The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-11
SEEN ON THE FIRST NIGHTS.
IAQnD f6Af THNA RE AANA0RRO AID
ACTORS Know n AkARE

TIE Passionate Lssssas 81 Wsii.ts-Ae Pssess
re- DsaAhsaA Tick sss-Whae . 1ssuo
MisAs AsAlsass - LIKELY - AppasaA
First night audiences IN New York ere d..
tinctive. Actors and theatrical maaagss ~
that there Il no audience about which they ~
40 many misgivinss. In the nrst plaes u =
almost impossible TO wake crowd Of habitsaa
nrst.nishters into anything like enthusiaeA
and the crowd 10 usually unsympathetio 70 ~
last degree. This u undoubtedly the result e
700 much theatre soins. though II 10 oftsa =.
tributed and In some instances quite properly.
to the free-pass system. Experienced MANA
gers ssy that dsadhead u the most unsstis.
factory Of suditor. When be 10 . young 81
grateful dsadhead. he will In oil probability
applaud svsrythins iEdiscriminatsly 40
noisily. This Will draw the attsntioa Of ~
house 10 him. and he will be cot down at oaeo
- dsadhesd or clsausur. II the audisess
suspects either one Of these things. II imms6i.
atsiy stops applsudins ITSELF Nothing wiA
freeze the ardor Of IN American audience -
quickly - the presence Of the olaque.
When the dssdhsad smsrees from his oAFys-
slis condition Of enthusiasm. he becomes eveo
more Objectionable. He Il then cynie. and -
growls at the play from the moment he enters
the theatre. and damns Il earnestly 70 his
friends between the sots. An actor who does
careful and workmanlike bit Of work 10 sure -
DO recognized BY nrst-night audience In New
York. They appreciate tho technical points q
acting much moro than the human aide Of u
Thus the elaborate. carefully balanced. and ~
curats representation Of Baron Chewal bv
Richard Mansfield reused nrst night audlsnss
TO enthusiasm. while the same audience woaA
view charming BIT Of sentimental acting o.
well done and earnest heroic part with indi6se-
enoe or sarcasm.
The nrst principle Of every first niehtsr. aftss
he has become thoroughly broken In. b 10 b
present ct every initial dramatic event Of In.
s h. IL s Ss %.sd sss s
1s L.. ':n q IT, 1S
sSslE intsssss Aside from The issiine "a. oes
!: SEEING soms.h!ne Old y e u1doubtsGly tass
e they DO tho frst night. This !: psrticulsEi1
tween the dash and 60 Of the first nigSt ssd
the purely mschan Is presentation Of the plav
Among the people who mako up first nisAA
club men. without whom mansseIs feel no dIs..
q them q dss sd
comfortable "a Looking men who call t5S 20.
pear toward Tie stage "d door after The show 3
over. They regularly come late and dspasf
Sp n ST.
m9alasd nspEes: pretty faces. and : delicate
e4hbHitSH Fl n9sisTy lat. !. ,naesa d,.n
IL b On Time would indissts IA. tSs sadispes
srs . But the last q ali Who arrive are invsris-
bly, club men; It is worth noting that thee
r'fy ysT S% 81 n
the pecunisry value Of the production. Of the
changes Of making Or losnS money Thu:
discussed 81 CUB msn than the sesins u
sre.s many q. as dressed Wide awake
and spruce young brokers who consider It IL
most crime 70 b .b:sn. At an initial Ps.
between BE- the acts. srittciss the performance e
me .Sols ssnds tho
Besdss these hos there 'f l. vast number Of mo.
and women moro OF less connected with the
Ss yS.Hus Or NJ at az
life II they cannot be on hand at an important
dramatic event. They are all more or lsss ae.
morning papers attend the first night perform
q e.. Sss A fns s 81
sss: ss:S Il & sa Z:
to turn up a. The ii.st perioEmsnce. Z they
oto oihhAGhs az oil Au euoit pAoASSolOns sno MAN.
passed in By the doorfespei. Who treats st shsS
with more or less Of condesconsion.
VI late agreat many managers have severely
cut down their FREQ lists: and the result 10 thai
many habitual first nighters have not reoaiyed
the seats they 50 long have been accustomed =
get at regular intervals. Nothing is more DIFF.
ticket for theatre. The struggle that won't On
after tho cruel restrictions on the part Of soma
Of the managers Of the larger theatres was In
tense. Tho chronic deadheads tried In every
way to get tickets without paying for them.
but 10 the end wore forced to purchase. They
soon learned Of the billboard scheme. how
ever. and soon got In for half price. The NUM-
Der OF people Yho profit By this method now n
astonishing. It Is a. rare thing to ind man
or woman who habitually attends the theatre
who has not at least hoard Of the billboard
scheme. Many people practise 1t regularly.
Beside the regular number OF Weil-eQuippe0
first nighters 70 the drifting crowd Of men who
are known to the MANAGEMENT BY the name Of
standees. They are usually clerks or salesmen
with genuine passion for theatricals. but with
very little money to spare. These gentlemen
DRIFT In promptly at 8 O'Clock. many Of them on
bill. board tickets. and stand In orderly groups
behind the last row Of seats They are genuine
and honest lovers OF tho drama. and their ap-
plause 10 frequently the truest encouragement
tho actors receive. They all have thoir favor
ties. and they welcome them heartily on the
stage. The Atandees. who are too proud to 90
on the top floor. havo assumed the function
formerly filed by the pit.