New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
THE ACTORS LIFE.
THE CLOUDS AND THE BRIGHT SPOTS.
NATURE OF THE WORK AND THE DAILY DETAILS

Few people who are not intimately con-
nected with the profession have any accurate idea
OF the details of actors life and duties" said
q stage veteran TO q TRIBUNE reporter who had
rashly ventured to remark that everybody thought
theatrical salaries would have to be lowered next
season The effect Of the pIoverbiai red rag on the
bull mild compared with that wrought by the scrbes
statement Fortunately u torrent orwords came to the
actors relief and served safety valve for his rage
/" 1t Is just little known about our way
OF lfe" be continued, "that such extremely opposite
views concerning held by 1t considered
Pandemonium by others Elysium. The former look
upon the theatre the home Of drunkenness, eenous-
and lazness the latter think 1t Is the scene OF easy
labor, brilliant triumph and substantial reward or
the truth lies between the views OF the extremists
only neither give sufficient credit TO the hardness o our
work and to the peculiarly impessonabe and sensitive
temperament which the good actor must possess Is
because the stage Is much OF mystery that IL 10
attractive 30 many Managers beseged by persons
deslrous Of witnessing performance from behind the
fOotlighs. And these persons are not all 'swes or
admirers OF actors and actresses but often clergymen
and Others who have their views of the wicked
ness OF the stage individually confirmed. Talking OF
cergymen coming behind the scenes, remember when
was supporting Forrest In Philadelphia that the old
man 1--WE always called him that stumbled over
stranger in the wngs.' Who's that idiot growled
the old to the stage manager. That is the Rev.
Dr. - one Of our most celebrated diyines. Umph,'
grunted Forrest, suppose he's too mean TO pay for
seat not at ALL SIR Tie fact is Mr.. Forrest, be Is
great admrer yours but his congregation is strait
laced there would II he In 'front.' and
he got permission como behind And the stage man
ager rubbed his hands believing the compliment would
molliry the old man. 3d. said Forrest cycling the
intruder and loudly enough to be heard by him. he's
not mean, only hypOorite."
DAILY DUTIES or MEMBERS or STOCK COMPANIES
"In considering the work OF actors" continued the
speaker Is necessary 10 divide them Unto two general
casses-those In resident stock companies and those in
travelling combinations. The former class is, unfor
tunatcy for tho public the actors and dramatic art In
all it's branches, outnumbered more than thirty times by
tine latter
"The stock actors day does not begin till between
and 10 In the morning. for rarely early riser In
he cannot rule possibly begin to sleep TIL
after midnight to get up early would be to turn the
candle at both ends Surprising that at his theatre
new piece Is being rehearsed. the actor Us generally
called for IL o'clock. Rehearsals are wearisome
and tedious affairs The SLOW aud painful evolution OF
business uhe technical term for the movement and
actions OF tho charactes tho gradual learning OF the
words and the annOyances caused TO those who are
perec by the oareessness OF Others the stupidity OF
supenumcrares or the errors OF the musical director,
are no light trials to the temper
Rehearsals "a rule occupy about four hours though
in plays requiring heavy scenery the aid OF large
bodies OF supers 1--we six hours often consumed
II is safe however TO assume that rehearsas are gener-
ally over by o'clock but they leave the actor irritable.
and wearcd He feels the need Of rest and he
sleeps or at any lies down. for hour either before
or after From Z o'clock thereabou till
IL the actor work, for when characters
do not seem difficult to enact, there Is always great
strain IN appearing before an audience Dress
ing and maklngup By no means the least trying OF
an actors Iabors Upon the ladies' particularly, quick
changes are often very hard when the changes are
nads between the acts the rush IL not great though
many ladies would find IL very difficult 70 dof morning
dress aud appear In bah costume, everything down TO
shoes stockings, bracelets aud ornaments having been
changed In space OF six seven minutes but 1t Is
when undressing and dressing have TO bedone during
an that the strain Is greatest In several modern
plays. actress has to change from riing habit to
ordinary dress three minutes, and this includes the
time occupied going aud returning from the dress
ing room.
THE performance over, dress and make up removed
and streecothes resumed tho actor generally feels the
need supper he has probably only taken meals
during the day And thus midnight its ncighborhUod
reached Whatever studying OF his part the actor has
TO do must be done after supper between the
heara1l and the evening performance. Parts for the
average actor frequently FROM GOO to 500 lines
long aud 10 those whose study Is not rapid the
oriziug ID a work OF little time and labor To the
conscientious actor mcm0rzng is but the smallest part
study character It's traits and pccuiarities
mast be thought out its manners. bearing and tone
OF voice determined aud finally all these separate
component parts have to be rounded and moulded into
complete and homogeneous whole. Dress too has to be
considered ordered prepared, and with actresses this
Is often difficult, annoying and firing matter.
HARDsHIPs OF the TRAVELLING PLAYER.
d" So much for the stock actor the arstOcgal OF the
proiession aud lei tell you something about the
actor In combination When he has once started
upon hts he is relieved from the necessity OF urSher
rchcarsals. Therefore IN respect his hbors are
lighter OF stock actor, but his life infn
tteiy less comfortable. Leaving out twelve or
fifteen OF tine principal cities the majority Of hotels
mcagro their accommodations and supply poor food,
badly cooked and yiiey served Nor can the average
actor whose considering aiorl to so to the
best hotels when playing ono night stands the
actor docs not for several nights together any
other bed than the miserable apology offered by sleep
ing car aud crOss-rOais these not or
prove to crowded Frequently hO does not arrive in
u town til couple Of hours before tIe perform ance
begins and after ride OF fifteen sixteen hours has TO
hasty meal, unpaok his trunk, act fold up and
repack I'VE eonDlce changes Of dress and then
once more YEARLY weud his way To tho heartily detested
cars Sometimes the train may leave soon after the
performance that all hurry, and hustle TO catch
IT, 1t may through about 3 a. aud then Is
choice Of evils is oeredeither 10 pay for bedroom and
reused up before getting well to sleep, or to sit up In
the Office depot aud wish the hours away Whichever
the follows he is pretty to wish that lie
had chosen the other.
sundays which should afford the actor rest
usually made OF by the manager for some long
journey that lie could not spare tho time Tor week
day When this 10 not the case. IN the West tue actor Is
Oftcn Obliged to play Sunday nights and not infre
qucntly Mt sunday matinoes Many actors moderate
salaries cannot afori to pay $40 or $l2 week for
sleeping nmVdItioa only and arc therefore COM
PEELED night night to snatch such maps they
IN the ordinary day coaches Add 10 all these inconve
nienccs the ifksomo task Of having to play the same
part two times In successon and 1t is oydent
to all the travelling actors lot is far trying
than his resident brothers.
ITO tho other troubles aud annoyances OF the travel
ling actor may DO added the occasional fear that the
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