Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-19
SOCIAL LEADERS AND THE STAGE.

Mary Anderson, the distinguished Amer
lean actress, whose private life adorns
the stage quite as much as her dra-
matte genius illumes ST, contributes an
essay to the North american Recaew upon
"The Stage and Society" Miss Anderson
has not been merely figure in the drama,
she has been close observer, student and
a thinker upon the ills and needs of the
stage. She arrives at the sensible conclu-
sion that such progress as the dramatic
stage makes In winning the respect of the
people is due to the devotion and high
purposes of some actors, and not to the sup
posed " lifting" process that is enormously
held to follow when social leaders con-
descend to step upon the stage, or when
they assume the attitude of mere con-
descending patrons. On the contrary, Miss
Anderson contends, with graceful vigor,
that, it would be destructive blow to
the existence of such thing as dramatic
art if social leader, equipped with a
pleasing personality, a degree of drawing
room grace (which is not by any means the
same thing as stage grace, and ten lessons
in elocution, were to gain, as an actress,
approval of thoughtful Observers"
She is very far from holding, however,
that social leader may not become fine
dramatic artist. The high road to the
stage is open not to social distinction alone,
| nor closed to obscurity, but is free to merit
| whatever its source, and success showers its
| commentator regardless of the origin of
those who deserve it. Mary Anderson is
entitled to the applause Of the true friends
of the drama for the courage that prompts
| her to tell the leaders of society fatty that
their social standing is not a pass-key to
| dramatic advancement. 1t is true in the
| dramatic art, as in all others, that excel
lence is the child of labor The sudden
leaps that are made to high rank upon the
stage are phenomenal, and in seven cases
out of ten are not followed by permanence
of position. The society man OF
woman, says Miss Anderson, in
effect, who imagines that their social
rank. by mere change of position,
confers luster upon the stage, or uplifts it,
is sadly mistaken. If the personality OF
those who adopt the profession has any en-
| during influence upon dramatic art it is at
tributable to excellence of work. This
young lady, who has made her way to the
upper walks Of the drama by assiduous
study and hard labor supplementing native
ability, deserves the thanks of the day
for speaking from her station to the world
of society and telling it that its favorites
and leaders detract from and retard the
elevating influences that operate to the
betterment of the stage, when they attempt
to sadorn" it by their presence unsup-
ported by genius and devotion to pro-
fession that is the severest of all task
masters and brooks no rival. She sums up
the whole matter well when she says:
1t is only through long and earnest effort,
careful training, lofty thought and determined
purpose, that the player of to-day has been
raised from the shadow of the past and finds
himself no longer vagabond, but d recognized
artist, to whom the world is open. The posi-
blities of the art are boundless TO those who ap-
proach II with the proper motives, spurred by
fitting instinct. But the person who steps upon
notoriety or unearned gain, has no right TO be
admitted to the dramatic profession.