The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-09

People Who are Getting Taught TO he Actors
and a ctresses.


OF acting which had been started In this city.
and wns to be managed In connection with tho
Lyceum Theatre. now In course OF construc-
ton In Fourth avenue. near Twenty third
etreet. Since then tho school has prospcrcd.
and tho three stories at ~ West Twenty Third
street.. whore tho classos arc to DO held while
waiting for the now building to DO completed
are crowded with 40 scholars.
At first It was expected that not over Nifty
scholars at tho outside would apply for In struc-
ton. but crowds Of applications have poured
in and the managers hayo boon Obliged to re-
jet all applicants who failod to come up to the
standard intellectually or physically.
Nothing could DO moro interesting" ono OF
the managers said. than to sit here as do all
day and see tho people who want to 70 upon
tho stage. Hundreds Of young women all over
tho country long to become actresses. Some
pretty girl on the east side. after rolling
cigarettes or measurng of ribbon oil day.
goes to the theatre In tho evening and hor
head Ia turned by the lights tho ilnery. and tho
excitement. Tho applause that grects tho
prima donna makes her position seem tho
proudest in tho world. and the shop girl UP In
the gallery looks and longs and says to herself:
without her makeup and her fine things; why
shouldn't be- like that instead of working
hard nil my life TO make just enough to liver
Then the pretty girls eyes flash. as she leans
back and pictures to herself her future tri-
umphs. She shows scarcely any excitement
when her young man mentions ice cream on
tho way home. and she goes to bed and dreams
oil night Of silks and bouquets, and cIarping
actress whom shc cnvics going home late every
night. rehearsing every day. and worried and
Some of these girls conquer their in latuation
and go on with their old life cohtcntedly. 9th.
sFs ana 2 we @
Der furnish the lachels and the Bernhards TO
the profession; the majority fail miscrnbIIy and
got more and moro DISCOURAGED until they
look back with regret upon their old lif".
But pretty shop girls are not tho only nov
though the majority of those who select the
doesn't always hold good and many iaugh-
fathers carriage. and comes In here to see
what she could DO. and how soon we think she
of this class Of asp,rlnts are ant TO got along
well; they take the rosiest kind Of rosy Wow
Of the lie before them. and when they SEQ any
thing that isn't rosy they get di discouraged very
quickly. If they are full of ambition aud have
lots of pluck. they may get along. but when
young girl has failed n dozen times. md has
seen others climbing far above her aud hnrself
not as FAR advanced in n year as she expected
to be in a month she is apt 20 go back to her
rich mans daughter becoming an actress with
her fathers consent Is almost an unknown &C.
currnnce in this or any other country
!, Witch turn out the best among actresses.
the ,pretty, or the rlain ones 7, n,
3
almost al the girls who 90 on tho stage are
pretty. They imagine that beauty is the first
requisite OF irst-rntc actress, and pretty girls
are more apt than others to become stage
struck. Still. there are just enough Of the
other kind to make up the larger number OF
great actresses take. for ,examrle. the, two
whom mentioned before. Rachel and Bern
hardl. you will lind that they are not the beau
tiiul women Of the profession. | don't know
why, unless II is because the great amount Of
character, necessary to make genius IS in
4 Ma. ttfith hl...
There is one great advantage which the
riain woman has over tho beauty. woman
always safe TO bet on, She knows that she is
good looking, and she depends too much on
that. If she has 10 render u rart demanding
great passion. she is apt to tone it down llttle
su not to lose the effect of some dimple or
curve, which she considers sufficient in itself
to carry tho house She may be moderately
successful and her picture nav bo for sale
everywhere. but she isn't likely 70 set tho
n ne, taking ana doesn, stand much
Tho plain or ugly girl on the other hand,
feels that she is lrndieappGd in the race and and
her hardest work pass unnoticed and nero
beauty Of face and figure applaHaGd more than nn
stun III in " her " she works ali the harder and
whatever she has In her is bound 70 come out.
Win actresses big mouths thames.
ticed. But now come and have look ct tho
classes. and see, how the actors OF the future
In one room were a dozen young mon under
the tuition Of IN elderly gentleman with per-
Attention gentlemen" the instructor said.
IN now show you how to come into room
with an expression OF surprise upon your fea-
tur's.' lie went out. AMI walked IriSnrely in.
suddenly he stopped. raised his lands with tho
fingers nointins upward. and said
A curelcss observer would have thought from
his air that he had seen COW walking up the
Now" said he. go out and dh ms did"
The Young mer went out one aftcr the other,
and their expressions varied all the way from
horror to meek remonstance.
Go back" tho instructor snid, and try to
imagine that some one has paid you dollar
They tried again. and succeeded bettor. No
ono laughed. because IL is against tho rules.
Bai and Gpod m@ ark ARE s%n and pupils
In another room there were II number OF
young women. and they were very much alb
them TO MAKE np'" There were some young
men among the crowd. but they did Int seem 50
in front OF him which he painted and blacked
and roueed to IN unlimited extent. Then he
operated on h Nm WIN few touches o.
nnce of being frightened to death; a few more
strokes male him look very, old and then he
explained to blondes and brunettes VIII each
should do to enhance hcr beauty, ana when the
girls understood how to put the paint on. he
to avoid running their comrlexions. Al The
young ladies. the professor said. took naturally
On the other side of the room n lady was In
structing the girls. and showing them how e
stand, and walk. and hold themselves grace
fully. 1t surprised all of the girls to ilnd how
incapable they were of standing on ono leg
and keeping the othcr in II graceful, HaHo
| kirke-like position. As to throwing thom-
| selves into u lovers arms not one had the re
hottest idea how it should be done. and thai
| surprised them too. They weren't nearly a'
| limp as they were expected to be. and they
| couldn't hang over his shoulder in the propo
wlllowy way.
| Then they had TO bend their backs clanr owe
| and say. " Back, villain" They kuccled at the
| old fathers feet to he patted on the head. an,
| did their best TO shuddcr and appear convince,
| that all was lost. Then they had n rest for
| littie while, and the teacher told somethln!
| about the pupils.
They're nearly all good" she said, an,
| some Of them are very good. But YOU cHn
| indigo Of tho average amateur from that
| Those in tho school are the best Of Il cr"a
| many who apply tor admission. We eNamin,
| them at first and il We Had that they are hone
| lcssly awkward. or not smart enough. or II
| any other way unit for the protc1 sion We tci
| them SO IA kindly as we can. ana generally per
| suade them 10 give up tho idea Of going on III,
| stage. Nearly all who andy. however. are wei
| educated. and that is n great hrlp. Sometime
| the least little thing units them We lind tha
| they cannot lift their arms above their head. o
! that their organ OF speech is imperfect. Their
| was one sad Instance OF tie kind. A young girl
| worry ont husiastic. came here and went to work
I