The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-15
ASPIRING TO THE STAGE
ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW LANG
TRY AND POTTER'S STEPS.

anCe IN Two DOzen hSSSouS -
Dramatic Teachers Who Smile on
Stagestruck Gir.s-Not All Teachers
Are of That Sort, Though.
Copyrighted 1851
NEW YORK, April IA am an actress
Observe the confident wording of my
declaration. do not put it l am going
to be an actress; or should like to be an
actress; or, if had been trained, 1 some
times think might have made a success on
the stage.
am star which ought to have appeared
in the dramatic armament some years ago.
! am open to offers of New York engage
ment, to be followed by tour of all the
one-night stands in the country. Where is
the enterprising manager who will display
his sagacity by launching Rachel in the
roughl / shall clothe myself with glory
as with a garment and make a fortune.
So | have been told and so | am bound to
believe
/ have two dramatic sponsors. There
was third who didn't see the silver spoon
in my mouth with which | was born, but
she-I doubt if her eyes were as good.
The first person who opened my eyes TO
the mistake | had made in not sooner recog-
niZIng my career was a teacher of "dra-
matte reading who takes pupils in a dis
ordered paIlor over baNeshOp in shat by
apartment house / had gone to her to get
some explanation of the mania which seems
70 be driving increasing numbers OF Ameri-
can girls toward the boards. When Ellen
Terry was supervising the packing of her
trunks day or two before leaving America
she displayed to a group of friends heap
of letters which she had thrown cut as un-
necessary impediments. They made good
sized litter in one corner of the room and
represented an average of one billet day
for the entire time Miss Terry had been IN
the country. Every letter was written by
a woman and the intent and purport of
each was the same The documents came
from stage asDirants who wanted advice or
help or both with regard to an appearance
before the fooflightS Some of the writer's
were young. others were more than mature.
Some said they had taken part in amateur
theatricals some said they mad had no ex-
perience, one or two confessed they had
never seen the inside of a theater. Some of
the notes were ill-spelled. Some came from
girls apparently refined and cultivated. A
few were pathetic with what seemed to be
honest aspiration. More were amusing
from their conceit. One young thing of Is
was certain she could give Miss Terry her
self a point o. two on Portla. Another
was sure Miss Terry must have quantities
of fine clothes and could spare to a rising
but as yet impecunious star some discarded
portions of her WARDROBE not too much
worn. Several-and this was tie point
which impressed me-profcssod TO have
been fitted by dramatic teachers who had
assured them they were geniu$s. promised
them a carriage ride on upholstered cush-
ions and easy prings to fame, ami would
Miss Terry make All appointment for them
to read Juliet before her; The serene con-
fileacs OF these full-he1ged actresses was
imposing Here was possible opening for
me. and | l-oked up madame, the dramatic
reader, and the brick block aforesaid with
out loss of time.
Madame was engaged at the time Of my
first visit. Would | be pleased to wait!
waited, seated on stuffy haircloth sofa
and enjoying montonous back yard pros
pect Of pully clothes lines. Incidentally
solaced myself nth reading in an assort-
ment of small country papers, which
seemed to have been left in convenient
neighborhood to the sofa for that pur-
pose, eloquent descriptions of the beauty
and grace of various vivacious soubrettes,
whose renown up to that hour had not
reached me.
Madame proved to be tall, well-formed
though somewhat portly woman with dark
hair bright eyes and a great deal of voice.
Size became more than cordial on learning
nv eTand.
told her that | was thinking of taking
course i'll e!ocdtion, preparatory to going on
the stage, and had come to talk with her
about my plans.
Madame was interested and spoke in
praise of my determination Eiocution was
a study that no woman could afford to neg
Iect, whatever her plans in life, ard the
stage was the only sphere of action for al
ambitious girl. VIVA ever else a girl tried,
whether she was clever Or stupid, mddstIi-
GUS or lazy, she had hard life ahead of her
all uphill struggle with no reward at tine
end Womeus wages We're low and going
TO be lower, but on the stage a girl had
things all her own way. l had never sus-
pected myself of possessing any special EN-
dowme ats Of person or mind, but was
now made aware, to my surprise and pleas
ure, that my tiny hands, ""youth full face
expression of intelligence" and pleasing
address guaranteed me a hearing under
unusually favorable circumstances; in fact
it was evident to discriminating eye that
had but to name my choice of places in
the dramatic world, and it was mine.
was certain to rise to a commanding rank
in the profession, and madame prophesied
that the time would come when she should
have cause TO be proud of having numbered
me among her pupils
felt bound IN honor to call attention To
my nose, but was met with the reminder
that Margaret Mether had made a hit in
How long would it be before should be
ready to make my debuts
That depended altogether on myself. As
l seemed extremely clever, probably no,
more than term or two.
Madame had known girls to fit in so brief
a time as thats
Certainly. One of her last winter:
pupils had taken twelve lessons, got an
engagement in a small part with travel
ing company and risen before the sea
son was out to star as Leah, the For
saken," with the support of the rest Of the
troupe.
Madame taught many girls for the stage
Quantities of them. She had had all the
pupils she could take. and there were some
socie girls among them.
Would she give me written guarantee
of a stage engagement if agreed to take
twelve lessonsi
She aid not think it good policy to make
written promises. OF course she a stunned
no responsibility for the success Of hel
students. But she would give me hel
personal assurance that she hal great in.
fluence with the managers, aud that 1t sci.
dom happ ned that deserving pupil OF
hers failed
Could she give me any instances of con
spicuous success by actresses whom she hal
recommended
Dozens of them. One was drawins