Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-04
7HE VAUDEVILLE STAGE.

THE BURLEsQUER AS SHE APPEARS
OFF AND ON THE BOARDS.
Girl and the Ballet Dancer
Who They Are.
the trials and tribulations, labors, de-
lights and ambitions of the gaiety girl are
known but to few. There are in the "busi-
ness" only about three hundred girls who
comprise that class known as "gaiety" or
vaudeville burlesquers. These are di-
Eyided into half dozen travelling COM
panies, who tour the country annually and
live upon the uncertainties of popular
favor. Distinctively abstract from the
ballet and operatic troupes, although very
similar in their modes of existence and
travel, this class of female performers
,, exist in world peculiarly their own. A
writer for the New York Star lately paid
a visit to the dressing rooms of variety
theater in this city, under the surveillance
of lynx-eyed manager whose company,
one of this class, was performing there.
He had previously beheld the "aggrega-
tion of beauty and loveliness" from TIE
without side of the footlights. From this
point of vantage every phase of art and
every effort Of the painters brush seemed
to have been employed to perfect spec.
tacle of gorgeous loveliness to bewiider
the brain aud please the eye. Rollick and
banter held sway, beauty was upon its
throne, and fun and frolic ran rampant.
Behind the scenes the view was much the
same, but the absence of the glittering
,, calcium, which the fall of the curtain had
, obscured, transformed each erstwhile I'M
mortal into entities of the hour. The
gaudily garmented young women were still
there in all their shapliness of limb, but
the semi-twilight which reigned about dis
closed the glow of youth as but the arti-
ficiality of the makeup" box. Still, some
Of these young women seemed to be pos
sessed of engaging personality and many
of them were comely. Altogether, how
ever, they formed pleasing spectacle as
they scampered to their dressing rooms.
Each of these brrlesque girls seemed to
be of the same type of woman as might be
found in the ordinary paths of life either
a working girl who, in moment of eager
and foolish impulse, had thrown herself
into the vicissitudes and tolls of stage life,
or some adventurous city girl who, weary
of prosaic and unromantic school pursuits,
chose the glitter of the professional arena
for her bread and butter, and no better
nor worse than her sisters, when morally
considered.
A further peep at the everyday side of
the l:fe Of the burlesquer of such a.com-
pany as the writer found himself sur
rounded by on this particular evening
affords at once revelation and study for
anthropologists. 1t is Saturday night, the
performance is Just concluded, and far-off
city is scheduled as the next SHOW town."
The curtain is down, but as the last auditor
leaves the house and the footlights are ex-
tinguished, up again it goes among the
flies, revealing under the glare of the
watch-light scene of bustling activity.
Each piece of the scenery is being foored,
screwed together, and hurried off by the
stage hands to waiting express wagons at
the door. Interrogations and answers are
piled, orders are shouted back and FORTH
men are rushing here and there, numbering
trunks Of "props" and wardrobe de corps
are tossed across the stage, presenting to
the ear and eye of the visitor chaotic
pandemonium.
Time is short and precious, and a rail-
road connection must be made on time.
Every one knows it, and has been there be-
fore, and many time, and does accord
ingly. Below stairs, amid the labyrinth
of box stalls, by courtesy designated "dress-
ing rooms," the same conditions of hustle
and hurry reign. Passing along the SUBJ
terranean alleys, the hum of conversation
is heard. All is activity and preparation
within. From this room, the door of
which is slightly ajar, comes snatch of
popular song. Some have already COM
pleted the trunk-packing process and
washed up, and are ascending to the stage
above. At last all are ready, and every
trunk of wardrobe and individual effects,
for each performer usually carries two
one labeled 'Theater," the other "Hotel"
has been filled, locked and strapped and
carried away 10 the tram.
Among the merry party who tripped
away to catch the midnight train were
four girls of olive complexion, lustrous
black orbs, ruby lips and dalntiest hands
and feet. This individual quartet COM
prised the advertised "score OF Egyptian
houris," whose talents, according to the
play-bill, are exercised nightly in the
realistic Interpretation of an Oriental
sketch of scenes in the life and loves of
Antony and Cleopatra" They certainly
possessed beauty of form and feature, but
close observation revealed the fact that
they were but bevy of French Creoles
culled from the bayous of Louisiana.
They, like the others, appeared to be
thoroughly versed in their art, and had
reached the maturity of experience at
some time, earlier or later, attained by all
of their class, when that admiration not
forthcoming at sight, would be commanded
by glance from their sparkling eyes.
1t was also noted that several of the group,
who, though evidently year or two be-
yond their teens, still retained the robust
ruddiness of more tender years and the
All were attired with becoming taste and
Jduutiiy SiuuS dCEOSS tue SIlOulueI OF edcn
was leather travelling satchel, and in the
hand reticuie containing novels, chewing
gum, carameIs, perfume, hairpins and
cigarettes-for there are many who in
dulge in quiet Whit of the latter on the
sly.
That the art preservative was not un-
known or practiced each gave evidence,
for the many and varied methods en-
ployed by these women to hold Father
Time by the forelock and hold themselves
in youths rosy domain would fill a vol
ume. The most notable case is that of a
woman who for nearly score of years has
led her company Of females through al
most every city and hamlet in this coun-
try, Great Britain, Australia and other
portions of the Old World, and is still, in
physique, dashing and apparently young
woman. She is about % years of age, and
asserts that she has discovered an elixir
which, from personal experience, is fair
emulator of DR.. Brown-Seluard's most
sanguine prescriptions. This panacea, she
afirms, is one of physical application"
She uses and trains her females to use
only those agents which, when exteriorly
applied, generate youth and preserve
beauty"