St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-10
LOCAL CORYPHEES.
How Spectacular Companies Get
Amaz0ns.
OUR GIRLS IN TIGHTS.
Minneapolis Maidens Who Pose on the
/ Stage In Fleshings and
Scant Skirts.

4dn every great spectacle there are
lndicrous incidents that occur in nearly
every performance, especially SO in
cities like Minneapolis, where combina-
tiGns play but week and are dependent
on local supernumerary talent for "fill-
ing in'' in professions and pageants.
In long runs, where opportunity is
given to select good material, we'll
trained ''supes" may be secured, but it
lSnot so in the prOvicial cities. Most
tleaterS have two heads of departments
reigning over the supernumerary adj
Junct, the captain of 'Supers' and the
ballet mistress: the one secures the men
and the other the women. In some
cities where the management is in
clined to gayetY there. are standing
''chippy committees from the man
agerial staff, who find great sport in
guying Stage-lOrn maidens, and many
are the promises made to star them.
The rule is generally, however, to ad
vertise for people to appear ON the
stage, and thrOngS come anxious to don
the costume and parade for one brief
hour with wooden spear or elevated
skirt.
The Kiralfys advertised for 100 people
to appear in Around the World, ''and the
the judges of whom they should hire. A
quite large company were present to be
selected. There was the mother with
herpreciOuS child, who eXpatiated on the
chlld'S nerve" and assurance; the girl
who had appeared before, and lot of
callOw maidenS who were evidently
novices to the fOotlights. AS shapely
girls are wanted, the mode of selecting
them is evidently to size them up by a
glance and then feeling the arm.
''This is a pretty good sign that girl
has got a good shaped Leg" said the
stage manager, ''though not always SO.
Where time is had, girls are required to
dress, and then there is no chance to
have a bow-legged or knock-kneed fairy
come tripping down to the fOotlights
and have an audible litter rise from the
audience"
After a time a lot of girls were Sc
lected from the crowd and told to come
for rehearsal in the morning.
"Do have to wear tights?" chirruped
one girl, of bright complexion. "Of
course" replied the stage manager. Il
don't like to; Pm afraid somebody will
steal me-"
do you know" said the stage man
wouldn't" It's my experience that
most women of this generation like to
expose themselves, and while they may
demur with mock mOdeSty. they are
always anxious to exhibit their legs in
pink tleShings. A wOman'S a woman,
you know, and even if in street cos
Tune and prettily stOckinged,it's safe to
say that muddy crossings are always in
| demand by the fasbionably attired
| women, especially, as l say, if her hose
are pretty. Minneapolis girls have very
| unsightly ankles. This is true, l pre-
sumo, of the mixed population. In the
Southern cities you will find taper
ankles and dainty feet, but not any in
the North. OF course there are eXcep-
tiOns.
t.'There is some talent, of course, that
cTeepS into the business this way, but
many so-called dramatic schools are
responsible for the nOvitiates, now.
THE cOryphees of the ballet are
mostly residents of New York, Boston
and Philadelphia, and are trained and
educated for this sort of work. There
are few premierS that are native,
though | believe the National opera
school threatened to turn out some. The
constant practice and patience neces-
Sary to attain that rank is too much for
the American girl. She can make more
money in learning song and dance
clog or fancy dance suitable for variety
theaters, and musical comedies. The
local girls that appear on the stage do
SO for the small perqulsite attached"