The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-15
IN THE PANTOMIME.
PARTS WHICH CHILDREN LIKE BEST
IN SPECTACULAR PLAYS.
Stage Talent I'm Tots-Readiness with
Which Little Ones Learn Their Parts.
Wonderful Memory Concerning stage
business.


II don't want to wear that dress: it
amt bright and pretty like the others"
The child was a pretty girl of $ years,
and she was being arrayed in n coarse,
dark gown to represent Little Buttercup
in "Pinafore.h
at il, always So commented Mr.. Jo-
seph w. Horner, the costumer, To n re-
porter who happened 10 DC present. 1--WE
been AT this business thirty-hve years, and
| haven't yet found the child who did not
object TO appearing in dark or coarse cos
tunes
"The costumes the little girls enjoy
most" added Mr.. Horner, care those that
are brilliant; the brighter and more spark
ling they are the better the children are
pleased. while % somber dress seems to
have a bad effect on them at once. Tho
bows like soldier clothes best and sailor
suits next. The giTls always take o great
fancy to a train gown, and when they
represent birds of long plumage they pay
particular attention to IL. ! have watched
them very c,o.,iy and have noticed, too,
how peculiarly old fashioned girls are IN
every instance. and how they are all at
tention 10 the instructions given them,
recurring much less effort in this respect
than boys. Some Of the most elegant cos
tunes worn 10y girls Of g to 3 years arc
those Of the STYLE Of Louis XIV for the
minuet. In this they wear dresses OF the
finest quality o. figured silk, with pulled
sleeves. and trimmed with gold and sill
yer. These costumes cost often as high
rs SO each. Elegant suits for the boys
are made Of silk velvet, square cut Ihey
include sword, icweled buckles and trim
ming Of pink silk and velvet. such n suit
complete is worth 800. 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
10 appear in private theatricais or On tHe
professional Stage .
s.As early as , year, Of ace. remtm-
Der "A girl Of this age who committed eight
| verses TO memory and recited them at a
Sunday school entertainments. She dld
moi brcak down once. and her pronuncia-
tion was correct throughout. At "A fairy
MAY in hall Of this city, at which school
took uart. there was 4 girl Of 3 years who
remembered her part all through and did
the stqcc business well. She also sang in
an operetta.
"Ighat is the best age for teaching chill
drcn TO act2'
For girls. : or 8 years. The brain at
that time begins really 10 develop and IS
most susceptible. Boys must be 10 years
old before they can do anything cute or
smart ON tie stage. That is my act14l
experience, and I've taught al least 2,UjO
children for stage appearances. My idea
is that q child's soul is rs mature rs n
crown persons. The penetrating gaze OF
children seems to me 10 show this.
.Vhat parts are children best int'
pathetic and singing parts. Comedy
in children is very rare. In fancy pieces,
those written especially for children, the
bows do as well az girls, but the girls learn
their parts and seem 10 understand what
is wanted of them much more quickly
| than boys. They 10 not forget, while the
bows do. The boys will leave out lines.
The parts must be fairly thumped into
them | recall one remarkable piece Of
work by a girl Of s years that will show
YOU how apt they are. The play was
1.-The Tempest" and a number Of chill
! dren were to act it for some charitable in
stitution. The Girl who was 10 take the
part Of Ariel was 10 years old. At noon
on the day the play was 10 be given she
mot with an accident that rendered her
appearance impossible. Our only hope
was a child g years old, who we knew was
bright enough 10 read the part. We saw
her that afternoon aud asked her TO read
the part. She had been on the stage be-
fore in private theatricals, and had done
very well. She refused to read, but said
she would learn the part. There were 2OO
lines and seven or eight entrances. She
BEGAN at 3 o'clock, and by the time the
curtain was rung up had committed the
part completely to memory. Why, on the
stage she recitcd IL as readily rs il IL had
been an everyday occurrence with her.
| She was the child Of poor parents. have
seen great big girls OK Il or ID cry and
SWIVEL over their part when younger ones
would get along without any difficulty.
| remember u noteworthy case where |
had seventy young girls in a tableau.
The girl in il representing the Spirit OF
Death was only 10. ! gave them their
positions, and told them to leave the stage,
come back end take exactly the same
places again. Tlcydidit withouta single
error
GLOW long does it take TO prepare a
child 10 take p1rty'
'I'or n play SIX rchcarsals, as n rule,
are sufficient and for q tableau one re-
hearsal IS enough. In q tablcau of a
gypsy dance not long ago | 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 q word Of instruction.
An interesting case was that of n score OF
children whose ages ran from 5 TO -, and
who were governed rs TO their positions
on the STAGE Ly 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 n c and were, besides, often first to
take their places"
'Do many of the children become pro
fessional actors;"
"NO? These little private performances
are done for the amusement Of friends,
and parents are delighted TO see theiI
children in them, but when the children
are wanted for the professional stage the
narents object Mt once. There is no in