Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-08-23
THE cosTuMER IS THE BOSS.
Behind the Scenes Upon a Chinese Stage
Harmonious Companies.

Behind the Scenes Upon Chinese Stage
Harmonious Companies.
With the exception of those of the one OF
two stars, all the costumes Of a Chinese the
atrical troupe belong to a stock company Of
SPECTATORS. The actors pay for the use of
them, usually giving up certain percentage
of their fees. The stars having their own
costumes can make their own terms. The
stars of the ''Swintien Lob" company that
recently played in New York got a certain
share of the gross receipts, as well as asalary,
as follows:
Moo Sung Jee, 500 per month and Is per
cent. of gross receipts; Taxa Wing, S15 per
month and 7 per cent of gross receipts; Sean
Sung Hong, $50 per month and per cent
of gross receipts. The balance of the COM
pany got only their salaries of on an average
$50 per month and board.
The real boss of the troupe is the property
man, the one that owns or manages the cos
tunes. He hires his agents and sub-man-
ayers, and is responsible to the stock COM
pany in all his transactions. This individual
is usually in the dark During the entire
two weeks performance at the Windsor, al
though the boss was in the city, he did not
show himself among the actors except once
or twice, when he stole quietly into the thea
tire and took seat in rear corner Of a box.
This mysterious individual was Ii On. 1t is
said that his company had invested nearly
100000 to organize the Swintien Lob dra-
matte company. There is no doubt the cos
tunes cost a big sum Of money, as every
piece of the gorgeous costumes was intri-
cately hand wrought work and bore the
closest inspection of artists.
A long row of big fireproof boxes, each
weighing probably about 200 pounds lined
against the back wall, stood Convenient for the
different articles of dress to be pulled out by
the three attendants; there are two rows of
temporarily put up clothes racks on either
end of the room, upon which are hung the
costumes to be used by the next batch of
actors; Immediately above these are the nails
for the various and fantastical headgear and
false whiskers and masks. Each actor as he
comes in from the stage takes off his "togs,"
folds them up carefully, and lays them upon
separate stand to be put back into the box
by the care taker.
Chinese actors don't waste much time in
dressing, as all the garments are made in
such manner that the most fastidious actor
could be rugged up from head to foot in less
than five minutes. Only the female imper
senator, Mr.. Taxa Wing, takes longer time,
and that's because of his hair and the out
not take more than twenty minutes. There
is nothing like "stage fright" or nervous
ness" among Chinese actors, at least in the
Swintien Lob company. They go from be-
hind the scenes to the stage in some of their
most trying parts as unconcernedly as if they
were going to play fantan.
The only individuals that take their tasks
to heart are the shpes or those fellows that
usually act as pages OF soldiers to the gladia-
tors. They generally go through the motions
just before they get out on the stage. All
Chinese actors are drilled from early child
hood. Chinese actors have the best of har-
mony among themselves There is hardly
ever scandal or an elopement. They may
be jealous of each other as to women outside
of their own circle, or as to the relative
sickness and brightness of the opium pipes
which each actor owns, but jealousy of mem
bers of their own company is out of the ques-
ton. Mr.. Taxa Wing is the only pretty girl
among them. Even she is nine-tenths of the
time pure and unadulterated man like the
rest of the company. So there is no chance
of a theatrical scandal. They can truly be
said to be the only happy troupe in America.
Wong Chin Foo.