and he
could not view the situation as calmly IA
his partners did. The theatre was all
lighted up, the carpenters had ''set' the
first two scenes, the ballet and dramatic
people were dressing, the door-keepers
stood at their posts, and Flanagan. the
janitor, had his hands on the bolts ready
to throw open the stained glass doors
that kept out the clamorous crowd that
gathered in the hallway. Mr. Wheatley
standing beside the gate with his part
ners, gave the signal for opening the
doors and the rush began. The first
person who reached the ticket taker was
a lady accompanied by little boy. Mr.
Wheatley leaned over the rail and thrust
her outside, at the same time pushing a
man, the next in turn, inside the railing
Then, raising his hat politely to the lady,
he apologized and escorted her to the
usher himself. cit would never do" he
afterward said to friend, 'to allow a
woman to be the first to enter the the
alter on first night It's unlucky. Let
man in first and you are all right. "
The Crook was very successful, and
no argument could convince Mr.. Wheat
ley that he had not saved it by thrusting
man in first.
A few more words on this subject. In
America, as in England, the player had
a superstitious objection to rehearsals Oh
Sunday. During the rehearsals of Leo
and Lotus, at Niblo's Garden, there
were two Sunday-night rehearsals, and al
each it was found necessary to lock the
door at IL o'clock P. NJ. to keep the
dancing girls from running away. Ever
then some got out of the green-roon
window in Crosby street, climbed ovel
the iron ratings and escaped. It is be-
ieved that salaries will not he paid regll
larly during the run of piece rehearsed
on Sundays, or that the piece itself will
be failure, Or that death will occur il
the company. This was predicted at the
Sunday rehearsals of the Crook, anC
the croakings of the ballet-girls were
verified by the sudden death of a SOU
brette. At the Grand Opera-house, dur
ing Mr.. Fisk's term Of management
Sunday rehearsals were enforced in spite
of the protests of the company. Whel
the great spectacle, L0IIG ROOkh, was
preparing there were three Sunday rep
reservations, and the birds of ill-omen
were loud in their predictions of disaster.
Mr.. Fisk was shot and killed before the
fourth Sunday night revel, and the piece,
although magniicently presented to the
public. did not prove remunerative. -
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