Smyrna times., 1888-10-03
Are You Superstitious9
PECULIAR BETEs NOIREs OF THEATRE
CAL PEOPLE AND BASEBALL MEN.

PECULIAR BETEs NOIREs OF THEATRE |
CAL PEOPLE AND BASEBALL MEN.
Some years ago, when the writer |
was confident that an amusement-lOV- |
ing people were anxiously awaiting the
hour when his name would appear in
large black letters at the head of pro-
gramme, and in the intervening time
was amusing himself if not the public,
by appearing in minor characters, he
was surprised at learning how supersti-
tiOus professional actors and actresses
were. One day, at last, or full-dress
rehearsal, it fell to his lot to speak the
"tag," or four or five lines with which
many pieces close. It had always been
omitted at previous rehearsals but
upon the evening in question, which,
to all intents aud purposes, was first
formance. " Mr.. Fresh, as soon as all
had taken the positions allotted them
in the play-book for the fall of the cur
tain, stepped toward the the fOOtlights
and repeated the "tag." Such a tor
rent of abuse as followed would have
crushed the ambition of most young
men who were not thoroughly imbued
with the idea that a lOng-suffering peO-
pie were simply lying awake nights for
the time to come when the name of the
speaker Of that tag should be starred
on the bills. The manager threatened
instant dismissal, while the actors and
actresses were not slow i'll expressing
their opinions Of a man who knew no
| better than to speak the tag. All the
while, the poor devil, who had, as he
thought, simply done his duty to the
very best of his ability, stood dumb
/ founded at the abuse heaped upon him,
and it. was not until several hours
thereafter, when in the privacy of his
sleeping apartment, that he spunked
up sufficient courage to ask his room
mate why he had been SO abused.
The reply was: "Why, you idiot,
what made you speak the tag? Don't
you know that the piece is irrevocably
damned now? Don't you know that,
after all our study and the time and
care spent in getting our costumes, you
have spoiled our luck, and now we
must go to work and learn new parts
in some new piece ?'
The writer confessed that he did not
know how any act of his had brought
about such a result, and upon inquiry
learned that to speak the tag at re-
hearsal was considered by people il
the theatrical business a sure sign tha
a piece would be failure.
Again, let an actor or actress Oper
an umbrella or parasOl upon the stag
at a rehearsal and it is presumed tina
this action has such an effect upon tht
success Of the piece that the misguided
actor or actress Is stunned for weeks
or until the fate Of the piece has bee
beyond doubt assured. Many peOpl
are so superstitious that, if an umbrell
! is opened in a room they immedatel
leave it, fearful that some trouble vii
occur, or that i'll luck will follow thei
footsteps the remainder Ofthe day. 1
fact, should any ill-luck befall som
people for weeks after an umbrella Wa
opened in a room they were in,
81 would Immediately be ascribed to th
opening of the umbrella.
Travelling theatrical companies ar
as a rule, composed Of the most supe
stitious mortals living. The writer hi
often witnessed incidents which woul
ordinarily stamp a person as TO
which have been passed unnOticed /
other members of a company. On OF
occasion, when playing in a city with
20 miles of Boston, the manager w
3 standing beside the entrance to Il
theatre, talking to the ticket-takC
and the first person to present himst
for admission was a man having a
feet in his eye, commonly known
suuint eyes. No sooner did the man
ger see him approaching the entran
\ to the theatre than he placed the ii
L. Al, l.
and spit three times through the ape
. ture thus formed. He then stepped
to the unfortunate individual and {
gagged him in conversation for fully t
minutes, or until one or two 9th
had entered the auditorium, when
seemed greatly relieved, and allow
the possessor Of the Ben Butler eyes
enter the theatre. The manager 81
sequently explained that if he had
lowed that squint eyed man to be
first to enter the theatre some aw
accident would surely have happen
A manager, actor or actress viii
nut nut variably manage, by hook or cro
PITY when meeting with u hump-bacl
ten man, to pass his or her hand over
Ie9 Of hump, which is supposed to poss
best such charm that good luck will
low them for days to come. A n
with an old-fashioned yellow flute
Il an orchestra will at times cause
.ds best of theatrical companies to P
ring wretchedly. The members of
uar, % company, instead of playing to
aFe tf audience, will play solely to the n
in the orchestra playing the vel
flute, and often-times so interested
su they become in that flute that lines
81 forgotten or cues spoken at wr
= places. The yellow flute is q Jon
i Urn IN of the worst kind, and in the mind
~ professionals is on the same level v
~ the yellow dog. A black cat
che, theatre, especially if it enters
rid rid building of its own accord, can h
emit turkey for dinner, and be assured
saIS .ot6 it will be treated with as much
i've: sideration and care as could be acc
lty. ed the President of the United Sta
con- Among theatrical people black ca
supposed to bring the best kind of {
'Iies' 5es luck, but woe to the yellow or tort
shell cat that attempts to join the
,inal cal company. Many an actor, "
e en- route to the theatre, has see
lis funeral procession approaching, an
,ostq- consequence retraced his steps unit
nless. reached some side street, down W
leap- he would walk, and, by circui
cSse. ,Jse' route, reach his destination. To
ion, met that funeral, in his opinion, W
ts tt;sts 3t have been to sign his own death
s'''' rant within year of the day. AnC
peculiar superstition of theatrical
q pie is that if, on the occasion OF
opening of new theatre, dro
h q blood gets on the stage, the theat
doomed forever after to play to Il
business. The opening of a new {
r. house in a large manufacturing ci
III Massachusetts is we'll remembers
-tEA the writer. The play was The
roon," and in the duel between
49, Closky and the Indian one of the
ties received q slight cut on one
coal He was quite full-blooded man,
in "the carmine" poured freely from
wound upon the stage. The ma
- happened to be standing in one c
~ wings, and when he saw the
upon the stage the tears could n
- kept back. He cried like baby
o. claring that his prospects in life
ruined, and that the theatre
"Jonahed" by carelessness. An
)9lS. tell the truth. everybody who hs