New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
RrHEARsING FOR BIG sPECTACLEs.


\ SCENE THAT MAY BE WITNESSED AM D"A ~
NIBIos OR THE STAR.
III. ,boatre is unoccupied save for one OF Two
.,iarir ,yomen who are knitting with closed eyes
and wooden looking faces Ia Ino dtone ;s almost
- t.nantless. In the dim deceiyiug half-nghts,
The mnfathomable shadows through when inc eye
cannot reach give IT an appearance al ar;0S
;iI;mitable depth Only in front glares flckermg,
rnarinc cas-jet, which throws an unhealthy s0rt
of light on the shoulders OF three men VINO
are talking III front of the stage WIN
Euperabundance of shrugs and gestures nno
black-haired young man in the tlght-httng sun,
which suggests the surf rather than he theatre is
the principal dancer; the other TWO are Tue
manager and musical director Wnetner INC me
theatre is the Star or Niblos Garden ana Mn Tf
the dancer and manager are Coppnl ana hnaiA ~ VI
Mayzantini and Conried. makes bnt niue u ~
ence. At each place great spectacular plece 10 U
the of production and at each place the
to an unpractsed eye presents exac'iy ~; t
same features. For it is the hve Hiih hrnn
before the daily. hours OF pat.iheno u men
ing and arranging ana noin nfs Of detail and
not as might be imagined preparing 70 ono orsjoai
mortal combat The group eo TO- pop
mn in the orchestra below, surrounded oy MS M t
dlers and his pipers; the dancer vanlshes nlo ino
darkness in the rear and the manager 0pens n ms
,nannscript with portentous flourish. The actors
and actresses appear from the wings taking an u
laughing 10 the despair of the stage-inahagcl a. %
The custom of their kind, and the rehearsal Oh
the dramatic portion of the piece Is rapidly run
through Ii differs not at all from any ordinary re-
by any One and when it comes to an end most OF
the principals adjourn to the front of the house and
Join the knitting women, who are mothers OF aunts
of the Younger members of the corps-de-oaliet'
There is a short pause broken only by stray note
from restless trombone or bassoon and the squeak
of an unq9iet fiddle or two Iaea there Is co"ntess
skirts the rain-like pattcr OF thny shod leet anu
the ballet girls and mendancers are on the stage.
A sorry and homogeneous lot they look at hrst no
two are dressed exactly alike some nave ,npsd
skirts standing out stSfiy above partl,coiored
hose and finished of by the boone TSanstio on
a walking costume; some are IN the reguiG'
stage costume complete in itself, but dating PACK
10 the DAYS of The Black Crook" or " Excelsior !;
others again, wero it not for their dancing
slippers, might Just have stepped in from Broad;
way. They cluster about the wings, gigglng ana
chattering like school children, The conductor TOR
impatiently raps his desk with his baton tno
manager rushes furousy about. pulling his charges
this way and that. aud all seems confusion mex
sOe the .D Tff before OF the & bar
is concluded order is evolved ont OF
chaos. band of young girls dance
down the stage swinging their arms in rhythmic ca
dence and though the dresses are the dresses of
Slxth-ave and the BOwery, the effect is almost as
pretty as If they were covered With spangl9s an9
glitterlng under calcium lights. They are followed
bv other troops of elder girls, some of them with
some portion of the properties they are to use when
lands and so on, which they use to accustom them
selves to their ways The dance goes on and hnallY
sRs dancers in fsns nto ths
parts of a picturesque group. The manager lalIs
into hystercs apparently, he and almost tears
his hair. at is all wrong; they are stupid with
stupidity ~ and after showing the erring ones the
wickedness of their WAYS he gives the signal and
they begin again at the beginning When once
more they have fallen into the closing attitude
they retire for brief space and the more enthus-
iastc ones join the other spectators in the auditor-
um for they are going to have a chance OF learning
their lesson from master and mistress
of the art. The premier" and the pre-
miere" are to go through their pas
deuX." They turn, they plrouette.
they fall into the most graceful and the most tor
tuous of poses they spring into the ar, they walk
on their toes. they have serious disagreement
with the conductor they bow as they receive
rounds of applause from the rank and file and
finally they pause, out of breath. The ballet PUSHES
and scampers on the stage again. and once more
the dreary round is gone through with palnstaklng
mOnotony until the managers grateful you may
go" falls on their ears. and in twlnkng the
stage is deserted the old women roll up their knit
ting, and a general start for home is made by all