The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-05-18
AMATEUR STARS.
Bright Singers and Actors
Of the Secret Society
Stage.
WANTED A PERFORMERS LEAGUE
Who the Leading Lights Are,
Their specialties and Their
Personal Attractions.


Jersey City is fast becoming recognized
as a home of secret benefit societies.
They spring up like mushrooms On every
side; and many builders recognizing this
tendency design one or more floors of
large buildings for lodge room purposes.
Many of these societies in their infancy
resort to public entertainments in order
to build up their funds for expenses; and
many of The older ones find it socially and
financially profitable to occasionally
throw open their doors to the public and
charge fee for admission to an even
ing's social amusement
During the past few winters through
out the city there has been a continual
round OF such entertainments. The idea
was popular one. In the first place
many of these lod ges are composed al
most exclusively of economic al business
men and bread winners The theatre il
TOO expensive a luxury for them. especi-
ally for those who are not possessed OF
selfish dispositions and who enjoy no
such amusement unless their families
share it with them
il Is also a treat TO the wives of mem
bers TO invade the mysterious domains OF
those secret lodges and see and converse
with the conyivlal spirits who keep their
lords SO late on lodge nights It is treat
also to the husbands to show their wives
the elegance OF those mysterious domains
and crow over their ignorance Of the mys-
terious symbols, emblems and hero
glyphics that adorn the lodge room.
THE ARTISTS.
- INf<
nights, devote an hour or more to an en-
tertainment of song and recitation. From
this feature has sprung forth an army of
talent-good, bad and Indifferent. Some
of the amateur artists appear so often In
public that their names have become
household words among the patrons Of
public lodge entertainments.
There are many, also, whose clever
efforts are In constant demand. and who
are compensated for their appearance be-
fore lodges other than their own.
This army Is reinforced by another that
springs from the various social. literary
and amateur dramatic organizations scat
tered throughout the city. The members
of this band, too. have become familiar
to the patrons OF Sunday school, lodge
and other benefit entertainments. Many
of them are cautiously treading the pro-
fessional gang plank. Some only appear
for love OF the work.
The idea of forming an amateur union
among these entertainers has lately been
mooted. The idea is likely to meet with
the opposition of that class who feel fully
compensated for their efforts in the So
cial distinction they enjoy, but the sug-
gestions of one of the leaders who is
fairly Sin it, and who looks for pay for
what is really professional service may
not prove uHinteresting reading 20 both
classes.
AN AMATEUR LEAGUE
"What good results would accrue from
such an organization asked ofhim.
s'Well, In the first place, he said, PRO
vided rule be established that members
should not appear at an entertainment
where the programme is made up with
every Tom, Dick and Harry, it would i'm
prove the character of such entertain
ments, and prevent so many audiences
from becoming wearied out of all patti
ence with lot of horse play. You know
as well as / do there are always present at
public lodge entertainments certyin mem
berswho imagine they posses talent simply
because their lodge friends applaud their
efforts in the secret lodge room. There
are many of these who show i'll feeling If
they are not given every public chance
to make an exhibition Of Jheir alleged
talent. That is hard cheek, but it is not
talent. The members should demand a
scheduled price for their services at every
eQEefCalQU1eQb WHERE dlltDlSetu4 les ID
charged Why should they not? 10
some it is labor. And, moreover, ii is ex-
pensive It doesn't do for a man to ap-
pear in business suit and muddy boots;
nor should lady make her bow before
an audience in calico wrapper"
But all lodges cannot afford to pay for
an exclusive programme Oh paid talent,
and are obliged 10 fill out with volunteer
talent" ventured, land besides there is
plenty of good volunteer talent who
would refuse compensation.
But the union members employed
should have something TO say about that
filing out l know the idea in its pres
emit crude shape has some bad features.
But if we all got together and discussed
the matter am sure good results
in the way of bettering the quality OF
lodge entertainments would accrue.
I am speaking mainly with reference to
those lodges which give large entertain
ments as much for social enjoyment as
for repleting their treasures. These en-
tertainments have been largely patron
lied, but if patrons become wearied out
by long, tedious performances this class
of amusement will sooner or later lose its
grip.
"One result at least could be accom-
plished by such an organization The
lodge committees who engage paid talent
could be forced TO extend more courtesies
an amateur reaches the lodge room
he finds no place to be alone and
collect his thoughts-not even a
pitcher of water He can only
walk out and do his little bit, and then
take a sneak only to hear IL said de
was not so good as the man at the
Academy of Music last week. These
managers and the audience, too, forget
that the man at the Academy had all
needful accessories to help him be funny.
Mind, / am hitting only at certain lodges.
II would like to see,p continued the
gentleman, ''all the various talent come
together, organized and give a grand en-
tert ainment at the opening of next
season.
LEADING LIGHTS
"And who are some of the most prom
inent ones among thems'' l asked.
"Well, presume you desire to include
both classes paid and volunteer"
Certainly"
"My dear sir, could no more give the
names of even the leading ones than |
could name the stars OF heaven. Mr..
| Frank Cogbill, a member OF Jersey City
| Lodge. X. of p, seems to be one OF the
most popular He is mainly q pianist,
and good one, mind you. be manages
some of the clexeresf lodge entertain
nients given in the city.
| MY ideal among the women. whom
4 YOU frequently ind entertaining audi
ences at select entertainments, is Mrs.
\ Emma Massen. She is the queen OF 'em
all. Mrs Massen is at the head Of the
\ Emma Massen Opera Company who viii
.TI..- I-r<s