Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-09-25
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES.
working for Starvation w~ages-seany
l of Stage Life.

this summer of the condition of the mem
hers OF the theatrical profession. The re-
suits Of the work are extremely disap-
pointing 10 al lovers of the stage. Ii
appears that during at least three months
of each year three-fourths of the profes.
sion are either idle or gaining a bare sub
sisteace in other industries, and that the
other fourth find employment in such
huge spectacles as Nero" il Staten Island
and "The Fail of Babylon in Cincinnati;
in summer snaps" and in the numer-
u low concert halls, dime museums and
music gardens Of the larger cities.
All of these classes were carefully in
vesdgated by Mr.. Berg and his col
leagues. Nearly every case presented
the most pitiable features. \ majority
of the profession lived with, or rather
upon, parents, relatives and friends.
But few were content with the enforced
idleneSs, and tried to make a livelihood
during the dull season. Among the vo-
cations temporarily pursued were wait,
ing in restaurants and saloons. bartend-
ing, horse car driving and conductoring,
stunning privileges" at excursions, pic
mic groves, baseball grounds and country
fairs, button covering, making ladies'
underwear, ''sweat tailoring" barber
business, news stands, canvaSsing, en-
broidering, laundering, dressmaking and
housekeeping. Hardly one of these paid
more than enough to keep body and soul
together. In one case three actresses
rooming together in a single large apart
ment supported themselves by making
~petticoats and chemises. Working twelve
hours a day, the three combined made
only $1l a week. Their room rent was
S. per week. and the remainder, 50, had
to supply food, needles, thread, car fares
and medicine.
n number who support themselves by
''swcat tailoring du ing the summer
made a slightly better report, earning on
an average So a week. Waiter girls in
both restaurants and saloons do better,
receiving from SO t. s. as wages and
at least q, much rlore in the form Of
tips.
Those who obtGin employment in
dramatic work make a very bad showing.
or those employee in Nero at Staten
Island and "The Fall Of Babylon in Gin
%cinnati, four-fifths have had more or less
experience upon the boards. \ few have
held prominent places; these include
women who have been unsuccessful stars,
leading ladies in very hard luck and Young
actresses who have neglected or failed TO
save any money during the season, and
who are too proud TO beg or borrow and
too moral to use other means to obtain
an income. The great majority are chorus
girls. members of the ballet and women
of one years dramatic experience. The
general salary paid is 81 a week. The
average, 1919.
OF those who 90 out on what they term
a ''summer snap" but few do well
enough to pay for board and t~ransporta-
ton, much less have a clear profit. To
this class walking railroad ties is no
figure Of speech, but q horrible reality.
OF thirty companies which left New York
in July twenty-eight, numbering over
400 souls, were stranded N the road
pennies, and begged or borrowed their
fare home or were sent there by the
generosity of kindly strangers. The
few concerns that succeed Of success
can be applied to their efforts are those
which play commonwealth Il. e., are
cooperative in ~character) and make
some town their headquarters where
country board is cheap and where no
legitimate companies ever come. BY
playing q night in this village and that,
by assisting churches, lodges and other
societies in benefits, they manage to pay
their board and washing bills and get
home in time for the regular season.
Perhaps the hardest lot Of oil is IL
those who play during the summer in
concert halls and dime museums. Hardly
a watering place exists upon the conti-
nent but what has its free and easies. "
.sopen air theatres and free variety
shows. Here the manc and pictur-
sequences OF stage life disappear and all
the brutalizing features are multiplied
and magnilied. The performer is an
adjunct 10 the bar; his or her art a spir.
itual free lunch to the drinEcr. In nearly
every case they are expected 90 drink
with patrons. 10 be introduced to any one
who knows the proprietor or bartender,
and to listen ia silence to the rocking
vulgarity which alcohol pours from
human lips. The pay in these places
ranges from s. to $i2 per week, and the
performance runs from noon to mid
night. The place being ''open ali" the
strain upon the voice Is far greater
than in closed buildings, and finally
produces that huskiness or painful fall
setto so familiar to patrons OF the circus.
IL the dime museums are better than the
open air concerns so far as the behavior
Of the audience and the work of the vocal
organs are concerned, they are more de.
structive TO the health of the performer.
The performances are usually given each
hour from IL q. m. TO II p. m. The
halls are close, poorly ventilated, hot and
dirty; the dressing rooms vile, and the
convenience for the actors nil. The
wages paid are the same as those in the
open air temples Of amusement.
Mr.. Berg shows that the mutual help
fulness and generosity which so charac-
terize the dramatic profession is an or
ganic necessity, and that without il,
under the circumstances above detailed,
hundreds, il not more, Of actors and ac-
tresses would be starved every summer
or forced into the almshouse. Even as
il Is, their condition during never less
than one quarter Of the year yerges upon
pauperism. Mr.. Berg's investigations
Ill - 4 La w.afa.aa ~ Nla lHA.