The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-02-28

AMATEUR THEATRlCAlS.

Rules Which, II Observed, May Insure
Harmonious Performances.
Choose a leading part In some popular
play and permit nobody to guess that
you think you can act 1t.
Persuade q number Of your friends
that a needy charity is in need and that
acting begins at home.
After incubation permit them to set
themselves by the ears over the choice
of play. When you think matters have
gone far enough suggest your own BIS a
Compromise.
Thts having been arranged to your
satisfaction, proceed to ingratiate your
self with the stage manager by telling
him what has been said behind his back
by the other members of the cast. If he
don't resign he will offer you the leading
part.
Before deciding upon your costume
wait until you learn what your most
dangerous rival in the company intends
to wear. AS soon as you receive the de-
sired information take the advice Of your
dressmaker.
Study your part with care. At re-
hearsal miss your cue whenever you can
and apologize sweetly. Be on your
guard against betraying the business you
intend to introduce when you have the
stage to yourself, and in general allow
the other actoffB5 to derive the opinion
that nothing but regard for your feel
ings prevents the stage manager from re
queshng you to resign the part that has
been assigned to you. In the meantime
cultivate the manager.
Give no trouble about your dressing
room. Say that corner and table are
all you care for. Choose the best corner,
however, and bring a chest Of drawers
containing everything you can possibly
need In q quantity sufficient to prevent
your lending to other members OF the
company. When suggestions are offered
TO you as to where you ought to stand,
how to speak and when to gesticulate,
adopt each in turn as it is made. Per-
NIT the leading man, who will of course
be your lover, to gradually evolve the
theory that though you cannot act, you
are not stiff or prudish, and that you are
nice little thing. Agree with him
when he objects to shaving his mustache.
When he whispers under his breath that
he wishes the play were reality, smile
and blush.
From time to time applaud the others,
especially when they overact, and say
mournfully: "Oh, I wish you oil were
not SO much better than Ip' You may
also contrive to impress each of your u.s.
sociates privately with the notion that
you consider him or her the star Of the
troupe. This you will not find difficult.
When you press people to buy tickets,
say, "Oh you must come! Mr.. Bicycles is
so funnyl and Miss Lascelles is going to
look so lovely In court dress, don't you
knowl and Mr.. Tollderou is to be my
lover" and then permit your hearers to
guess from your expression that there Is
more in-Mr. TonderoI's love making than
you yourself imagine.
Mr. Tollderou may say more about the
stage directions FOR the reconciliation
scene than perhaps he ought. OF course,
realism is not for q moment to be thought
of, but there can be no great reason why
Mr. Tollderon should not be allowed to
mislead himsef with false expectations.
ryun choose to make him jealous of Mr.
Bicycles, very well, but be careful to re-
turn to good understanding with him
before the dress rehearsal. AS for Miss
Lascelles, you may disarnl her by turn
ing Mr.. Tollderoll over to her for half
hour or SO whenever practicable and by
telling her in strict confidence that he Is
afraid Of falling In love with her because
he has so little money.
Improve little In yo,it. acting as the
dress rehearsal draws nigh SO as not to
take your associates entirely by surprise.
Suggest to the manager that you are
only nervous over the result Of the play.
As soon as it is too late for Miss Lascelles
to change her dress show her yours. Be
seen drinking coffee before the play
begins, and stand as near the footHghts
syou can 80 as to get yourself flushed.
When the curtain is rung up exhibit q
little natural ttiimidity at first, but grad
ually recover from that, and as the play
proceeds have no mercy on any one
except Mr. Tollderoll, whom you will, of
course, encourage. When you are called
out after the first act insist that they are
applauding Miss Lascelles, and that she
must go out alone; after the second go
out with her, and after the third go out
alone. The next day meet Mr.. Tollderoll
In the street and smile at him mildly. IF
he joins you go into shop.-Philadel-
phia Times.