The morning news., 1889-03-04

Sometimes | have considerable trouble in
impressing my ideas upon stars and per-
formers generally, but have always found
| women quicker to grasp my meaning than
men, among others Annie Pixley, Maggie
Mitchell, Agnes Booth and Eff1e Ellsler.
The average author, unless eaten up with
conceit, is for the most part willing to coin
eide with my suggestions after l have
talked with him for a time. Indeed, an
author, who refuses to listen to practical
man, is like hungry individual going into
a restaurant and refusing to eat roast beef
because he cannot follow it with pie. OF
course, authors differ the same as other
people. Always more or less eccentric and
necessarily firm believers in their own work,
the policy to be pursued toward them is
often source of as much study as the prep
aration Of their plays.
/ remember on one occasion was en-
gagged in the production of a play by one of
the most talented women in America, who,
about the third day before the final re-
hearsal, rushed into my Office in an excited
frame of mind, her handsome face livid
with rage and her entire body quivering
with suppressed emotion. She declared
that was running her piece by the changes
had made in it and that under no circum-
stances would she consent to the public
representation of it. save in the form in
which she had written and submitted
it. Il made no attempt to pacify
her, feeling assured that she could
not stand such excitement long,
and that sheer exhaustion would follow her
rage at my manipulation of her precious
MSS. As l expected, she soon exhausted
her vocabulary, and emptied vials of her
wrath. | then asked her to point out the
alleged blemishes Taking the MSS. and
carefully adjusting her glasses q having
previously assured her, in the words of
Scribe, that what was cut would never be
cIav IaI 10 41na ,fV,af Of
the play. At the conclusion of her search.
she had found exactly three important
changes. with which she expressed the most
perfect satisfaction. At the close Of the
performance on the first night, in moment
of what must regard as temporary mental
alteration, she threw her arms about my
neck and exclaimed that had saved her
play.
There isl type of character everybody
back of the curtain line is familiar with
the actor who endeavors to create the i'm
preston that he is perfect in his lines when
in reality he knows as little about them as
a native of the Flowery Kingdom who has
never been outside the great wall knows of
the rest of the world. Once, when was
preparing a play for one of our greatest
stars, | encountered such a person. He
taxed my patience to the utmost AS he
was to fill an important role and was i'm
perfect in his lines after the perfect call had
been made, l am afraid | lost my temper
with him. Finally, one day he approached
me and solemnly assured me that he knew
his part backwards VERY well, Mr." |
replied. Tomorrow we will begin with the
last act!"
l endeavor to keep myself fully informed
concerning everything in the way of pro-
ductions in England, and on the continent
of Europe, striving also to profit where
can from tn 10 best work Of the best pro-
ducers in this country. Live and learn
find to be an excellentmott for any walk
in life. BEN TEAL.