The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-18

condemnatory, but the question az to ths ballet
in conjunction with grand opera is not so easily
settled. Several Of the young men are under
charges for going to see a spectacular ballet
given by the American Opera Company, but al
together a pantomimic and instrumental affair.
there being no vocalism in il. They defend
themselves on the ground that ministers and
other religious folks were sean there, and that
the show was high art The decision has not
yet been reached.
In the matter OF unclad choruses for burlesque
and comic operas, the indecencies have become
so great, not only in the costuming but in the
social misconduct of the girls, that the Neaniskoi
could not well be divided in opinion. Neverthe
less. they have found through Investigation by
committee, that rumors of fragrant immorali
ties connected with the recruiting of these COM
panies are not entirely truthful. The stories
went that pretty shop girls tempted by pros
pect of good pay and stage fame, applied in great
numbers for engagements, and thereupon were
subjected to most demoralizing scrutiny tc
their physical shapeliness. These accounts turn
out to be exaggerations. Nearly all the hiring of
chorus girls in New York is done in an Office on
Broadway, near Thirty-frst street, by an op-
orator who has for years had q monopoly in
that branch of the business. A stairway
at 1867 leads up to the two rooms oc-
cupied by the curious business. The
first apartment has the common aspect of
an office, with desks behind brass railing.
The boss of the concern is Ed Rice, noted In the
burlesque line. The assistants are his brother.
Charley Rice; Berrie Jarrett. son of "Black
Crook" Jarrett and therefore familiar since boy
hood with the ballet business: Johnnie Camp
bell, son of BARLEY Campbell, and Actor Tarr,
tho practical trainer Of the novices. The appli-
cations are so numerous that the corps is kept
busy The candidates are various. Some are
from the working girls class; more are from the
ranks of the professionally vicious; but the ma
Jorlty are young women who have had some
thing of a schooling in vocalsm. The old hands
out of job so swell the throng that the prem
ises are usually full of walters for interviews.
These are accorded by Ed Rice personally in the
second or inner of the two rooms. A bright
maiden, sent in to report her experience in pre-
tending to seek an engagement. says that the
room contained two desks, several chairs, a
sdeboard and an upright piano. Rice received
her with business-like briskness.
LET me hear you sing" he said, taking his
seat at the piano. ''Select anything you please
Il only want to hear your voice."
She complied He told her that she would do,
and that if she desired to begin at Sc week on
trial she might do so. She saw no improperly.
Rice requested her at the outset to lay aside her
cloak, and that was manifestly done in order
that no could see what sort of figure she would
cut, but there was no intimation of further ex-
animation. The employees of the Office say that
girl must possess fairly strong claim to good
looks to start with, bright pretty face being
three-fourths OF all the applicants. Many are
rejected at the very threshold because they
are too tall or too short. A little
above the medium height is the desired
stature. An erect, well proportional form is
also essential, and glance reveals whether it is
or isn't possessed. With average regularity of
shape, the rest can easily be done by artifce
IT, then. the novice has pleasing face and
promising figure, the all-important test of her
voice is made, and here she probably fails; but
If she succeeds, she is turned right over to Tarr
who has her costumed, padded and drilled for
use. The conclusion reached by thorough in
quiry is that in the engagement of these chorus
girls no indecencies are perpetrated But
they ere not compelled to pass any examination
as to morals, and the management of no com
pany in New York city undertakes the slightest
discipline outside the stage door.