Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-30
IErEEassN,s FIRST PLAYHOUSE.
Brought Up Behind the Scenes" and
aStage-struck' Early.

Brought Up "Behind the Scenes and
"Stage-struclk'' Early.
Joseph Jefarson's long-expected auto
biography is begun in the November
Century. These are the opening para
graphs: II may almost say that | was
born in a theater. At all events my ear
hest recollcctions are entirely connected
with one it was riekety old frame build
ing with broad gable, facing on wide
avenue, and situated in the city of Wash
ington. The door from our back entry
opened upon the stage, and as toddling
little chap in a short frock l was allowed
full run of the place. So behind the
scenes was my first playhouse. And what
PLAYHOUSE it was, filled with all sorts of
material for the exercise of my youthful
imagination. At the back was the Bay of
Naples, with its conventional blue sky
Jest family clouded with the distant
smoke of slumbering Nesuyius. Upon one
side stood long and stately rows Of Corin-
THAN columns, a triumphal arch, and next
TO that Roman palace. These marvels
of ancient architecture were all leaning
up against the wall, not only in uncomfort-
able position, but at a dangerous angle,
looking as though they had been toppled
over during the last days of Pompeii.
Upon the other side, heaped in a compact
mass, were many scenes of various coun-
tries-there fve-storied brown-stone
front with modern Improvements, and
here tiny matched cottage of the eigh-
tenth century, with lovely little door in
it Just large enough for me to go
in and out, slamming it after me and pre-
tending it was mine. Then there was
that dear little white paling fence, exactly
two feet high; no legitimate theater of the
old school could possible be complete with
out this curiosity, and nobody ever saw
such thing any where else. Then came
the throne-steps, with two Gothic arm
chairs set thereon for the king and queen,
and in front of these the old familiar green
bank from which stray babies are usually
stolen when left there by afiectionate but
careless mothers. Upon the top of this
were two fiat swans hitched in double har-
ness to a shell for travelling fairy queens.
A little farther down there stood low
and dismal vault having square, dark
opening with some mysterious letters
painted over it, setting forth, as l learned
in after years, that it was the private
Tomb of the Capulets.' Close to this an
other piece of real estate belonging to the
same family and known as 'Juliet's bal
cony.' In dark corner stood a robbers
cave with an opening through which old
Ali Baba used to lug the bags of gold he
had stolen from the Forty Thieves.
Through the narrow and secluded path
ways of behind the scenes l have often
wandered out upon the open stage and
wondered at this grove Of wings and fats,
and | could see that many ropes were
hanging from above to which were fastened
boats and baskets, tubs and chandeliers,
and those sure tokesn of bad weather, the
thunder-drum and rain-box.
'These were the kind of objects that my
childish eyes were won't to look upon, and
in this huge and dusty toy-shop made for
children of larger growth, l got my first
experience. l had seen many rehearsals,
and sometimes got a peep at the play, hav-
ing been taken on in arms as a property
child in groups Of happy peasantry. Ma
turally, therefore, | was stage-struck at an
early age; and as had a theater stocked
with scenery and properties l could in
dulge my passion at a small expense, es-
pecially as my stock company were volun-
teers consisting of two little boys and their
sister, who used to play with me on Satur-
days. This was before the star system
had set in, and at a period when combina-
tions were unknown.
''Of course, / was stage manager by the
right of possession, and had to compile all
of the plays. The plots were simple, and
made TO conform with what set pieces we
could get at, or what properties we could
secure and hide during the absence of the
property man. If the set cottage was
handy 1 would come out of the door as an
old man (the age represented by spinal
afiection) with a daughter and a market
basket; old man cross, daughter rebellious;
old man locks daughter in cottage, goes off
to market shaking his fist spine still
weak. The favored lover enters, claps his
hands three times, daughter appears at
window, kisses her hand old man coughs
outside, favored lover coneeals himself;
enter old man with market basket full of
gilded pasteboard goblets, accompanied by
unfavored lover; they sit down and drink
wine until overcome. Favored lover steals
key from old mans pocket, releases re-
bellious daughter; the sleepers awaken,
general pursuit; favored lover and re-
bellious daughter escape over bridge, old
man and unfavored lover fall into the
water. Curtain.
"Then there were the private boxes to
play hide-and-seek in, with mysterious
hooks and ample curtains to creep into,
and such chances to kiss the little girl in
the dark. I am quite convinced that there
is no such playground as deserted theater
in the daytime"