Omaha daily bee., 1885-02-17
TRAINING FOR THE STAGE.
The Difference BetweCd the Educa
ton for the Stage in America
and in Europe

the education fur the stage in Americl
and In EGropel' a vetei an German actol
now hibecnating in Chicago WAS asked,
1.-THE great difference is that here they
try to fl people for par s i1lrAveling ct Ir
companies, while over in the old county
they have adhered the stock company
system, aud therefore actorJand sctressei
receive a thorough stage training. enab.
ling them to fill a variety Of parts credit
ably. The star system as in vogue here
and partially in Eng'aud-mskea ma
chimes out Of cur growing stage talent.
These machines may work with wonder
ful precision and neatness, but they lack
the spaik of life, of Individuality. 1t IL
only exceptional talent of genius thai
can rise to the top ordinarily under these
circuu stances, unlets there is money tC
back the s%prouting ambitionin which case,
however, the mimic ffedgiugl more often
collapses than initiates, even if there il
real stuff In him, since he hasn't had the
thorough training necessary to give him
experience and rsAtility. Generally
speaking, the star System as prscticed in
this country Is the worst conceivable fol
bringing out and nursing to It's fulllgrowtl
dram tic talent. Under it art de.erior,
ates to mannerism; monetary success OF
failure beromes the sole criterion by
which to measure plays as well as actors.
Now you've done your little share in
berating the prevailing system here, tel
me how 1t is over there.
Easily dcne. In all the larger towns
in continental Europe but more especial
ly In Germany and France, there are thea.
tiers which have good sized stock compa,
MES, in some cases 100 strong and more.
1t is easy to understand how in these,
with q different play 20 perform every
night, there i, a chance not only forevery
number Of the company to learn, bu:
also 70 rise, to demonstrate ability, and
to win applause and popularity, which
meane, of course, alao money. The op-
portunity is sure to come, sooner or later,
Every member knows that, and thus, am
bitjon il fcs;ered, the desire to learn ard
improve Is intensified, and the occasion is
given to every n to gain acknowledge of
his weak and strong points. Then these
larger stock companies maintain a uni
form standard of excellence, and are per-
msnent school sf theatrical training. Of
courae, a special aud professional educa-
ton has to be- impaired as well to all
those who aspire to The higher walks of
there art. Elocutioo, stage presence,
makeup, stage history and tradit lons, e :,
are all taught to thoae anxious to perfect
themselves by old masters who havs fin
ished their brief strut upon the stage, for
soma reasen or other"
"How about support the public gives
the theaters thers as compared withhere?
"There Is no country o earth where
theatres are mnre literally patronized by
the people than in America. But there
everybody recognizes the theatre as a
necessity, as an important factor in the
education as well as in tho amusement Of
the people. In England and still more
In this country u noe inconslderable por-
zion of the population deems the theatre
something wicked and to be frowned up
On. Ia conformity with this emergency
of opinion Is the fact that in the capitals
and even In some of the larger provincial
towns Of Europe the theaters are subai-
died by the nation, provincial or NUM-
cipal government. In some cases the
sums thus expended are very large. In
Paris several nillions offrlncs are annually
spent In this fashion, and in Berlin and
Vienna the case is similar. In Drssien
the leading theater derives a not incon.
siderable portion CT it's receipts from the.
private treasury of lthe king of Ssxony
Many theaters have cost millions of dol
lars. Everybody knows what an i'm
mense amount the Grand opera house in
Paris COST and the new court theatsr in
Dresden, just finished, and the grand
opera house in Vienna, built several
years ago swallowed up between $40, 600.
900 and SIG. 0O0,0 600 each. Nobody ex-
poets those theateys to pay anydividends
They are not run as a money making it,
stitutions, NJ more than are churches
here. They are maintained as temples
of art, in which the m Of perfection
is aimed at, If not always reached. The
inference is obvious"