Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-24
A THEATER AT HOME.
Mrs. SherwOod's Useful Hints fOr
Ambitious Amateur Actors.
HOW TO MAKE A PARLOR STAGE
Mystery Of the Curtain, the Red Fire and
Light Fit for Ghosts.
PLAYS THAT CAN BEST BE UTILIZED
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH

| d
enough mock-orange, If you cannot have the
real thing-Old Play
Some of our opulent citizens in the West,
particularly in that wondrous city Chicago,
which is nearer to Aladdin's Lamp than
anything else I have seen, have built prl-
vate theaters in their palaces. This is tax
ing time by the forelock, and arranging for
a whole family of coming historionic geni-
uses. But when the whole arrangement
be improvised (and indeed, it is greater
fame to play in a barn than on the best
stage) the following hints may prove sea-
viceable:
| Wherever the amateur actor elects to
| play he must consider the extraneous space
behind the acting arena necessary for his
theatrical properties. In an ordinary house,
the back parlor, with two doors opening
into the dining room, makes an ideal theaterr,
for the exits can be masked and the space is
especially useful One door opening into
another room is absolutely necessary, if no
better arrangement can be made. The best
stage, of course, is like that of theater,
raised with areas all about it, for the players
to retire into and issue from. However,
drawing up the big sofa in front of the foot
light and arranging pair of screens and
curtain will do, if nothing else can be done.
Avoid Change of Scenery.
1t is hardly necessary to say that all these
arrangements for play depend on the re-
| quirements of the play and its legitimate
business, which may demand table, bu-
reau, piano or a bed. The very funny
piece, "Box and Cox, needs nothing but a
bed, table and fireplace And here we
would say to the youthful actor: Select
| your play at first with view to its requir-
| lug little change of scene and not much fur
| niture. A young actor needs space. He is
embarrassed by too many chairs and tables.
Then choose a play which has so much
varied incident that it will play itself.
The first thing is to build the stage. Any
carpenter will lay few stout boards ON end
pieces, which are simply squared joints,
and for very little money will take away
the boards and joists afterward, SO per-
manent stage can be built for few dollars
| Sometimes ingenious boys build their own
stage with few boxes, but this is apt to be
dangerous. Very few families are without
an old carpet, which will serve for stage
covering, and if this is lacking green baize
is very cheap. A whole stage fitting, cur
tains and all, can be made of green baize.
Footlights can be made of tin with bits of
equal height, with candles stuck in the
mouth make a most admirable cheap set of
| footlights.
How to Make the Curtain.
The curtain is always trouble, especially
| in parlor. A light wooden frame should
be made by the carpenter, firm at the joints
and as high as the room allows. Joined to
the stage at the foot, this frame forms three
- ~ @lo -, e4 bo
| firmly nailed to the top piece. A stiff wire
should be run along the lower edge of the
curtain, and number of rings be attached
to the back of it, in squares, three rows Of
four rings each extending from top to bot
| tom. Three cords are now fastened to the
wire, and, passing through the, rings, are
run over three pulleys ON the upper piece Of
the frame. 1t is we'll for all young man
| ayers of garret theaters to get up one Of
these curtains, even with the help of an
upholsterer, as the other draw curtain never
works so securely, and often hurts the de-
nouement of the play. In case of the drop
curtains above described, one person holds
all the strings, and it pulls together.
Now for the stage properties. They are
easily made. A boy who can paint little
| will indicate a scene with black paint on
white ground, and tinsel paper, red flannel
lAO OAu uACly WILL ulCsScS
A stage manager who is a natural bern
leader is indispensable.
College Boys Spare no Pains.
Young men at college get up the best of
| all amateur plays, because they are realistic
and stop at nothing to make strong out
lines find deep shadows. They, too, buy
many properties like wigs, dresses, and to
the makeup of the character give study
and observation. If they need comic
face, they have an artist from the theater
come and put it on with a camel's hair pen
Gil. An old mans face, or a brigand's, is
only bit of water color A pretty girl can
be made out of heavy young man by
rouge, chalk and a blonde wig. For a
drunkard or a villain few purple spots are
painted ON chin, cheek, forehead and nose,
judiciously.
Young girls are apt in essaying private
theatricals TO sacrifice too much to pretti-
ness This is fatal mistake. One must
even sacrifice native bloom if the part re-
quires it, and put on unneeded rouge, if
necessary. As amusement is the object,
the plays had better be comedy than trag-
edy; and no such delicate wordy duels as
the "Scrap Of Paper" should be attempted,
as that requires the highest skill of two
great actors. After reading the part and
committing the lines to memory the young
actors must submit to many and long re-
hearsals. After much study and rehearsals
they must not be discouraged if they grow
worse instead of better. However, perse-
verance conquers all things, and finally they
get to the dress rehearsal This is gener-
ally disappointment, and time should be
allowed for two dress rehearsals This is
most excellent and ADVANTAGEOUS discour-
agement if it leads the actors to more
study.
The Bane of Private Theatricals.
The stage manager has a difficult role to
play, for he may discover that his people
must change parts. This always leads to a
wounded self-love and the tempers get ex-
cited. However, if everyone will bear in
mind that he is only part of perfect
whole and be willing to sacrifice himself, he
can do this and more.
If the amateur stage ceases to amuse and
the play is given up it can be utilized for
good tableaux vivants, which are always
pretty and may be made very artistic. The
principle of a picture, the pyramidal form,
should be closely observed in tableau.
There should be square of black tarletan
or gauze nailed before the picture, between
the players and the footllghts. The drop
curtain must be outside of this and go up
and down very carefully at a concerted sig
nal
Although the pure white light of candles and
kerosene or lime light is the best for such pict-
ures, very pretty effects can be easily intro
duced by the introduction of colored lights,
such as can be produced by the use of nitrate
of strontia, chlorate of potash, sulphuret of
antimony, sulphur, oxymuriate of potassa,
metallic arsenic and pulverized charcoal.
Muriate of ammonia makes a blush green
fire, and many colors can be obtained by
little study OF chemistry.