The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-03-07
SECRETS OF THE ART.
How Actors Look aud Talk In Their Dress
ing-Rooms.

How Actors Look aud Talk In Their Dress
ing-Rooms.
The world behind the scenes Of q
theater is not only interesting because
it is strange to those in front. but the
actors themselves and the life they
lead are strange in themselves. The
other night New York Sun reporter
was in stars dressing-room waiting
to 90 up town with the actor. What
he saw and heard was all part of the
world utterly strange to the great ma
iority of the people. The actor had on
nothing but trousers and drawers, and
was washing off his makeup. He had
appeared as nobleman of the middle
ages, and was made up to look like an
extraordinarily handsome youth, with
preternatural splotches of red on his
cheeks, and his jet-black eyes and cor
al lips and all the rest. He stood be-
fore the mirror over table, on which
was a box of many compartments,
each one full of paints. These paints
look like the sticks of cosmetic that
men use to dress their mustache with.
They were much the same thing-mere
thick pencils of grease dyed with diff
ferent colors. Brushes, bottles, pots,
litter of false jewels and bits of fin
cry were all around. Dozens of cos
tunes hung on nails around the walls,
and queer shoes, slippers, tights, and
odds and ends of costumes were on the
floor, the chairs and the trunks. The
actor suddenly smeared his painted face
with a glistening bath of something
that shone like oil.
..It's vaseline," said he. at removes
the paint"
He rubbed on more and W ed it off
and rubbed on still more, n again
wiped it off with dry towel. Some
times" said he, "when it is very cold
out, we don't wash this off. We rub
enough of it off SO that it does not
shine, and then we 60 home and wash
there. That prevents the face from
chapping.
.'How did the piece go in front?" he
asked.
"Oh, very well, indeed. The house
was enthusiastic.
"What did the newspaper men say?
Are they going to give 1t rats, OF
what"
.Why, they spoke well of you and
not as well of Mr.. Jones, who over
does his part. But Miss Brown will
get some good notices on account OF
her pretty figure"
'Is that so?n said the actor. John,
90 and call Miss Brown. Is that you,
auntie? Don't come in till l get an
overcoat on. Pm in frightful dis.
| habille."
You're growing very nice all of 8
sudden" the voice of the pretty actress
| sounded from the other side of the
dressing-roOm door.
eyes; but it's only because I've got
some friends here. Now (buttonine
up his overcoaD you can come in
| They're newspaper men or | woulC
have asked you right in. / say, auntie
the papers are going to make nice
reading for you tomorrow because yor
looked so pretty, and they're gone OF
your form"
Are theyP" said the little actress
who was quite as bewitching in lons
Newmarket and Partisan bonnet az
she had been in tights few moment.
before care they? Well I'm glaC
they did not see how dreadfully ner
vous was Pm trembling yet. New
York makes us all afraid, gentlemen
| It's horrid, cruel place, where thu
papers say just whatever they please
! and kill us off right and left"
.tAuntie," said the star, II want t.
| tell them about your form
well, Go on. What you inventint
now?"
You know, gentlemen" said tn
star, "when this piece was cast and w
knew that some of the ladies woul'
need to wear tights, there was grea
deal of buzzing, and one lady boaste'
that she would make a great hit. He
legs were simply wonderful, she said
and we would all see how they woul'
eclipse everything on the stage. Thi
little woman said not a word. She
SO small and quiet that if any on
thought of her it was to guess that sh
would Not amount to much in tights
Well, the dress rehearsal came and sh
appeared, and we never heard an
other sound from the woman that ha'
boosted of such prodigious wonders o
human perfection as she had claimed
Auntie knocked them all out. An,
| ttuhOiC . hlC uCI o"us "duU YOU u
know. l satisfied myself of that
''You may be sure he did, said tn
actress.
81 took dagger and went for them
and how she did howl"
"Well, can l 90 nowP" said the ac
tress. ''Oh, here he is. Twas waitin!
for my husband. I'm all ready, dear
Goodnight, gentlemen.
Other members of the troupe, mall
and female, came in, cigars were light
ed, and chatter flew around the room
One actress, seated on q trunk, carried
all before her with her wit.
This is delicious" said She "Yol
know, the manager orders that shall
not receive anybody in my room.
thought it was going to be dreadful
not to see any body at all, but | Cal
come here and entertain as much AS
like in your room-can't Mr.. Brace
bride? Oh! | do enjoy getting arount
his horrid rules!''
''She's only been on the stage fiftee1
weeks" said the star.
''But what about the other rules
I'm not to have anybody see me home
and I'm not to receive gentlemen n
the hotel, you know. Dear me! blu
those rules will have to 90. too
Therel be war, but it will be fun"
The rules did have to go. She wen
out of the theater with four male es
corts, and all were invited to hel
room, with its confusion of lace night
caps and photographs and dresse.
hanging up, and its bottles of perfume
and china pots of mysterious toilet ar
ticles. Again cigars came out, anC
walters flew around with glasses, ant
the strict rules and the night both flew
away together.