Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-03
STAGE STRUCK DaMSELS.
YOUNG WOMEN OF ALL CLASSES WANT
TO BE ACTRESSES.
The Profession Very Much Overerowded
Six Hundred Applicants for
One Position.

When Ellen Terry was supervising the
packing of her trunks, a day or two
before leaving America at the close oi
Henry Irving's last tour, she displayed tc
group of friends heap of letters which
she had thrown out as unnecessary imped-
iments. They made quite a large pile
Every letter was written by woman, and
the purport of them all was the same
These documents came from stage aspirant:
who wanted advice, or help, or both, with
regard to an appearance before the foot
| lights.
Some of the writer's were young; Others
were more than mature. Some said they
had taken part in amateur theatricals
some said they had had no experience
one or two confessed that they had never
seen the inside of theater Some of the
notes we're ill-spelled. Some came from
girls apparently refined and cultivated a
few were pathetic, with what seemed to be
honest aspiration. More were amusing
| from their conceit.
One young thing of eighteen was GER
| tain she could give Miss Terry herself a
point or two on P.rtia. Another was sure
that the actress must have quantities OF
fine clothes and could spare to a rising but
as yet impecunious star some discarded
portions of her wardrobe, not too much
worn Several professed to have been
fitted by dramatic teachers, who had as
sured them that they were geniuses, and
they requested Miss Terry to make ap-
| pointments for them to read Juliet before
her.
Rosina Vokes Minnie Palmer and other
well-known actresses can relate similar
experiences, if any further proof is needed
that all the world-or at least good share
of the feminine part of it-has we'll
developed craze for the stage. 1t will be
sufficient, perhaps, to state that Minnie
Maddern recently had 600 applicants for
one position in her company.
William g. Carleton, the opera singer,
and manager of the troupe which bears
his name, said not long ago, concerning
the present state of the dramatic profess
sion in this country;
"The business is very much changed
| from what it was in past years, as the pro-
fession is very much overcrowded. In
every city there are numbers of actors out
of employment, each waiting for an en-
gagement at any salary that may be
| offered Most of the applicants are worth
less few have had ill-luck, but on the
whole, many of the so-called singers and
actors would be better off in some other
business. They are making starvation
salaries. There is little money for the bad
actor at present"
Yet, notwithstanding the fact that act
ors with established regulations and much
experience ofttimes find it difficult to Sc
cure positions, the inexperienced young
girl supposes she has only to name the
place in the theatrical world that she de-
sires and 1t is hers. The dramatic teacher
to whom she goes for some preliminary in
struction holds out glittering hopes to her.
"Managers are always on the lookout for
talent" Madame will assure her pupil,
"and a bright girl can always succeed"
Or Madame will deliver eulogy on the
dramatic art as the only profession which
offers women an equal chance with men.
A girl is told that after three or four
months instruction she can easily get a
place in which she can earn $40 week,
and that if she speaks her lines well she
will find herself in receipt of $40, $50 or
$50 week before the first year is out,
with chance for fabulous sums if she
takes in the golden future. AS long as
such dramatic teacher can make money
by fostering the present craze, she will do
so, and stage-struck damsels will apply for
positions on the boards whenever an op-
portunity offers.
Where walking Iadies@re in demand, OF
where peasant picnics, wedding process
sions court pageants and such spectacles
call for srpernumeraries, few of these
candidates may possibly find positions
which will bring them in the magnificent
sum of So or $40 a week.
As Minnie Maddern says, ''It is quite
true that there are hundreds of actors out
of employment, and it is equally true that
a great many of them ought to be. The
stage is open to anybody. A blacksmith
and a carpenter must know something oi
their trades. An actor need not under
stand the chopping of dramatic wood nor
the carrying of dramatic water to get on
at least SO he or she thinks"
Nor is it alone the damsel who can COM
mand Worth gowns by the steamer-load
and friends enough to fill any good-sized
theater for weeks in succession, who thinks
she has only to exhibit herself aud her
costumes to bring the whole world to her
feet. The young girl working in an office
or factory, whose knowledge Of theatrical
matters is extremely limited, thinks that
she is an incipient Juliet or Rachel in
the rough.
A two-line advertisement recently in,
serted in daily paper stated that lady
was wanted to join dramatic company
! There was nothing alluring about the ad
vertisement, but it called out dozens of an
swers. They came from New York, Brook
lyn and the country towns adjoining; from
girls employed in box factories, in dyeine
establishments and book binderies. Somt
of the applicants very modestly stated
that they expected only "small parts a
first, but that they proposed to work hare
and to become " fair" if not superior ac
tresses. One, regardless of spelling, say
she is a subrette," and can sing to higf
c."
The young woman who penned the fol
lowing is at least willing to work; Ii
answer to your advertisement, would say
that l am very anxious to join dramatic
company. Although l have never hat
any experience | am sure, however, that
should succeed, as | intend to devote my
whole energies to that end. | am willing
to begin with small part. Can furnish
references"
The young woman who sent the follow
ing is aware that the profession of acting
is not without its drawbacks:
81 am young lady of % years, bra
nette, weigh 1876 pounds, and am LITTLE
over five feet three inches. | am not re
markably pretty, but make up well.
have had considerable success in dra
matte way, my first effort being in a
Rough Diamond as Margery. Since ther
l have played mostly emotional parts, bu
have an equal liking for comedy. Som,
time ago l was urged to adopt the stage a
a profession, but as my family was in com
Portable circumstances / ridiculed the ide;
then. Since then severe financial reverse
compel me to assist my family, and
naturally turn to the kind of work fo
which | have the most taste and talet.
am not at all stage struck, as | know tot
much OF the labor and worry. They tel
me these advertisements are put in tt
draw capital from unsuspecting, stage