The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-04-06
THE THEATRICAL MECHANICS.

Something About an Organization Which
Deserves Well of Theatre Patrons.
There is in the theatrical profession a class Of
men who share in none of the trumphs and ap-
plause Of the stage, whose names seldom il
ever get favorable mention from the critics, and
who spend their lives in contributing to the sue
cess of plays and actors with little chance Of
themselves reaping any of the glory or the
benefit Hidden away in the dusty wings or
far up among the flies, they watch and work to
see that all is safe convenient, and as it should
be to furnish the best possible background for
the artistic efforts Of the star and his satellites
who pose and declaim before the audience. On
the fidelity and intelligence of these unobtru-
sive auxiliaries the success Of many doubtful
play has rested, and the tide OF popular feeling
has often been turned in the right direction by
their skilful dressing Of the stage, artistic ar
rangement of scenery, and regulation of lights,
when the fate of performance hung trembling
in the balance. These useful and seldom
heard-of men are the theatrical mechanics
the scene-painters, the stage carpenters,
the gas men, the scene shitters the property
man, and the many other stage en-
ployss about large theatre. The theatre-go-
ing public, as well as the actors, owe them many
an unacknowledged debt of gratitude for con-
tributng to the completeness and enjoyable
ness of performances, and when chance comes
to discharge this debt the public should not let
it go by unimproved. There will be an oppor-
tunity of this kind in Washington soon. The
theatrical mechanics of the National, Albaughs,
and Harris's theatres formed themselves into
an incorporated association on January /, 1856.
Their objects were beneficial, and when any of
the members is incapacitated for work by acci-
dent or sickness the association pays him Sc
week until he is again able to resume his duties.
The fund out Of which these sick benefits are
paid is mostly made up OF assessments on the
members. But every year the association
arranges q benefit performance, at which lead
ing actors and singers appear, and the proceeds
of which go to the fund The third of these an
nual benefits will be given at the National
Theatre on April 20.
The programme arranged includes among its
attractions Mr.. Wilson Barrett and his com
pany, in "Chatterton," including Mr. George
Barrett, and the third act of the comedy drama,
''The Burglar the company to be brought by
special train from the Academy of Music, Bal
timore, and return in time for the evening per-
formance there; a solo by Mr.. William 7. Carle-
ton; W. p. Wood, WA. Haley, and Master
John E. Haley, in their musical comedy, emu
scal Moments;" Miss George Metzger Wash
| ingtons favorite contrato. and Professor j.
| Frank Eline, in his beautiful dissolvng views.
A special feature of the performance will be the
! change of scenery from an interior to an eX-
terror in full view of the audience. The aug
mented orchestra will be under the direction of
Professor August Schroeder.
! The officers Of the Theatrical Mechanics AS
sociation are: President, Edward Specht; Vice
President, Lewis Freeman; Recording Secre-
| tary, Matthew Brady; Financial Secretary, Jo-
| seph Behrend; Treasurer, Zeff Schlosberg; Ser
| geant-at-Arms, Louis Crumbaugh; Trustees,
Charles Miller, John Rearden, George Duke;
Past President, Henry A. Sauter.