The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-20


tiful in the metropolis They seldom go to
the theatre to see anything but first per-
formances, and long practice has made
them specialists. They can tell in a mo-
ment if anything in the piece has been
'crihbed" from previous productions; they
know all the little nsnnerisms of the act
Drs and actresses; they can detect at a
glance any imperfection which appears in
the construction of the play; stage secrets
of make up and scenery are to them an
open book They<neyer applaud where the
work of the actors does not thoroughly de-
serve it, but if commentator is really mer-
tied it is given heartily and means some
ching.
The other class in the first night audi
ences is made up of friends of the author,
she performers aud the manager. They
are, very naturally, ready to approve of
and applaud anything which is said or
done on the stage, and sometimes become
DO enthusiastic that the other spectators
las was the case not long ago) are obliged
10 rebuke them with a few well directed
cries Of "SEHncep' or hiss or two in order
that the play may go on at all.
To the actors themselves the first night
is terror. As one of them says: AZ always
feel on first nights as if were standing
under rock which might fall at any mo-
ment." Weeks of laborious rehearsals
have gone befone; tasks which the general
public has no idea of, and would not APP
preciate if they were named. have been
performed; every tone and infection Of the
voice and every movement of the body
have been practiced with the minutest
care.
But even the consciousness that one has
learned his part Zine perfect" fails to
comfort, for on the decision of the first
night audience the success of the piece
often depends. These decisions are seldom
reversed. "As goes the first night so goes
the season" might with safety be added to
the long list of theatrical proverbs. To
the young actor or actress who has been
longing perhaps for year or two for a
''New York opening" the first night is
particularly dreadful The eyes of the
various managers are upon them. The
size of their salaries, their future pros
poets, are trembling in the balance. The
strain is severe, and in nine cases out of ten
they do not do themselves justice. They
try too hard.
The author and the manager are in a
fever of suspense an hour before the cuI-
tain rises. They have expended thousands
of dollars in preparing the piece for pres
entation. Their fortunes are, likely
enough, to be made or marred before mid
night. What sigh of relief is heard be-
hind the footlights as the curtain drops on
the last actl With what smiling faces do
the performers grasp the hands and receive
the congratulations of their friends if they
have done well; how bitter are the tears
they shed If their work has been discredit-
able! How eagerly their eyes scan the
next mornings papers for the meager no.
tees which pTecede the longer and more
carefully written reviews, but which tell
In what direction the reviews will leanl
Miss Beautifully work in the love scene"
says the newspaper, was brilliant" Miss
Beautiful is happy. But" continues the
newspaper, Miss So-and-so exaggerated
her part and was disappointment" Miss
So-and-so's eyes are red and there are black
circles under them, which have to be COW
cred over with grease paint when she ap-
pears for the next performance.
Notwithstanding the fact that the actors
performances are seldom perfectly smooth,
and that there will almost surely be bitches
In the handling of the scenery, attendance
Mt first night is certain to be an interest