Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-03-17
IN THE PANT0llIME.
PARTS WHICH CHILDREN LIKE BEST
 IN SPECTACULAR PLAYS.

stage Talent in Tots-Readiness witl Which Little Ones Learn Their Parts Wonderful Memory Concerning stag | Business
 ''I don't want tO wear that dress;
 ain't bright and pretty like the others. " The child was a pretty girl of years and she was being arrayed in a coarse | dark gown to represent Little Buttercul fin "PinafOre.'
 ''It Is always so." commented Mir. Jo seph W. HOrner, the costumer, to re porter who happened tO 5e present. ''Tyt been at this business thirty-five years, and haven't yet found the child who did mol object to appearing in dark or coarse cos tumeS."
 The costumes the little girls enjoy
 most, ." added Mir. HOrner, "are those that
 are brilliant; the brighter and more spark
 ling they are the better the children arc
 pleased. while sOmber dress seems Go
 have a bad effect on them at once. The
 boys like soldier clothes best and sailor
 suits next. The girls always take % great
 fancy tO a train gown, and when they
 represent birds of long plumagc they pay
 particular attention to it. l have watched
 them very closely and have no,:ced, too,
 how peculiarly Old fashioned girls are ia
 every instance, and how they are all Ht-
 tentiOn to the instructions given them,
 requiring much less effort ia this respect
 than boys. Some of the most elegant cos
 tunes worn by girls Of 6 to < years are
 those of the style of Louis XIV for the
 minuet. In this they wear dresses Of tho
 finest quality of figured silk, wI,h pufIcd
 sleeves, and trimmed with gold and sil-
 yer These costumes cost often as high
 as $7J each. Elegant suits for the bOys
 are made of silk velvet, square cut. They
 include sword, jeweled buckles and trim
 ming of pink silk and velvet Such a suit complete is worth $lO0 They are for the
 minuet also. Fairy costumes are made of lighter material, but are often trimmed
 with lace and embroidered in gold and silver.
 How young have you known children to appear in private theatricals or Ou the professional stage''
 "As early as years of age. remem- Der 8 girl of this age who committed eight verses to memory and recited them at a Sunday school entertainment. She did not break down once, and her prOnuncia- ton was correct throughout. At fairy play in a hall of this city, at which a school took part, there was a girl of years who remembered her part all through and did the stage business well. She also sang in an Operetta-n
 "What is the best age for teaching chill dren tO acts'
 For girls, or 8 years. The brain at that time begins really to develop and is most susceptible Boys must be 10 years old before they can do anything cute or smart on the stage. That is my actual experience, and I've taught at least 2 OUO children for stage appearances. My idea is that Q child's soul Is as mature as a grown persons. The penetrating gaze Of children seems to me tO show this "
 What parts are children best in'''
 Pathetic and singing parts Comedy in children is very rare. In fancy pieces, those written especially for children, the boys do as well as girls, but the girls learn their parts and seem to understand what Is wanted of them much more quickly than boys. They do not forget, while the boys do. The boys will leave out lines. The parts must be fairly thumped into them l recall one remarkable piece of work by girl of $ years that will show you how apt they are. The play was ''Phe Tempest and q number of chil- dren were to act it for some charitable in- stitutiOn. The girl who was to take the part of Ariel was 15 years old. At noon on the day the play was to be given she met with an accideIt that rendered her appearance impossible. Our only hope was a child years old, who we knew was bright enough to read the part. We saw l. a1. S~ n | the part. She had been on the stage be- fore in private theatricals, and had done very we'll She refused to read, but said she would learn the part. There were 200 lines and seven or eight entrances. She began at o'clock, and by the time the curtain was rung up had committed the part completely to memory. Why, on the stage she recited it as readily as if it had been an everyday occurrence with her. She was the child of poor parents. have seen great big girls of IA or l5 cry and snivel over their part when younger ones would get along without any difficulty. I remember Q noteworthy case where I had seventy young girls in a tableau The girl in it representing the Spirit of Death was only 10. I gave them their positions, and told them to leave the stage. come back and take exactly the same places again. They did 1t without q single error''
 "HOw long does it take to prepare a child to take parti"
 ''FOr a play six rehearsals. as rule, are sufficient and for tableau one re- hearsal is enough. In a tableau of a gypsy dance not long ago I placed the children in position, hand and foot raised as if dancing, and then dismissed them. Two days later they all took the same positions without a word of instruction. An interesting case was that of a score of children whose ages ran from [, 13. and who were governed as to their positions on the stage by different lights, one posi- | ton for blue, another for red and SO on. Not one missed after the first rehearsal | and the little ones were just as apt as the | older ones and were, besides, often first to ! take their places.
 Do many of the children become pro actOrs'n
 ''NO' These little private performances are done for the amusement of friends. | and parents are delighted to see their | children in them, but when the children | are wanted for the professional stage the | parents object at once. There is no in- | stance that know of where a child has | been cultivated at so early an age for the stage; nor do I know of Q woman who | became brilliant actress from a smart | child on the staGa. do know, however. of boys who were bright in this resr ect who have become gccd actors. The child | who in 1850 made such hit as Eva i'm ''U Uncle Toms Cabin, " when it first came Ou, is an example of what tell you She grew up in the profession. but ws:s not New York Mail and Ex- press.