The morning news., 1889-03-04
PRODUCING THE PLAYS.
rpw INSIDE FACTS REGARDING
o STAGE DIRECTION.

u, sacrets of observation-disclosures
s-,ocasses Evolved from Chaos
n;e7cnlties with Cranky Authors
"a Actors Who Know it ALL
Tarrale Stars Quickness Of Percep-
copyrighted, 1897
Nvw YORK. March, 2.-When q play
..s been accepted by manager work on it
Las only lust begun. The managers first
move is to secure competent stage director
80 nerfect the details and get the piece into
rracticable shape. Who is the stage direc-
r. and what is stage directiona The for
.or ia the person to whom is entrusted the
-yorkine out Of the story of the play by suita-
hla "business" and appropriate and neces-
sarv devices. His qualifications are keen
dramatic instinct, quick and correct ear
Cor music. an eye for color and an educa-
zion To these, of course, are added a
.borough acquaintance with the stage and
;.s possibilities and the possession of techni-
oo1 knowledge. Stage direction is the art of
,-osanting a play in an attractive and enter
Owing manner. The advance made in
theatrical representations genenerally has
sT,rrad attention to this art, and the ambi-
tion wealth and disposition of certain Of
our prominent managers have tended to
Give the stage director and stage direction
sr Importance which in the past they did
not obtain. In short, 1T has been found
necessary to employ those persons who
make the production of plays a special
study. while formerly 1t very often hap
nened that the stage director was also an
was originally best actor and stage
manager, but as stage direction was con-
stantiy forced upon me saw the impor-
tance of the art and determined to make a
speciality of it,
When / agree to produce play I gener-
ally devote from three to four weeks to a
careful study of the piece, its object, treat
ment and possibilities In the case of q
resident author, / keep in constant commu-
nication with him, exchanging views, and,
as a result, continually rewriting and al
tering. In my judgment one of the contrib
utorY causes to the number of failures in
this country is the haste with which plays
are put upon the stage. | suppose this is in
consouance with the American spirit of the
age, which wants to do in day what the
staid old world takes month to execute.
Having familiarized myself with the play,
the work of active preparation begins. By
this time the characters have become liv-
ing human beings to me, the scenes have
been fixed in my mind and the successive
pictures determined upon.
Then | commence to arrange the ''busi-
ness" By business is meant what is done
on the stage as distinguished from what is
spoken. Ialways aim to make my "busi-
ness as natural as stage demands will per-
nit, for be it borne in mind that the people
of the boards not only initiate nature. but
idealize it as well. Not alone do endeavor
to make my business" natural, but also
consistent with the characters and DISPOSE
tions of the dramatis persona.
This work having been completed, what
might be termed the mechanics of the stage
direction begins. For the scenic artist who
is to paint, and the stage carpenter who
is to build the scenery, l prepare what are
called ground plans" of the sets. From
these the scenic artist makes a model,
which is submitted to me. If | approve of
this model the carpenter and artist proceed
with their respective tasks; If disapprove
OF it, the changes required are discussed un-
til it is got into proper shape.
| also prepare property plot, that is, a
list of the articles to be used in the play,
such as tables, chairs carpets, etc. In ad-
dition | furnish gas and calcium plots for
the proper and effective lighting of the
piece, and when necessary, what | style
music plot for the composer and arranger
of the music, which is simply list of the
proper airs to be performed, their length
and their places in the play.
The first rehearsal is then called, and
from that time until the first production the
work is constant and exacting. In so far as
/ am concerned my contract ceases with the
initial performance, after which the play is
handed over to the stage manager of the
company, who thenceforth is reponsible.
Let no one think that the many and vari-
GUS pieces of business" "effects" and pict-
ures given in the course of play are the
result of chance. They all have been stud
led out even to the point of mathematical
accuracy. While arranging the business"
of a play, before active rehearsal COM
mences | usually pin up on the wall or
over nv desk large drawing of the scenes,
with all the furniture dotted down as it will
sit on the boards, and upon the style of
miniature theater or chess board | move
the characters about, experimenting until
get the proper positions, for it must be re-
membered that on the stage it is what is
done rather than what is said that is of the
first Importance.