Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-03
Star and Stock ActOrs.

10 the EQltor OF HE EVENING STAB:
The January number Of the Century Muqazine
has an open letter devoted to ssThe Trouble
with the Stage" which deserves q republication
In every Journal published in the midst of a the
ater-gong people. The author. J. RaDken
Iowse, deserves unanimous vote of thanks for
the many open truths presented i'm descrihinp
the star" system. which has for lonp neriod
ruled supreme in the management of our thea
tiers. and most thoroughly explains WHY drama
TIC art iangulsheS. The writer's graphic descrjn-
ton OF the 'two-penny talent" of the many who
style themselves STARS" their voracity and
their demand for their services seems So eYor-
oitaht that the manager can only make profit
by reducing all other expenses almost to a point
oIZero; fees so exorDltant that nothing remains
to pay competent stock actors decent scenery
or anything else.
This article in the Centtu-v suggests another
improvement demanded from the patrons of the
aleTs, ana that ls justice and proper amount of
applause giving stock actors deserving it, and
not exclusively to the sO-called stars"
Ahother writer speaking Of the too common
practice Oh indifference to deserving merit saws:
1T Is frequent remark of foreigners that the
Audiences or our theaters display a strange
coidness even during the progress of some of
tne oest exhibitions Of theatrical talent unless
| 1t proceeds from the one single orbit-tha ct
actor" The remark is too trne Our naonIa
! are calculating, medtative race. guided nv
ina4lms ana rules to considerable extent and
nave, even IN our amusemeuts allowed onr
general habits to govern our actions. and made
Us ihdlHerent TO do justice to many OF the ex-
ceiient performances which we witness i'm onr
pest tneatefs- These maxims and rules pro-
ciaiLn lnat we must not extend applause to an
actor unless fashion sanctions, or the general
sentiment sustains such an act. Hence our
stock actors become tame and frigid oftar
oeing On the stage few years, they fall. not on
account of any want Of zeal or knowledge in
thelr profession, but because that stimnlns
applause, Is denied them; a stimulns which
ought TO be as lavishly bestowed as GOOD tasta
VIII permit. We are manifestly. saws another
writer, unjust to a large class of our actors
Wheh We take our place before them with tho
inierence Indicated In our habits that we expect
omt , ~ pay 70 tue extent OF their powers with
,ha. any assistance from US Is it to be supposed
.hat any man or woman would take mnch mains
TO impersonate before an audience Of sta.,,ns
ana mummies? Precisely similar ia tbo s;t,,o
ton OF MIN who has been on the stooa r.
several years He receives no apnlanse to- h;s
EFFORTS; ne must be content without ens a,,nn
.ne star that rules ascendant TO rece,va What
the audience is disposed to giye.n """'
III an Improvement In Our tbeatr,c,, atr,,,, 6,
oe sa IL can only be obtained by more jih.
- sPosai vi our palms whenever stock
| actors merit applause; it must he thrnn~b =
watchfulness to detect good plsyino anS q
tend the proper evidence that it il annrac;.ta,
0y giving each and all a fair share of annr"nsi
hnen this Is done. fairly and fnIIv 70 ,t,o,;
near less complaint about the degradat;on ~ thl
drama and the meagre talents Of stock actor w.
encourage all men. so the CARPENTER anoa.,.
aged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth r.i.h
the hammer him that smote the anvil" Friand
ana admirer Of the legitimate drama. on tbon
'-N Wv AAe D. I.