Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-23
ON AND OFF THE STAGE
Information About the Ways of The
atrical Agencies.
PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR.
Disconso1ate Actors who are Black Listed
working Up Acrobatic Tricks to Please the
Public-A Theatrical-Gymnastic Combine
taon-Daly's Discipline.
psciai Correspondents Of Tho Evening Star.

L
the black list of delinquent actors has gon.
into practical use. Most Of the engagements o.
minor players are made through agencies, o.
which there are liberal dozen in town, ani
where the smaller professional people register
their names when out Of employment. Tn,
agents remuneration consists Of half the frs
weeks salary in case he places person for the
season. That is an indefinite arrangement IL
several ways. The season may last only during
the brief trial of an unsuccessful play ano
| then the actor finds that he has agreed to give
up half or quarter of his entire earnings
Again, the disaster may deprive him Of any pay
at ALL One more outcome, and the common.
est, has been the Sinking by the actor Of his
| indebtedness to the agent. Lately sort of trust
wal. formed by the agencies with view to mutual
protection against bad debtors. A cast-irou
agreement was signed, and under 1t each mem.
Der OF the trust solemnly agreed to secure nc
engagement for performer who owed just
oeot to any agent in the combination. Broad
way Is so plenty in stage people this week that
| they run against each other at every step. They
nave come in from finished tours and very
many OF them are looking for next seasons
JOB. They go to the agencies and goodly
proportion ind themselves black listed. They
must pay up or run the risk of idleness next
winter, and they are greatly excited over the
necessity of meeting their obligations, Just like
people in other lines of industry.
THE DRAMATIC EXCHANGE.
Another cause of agitation in the agency
business this week is the opening Of one more
dramatic exchange. That means a whole build
ing devoted to the conveniences of the theatri.
cal business. There were three of these already
and the fourth begins with a circus sort OF
| hurrah. The owner of such an establishment
ant Oft bara ~ a In
number OF theaters in cities throughout the
United States 1t is his duty to make out the
| routes for travelling companies, conclude the
bargains between the travelling and the local
managers and SO contrive the dates that the
| companies and the theaters alike shall have a
steady succession of engagements, with all pos
slble chances of prosperity. In the old days a
vast amount of dicker and delay was involved
in the negotiations, but shrewed operator hit
upon the idea Of acting an Intermediary.
The experiment proved great simplifcation
OF the business and he made q small fortune at
it. As he couldn't patent or copyright his idea
he soon had rivalry in plenty. The outgrowth
Is the dramatic exchange, as now existing in
multiple, wherein big house has its main
noor occupied by the proprietor, while the
otner rooms are rented out to representatives
OF printers photographers, copyists and various
other workers connected with the show bust
ness. The rivalry between the exchanges is
very lively in consequence OF the new one q
pTIsk Su0rtS.
COMBINATION THEATER AND GYMNASIUM.
One OF the exchanges has q miniature
theater, where the voices and other faculties of
actors may be tested or plays rehearsed and
exhibited before possible purchasers. In this
apartment curious collection Of gymnasium
apparatus has been placed. There is an in
clined ladder, horizontal bars, a vaulting
block, q spring board and several notifications
OF ordinary gymnastic appliances.
"The so-called farce comedies which expect
to start out for next season." said the BRO
prietor of this agency, twill count up well
along toward hundred Some of them will
never get out of town at all, a large number
will come back soon after setting out and a fair
proportion, 1t is hoped, will be accepted by the
public as good amusement. Now, these shows
are more athletic than intellectual The sue
cessful comedians In the rough farces, called
farce comedies, are nothing less than knock
about clowns, and those who are most violently
comical and original in their horse play will be
the winners next winter. They realize that
the competition will be desperate and thew are
going to risk their necks to win. When these
actors get into town at the close Of their sea-
sons travel they 60 to all the theaters still open
in quest of ideas to appropriate. It HAPPENS
that in one Of the three new comic operas run
ming here at present q comedian tumbles
from balcony down q rocky fall to
the stage, making a tremendous hit in
both senses Of the word. Now that is the one
thing that all these comedians have chosen
particularly for imitation or elaboration. One
consequence is the makeshift gymnasium
that you see here. The boomer Of a forthcom-
ing farce comedy tells the booking agent about
the wondrous merits of the piece. But talk is
only talk, and actual demonstration is far bet
ter. So, when this earnest advocate describes a
remarkable tumble which one of his comedians
is going to achieve he invites the listener to
come around here and see it done. An APP
pointment is made, the comedian is on hand.
and by means OF these convenience he shows
just how he will astonish spectators by a SEEM
ingly casual but really rather dangerous and
at all events very carefully prearranged acct
dent"
MANAGER pALY's DISCIPLINE.
Up in the higher walks Of the drama, where
favorite actors get along at q seemly gait in
stead Of jumping up and tumbling down
grotesquely, the weeks discussed event has
been the first demonstration by Augustin DAILY
against John Drew. The reader Is doubtless
aware that Comedian Drew has engaged to
secede from Manager Days force one wear
from next fall, and it is only necessary. by wav
OF preface, to recall the prediction made in this
correspondence that DAILY would in the mean-
time do something or other to Drew. Now.
Drew belongs to that Philadelphia family of
ugly-visaged and professionally clever Drews,
and SO fixed Is the custom OF adulation in that
big village that only few nights ago the VEN
cradle Mrs. Drew actually played the youthful
Lady Ie0zle before rapturous audience. So
when the DAILY company finished an engage
ment in Philadelphia last Saturday night and
big audience demanded the temperance Of
his principal players before the curtain he re-
fused to let John Drew respond. witness of
the episode declares that for fully ten
minutes the people clapped, stamped and
exclaimed in their determination to honor
Drew. But Daily wouldn't alter his
purpose Of autocratic domination. To
such an extreme does DAILY carry his discipline
bow in acknowledgment Of reception until
he gets signal from the tyrant in the wings
OF course it is this severity that has brought
the company to such perfection and harmony
in their work together. One opening night
last winter Mrs. Gilbert was disclosed to the
audience standing with her back to the foot
lights gazing at a picture on the rear wall
When she spoke the audience recognized her
voice and, as she 10 q great favorite, the APP
plause drowned her utterance at once. But
she knew that she must not turn and bow, and