The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-08
rior in the second, and barbarian or Gaul in

rior in the second, and barbarian or Gaul in
the last act.
After thorough series of rehearsals in the
Light Infantry Armory of the fire scene, the
professionals, groupings and shouts, the throng
of extras was dismissed after all their names
had been taken by the managers and instruc-
tions given for them to be at the theatre on the
following day for full-dress rehearsal with
music.
AT last the expected night arrived when the
first performance was to be given. The super
numerares were assigned to large barny
room on the E-street side of the building, where
the male costumes were kept, while the extra
ladies were given two rooms along the hall
way, all being just beneath the stage.
What hustlng, busting scene was presented
as the extras began to arrive shortly before
seven o'clock; but the experienced directors
will bring perfect order of it when the bell
tnkles for the curtain to rise for the first act.
Here comes poor shvering ''super'' in from
the icy atmosphere outside. He is without
overcoat and his suit Of well-worn clothing was
made for spring and summer wear. He is
shaking violently from the cold as he disap-
pears among the rubbish under the stage and
through the door into the large dressing-room
already crowded with men donning their armor
and costumes. In a few minutes the seedy-
looking aud half-frozen individual appears at
the stairway leading up to the stage The
dingy summer suit has given place to glitter
ing Roman costume. Furnished breastplate,
shimmering helmet and shield, flowing red
horse hair, yellow sandals, fesh-colored tights,
and cleaning sword and spear, the impover-
ished being of few moments before stands
forth in all the pomp and glory of one of Nero's
warriors. In one hand he holds a spear and in
the other a FURNISHED shield. White tights
cover the lower part of his anatomy. and in
lieu of his odd and dilapidated shoes he wears
pair of Roman sandals.
1t is now 745 o'clock, and one of the stage
men passes along the hallway between the
dresSing-rooms shouting: ''Fifteen minutes!
Fifteen minuteSn'
This shout acts like magic. The 'supers"
and extra ladies swarm from their dressing
rooms, and the hallway is soon filled with a
surgiug mass of variegated colorand brilliancy-
Senators in their purple robes; Egyptians in
| their picturesque striped suits of many colors
| and odd-looking hoods citizens in their airy
red, green and blue skirts; priests wearing long
| white gowns; lictors in golden armor bearing
queer-looking axes; long lines of marines attired
| In the dazzling and bespangled armor of prae-
torian warriors; slaves, barbarans clad in wolf
| skins with their peculiar armored helmets and
battle-aXes; Vestal Virgins in white bearing
aloft large lighted candles male and female
| gladiators in flashing armor carrying Roman
| broadswords; NaZarenes, Hindoos, and eight or
| ten jet-black supernumeraries, both men and
! women, attred in fantastic costumes, as bearers
| Of Nero's triumphal cars. This is the scene
| presented under the stage when the orchestra
| strikes up the overture.
The newspaper man, clad in tights, sandals
| and bright-green gown, representing Roman
and waited for the final CALL which came about
| five minutes before o'clock:
''All hands up stairs and take your places fol
| the procession W
Then what scrambling up the two narrow
stairWays leading to the stage The wings
| We're soon packed almost to suffocation, while
the managers and members of the company
darted hither and thther arranging the war
riors, citizens and others in their respective
| places.
"Ready Ready" went around in hoarsC
stage whisper, as Manager Max Freeman go
his cue from those on the stage in the frs
scene and the orchestra struck up lively
| march.
500 on, citizens! For Heavens sake, hurryp
excitedly exclaimed Dowley. "Run on, and
shout as you go! You other fellows, shout
Shout now Let her go!'
And a great volume Of sound arose from the
concourse of actors and extras, as the citizens
staffs in nand, scampered across the stage ano
took their places on the opposite side of TIN
stage. Then came the glittering pageant, will
Nero on his car, while the air was literally filled
with shouts of "Hail Hail A" etc.
The first act over, the citizens and Egyptian
are hustled down stairs to the dressing-room in
order to don the bright armor of warriors 10
striking tableaux and professionals in the sec
dressing-room as this change is taking place
and the light from the single gas jet is almos
obseured by the throng of men that surrounC
it, The noise, too, is deafening as the armor
and swords elank together, and the i'm
patient men shout and swear at mis-
| fit aud broken costumes, ill-htting helmets
and the like. The newspaper man was given
helmet fully two sizes too small for his heat
and a badly-battered breast-plate, but b
promptly assumed the dignity OF Roman war
Ladies' suede slippers, IN all eolors, at $3.50