The Portland daily press., 1892-08-10
AMATEUR THESPIiNS.
Midsummer Nights Entertainments
at Summer Resorts.

An Experienced Correspondent Tells
How to Got Up Amusing and Profit
able Perforsaances-How to Prepare o
Proyr.mme and Handle the Talent"
Especial Correspondence
SARATOGA, Aug. 4.--When people get
away from home for the summer and
the first novelty Of the surroundings has
worn off, therestless feeling of wanting
to be amused asserts itself, and some
times also laudable desire to do some
thing for others finds place in their
minds, and as picnics and excursions
have palled their hearts, banker after
the feshpots of music and drama.
Then is the time that entertainments for
the benefit Of the fresh air fund, the
children's country week, the. little
mothers, or the st. Johns guild or some
other worthy object are thought of.
But the getting up of an entertain
ment that shall be. entertaining, the
choosing of talent so as to leave no bit
terness or jealousy and the bringing
the whole thing through the maze of
difficulties to financial success is a
hard and difficult labor, and out of the
abundance of experience / write down
these few directions, hoping they may
be of help to any one who thinks of Or
ganizing an entertainment.
In the first place the organizer must
consult with two or three of the most
influential persons in the place, if a
small town, or guests if in hotel.
The person who wishes to get up an
entertainment should always arrange
matters so that he or she is the power
without showing that fact, which re-
quires a good deal of tact, as will be
discovered before the whole thing is
finally settled. A firm but modest de-
meanor is necessary in the matter, and
all disagreements between the rest
should be referred to the manager fo-
arbitration.
There is in small towns usually pub
lie hall, but never take church if pos
sible to obtain any other place large
enough, even if it has to be somebody's
barn, nicely decorated for the occasion.
There is, as there should be, feeling
that makes a hearty laugh or genial
applause seem out of place, and the
sacredness of the. church throws pail
over the spirits of audience and players.
Hotels have a ballroom, or the dining
room can be utilized.
Having secured place for the enter
tainment, the question of what it is to be
should be fully decided before the final
arrangement Of the impromptu stage
should be made, as if a little play is
given there will need to be some stage
setting, whereas, if only a concert,
nothing but the curtain is required. In
making out programme there should
be as great variety of talent as posi-
BILE, and if in town local talent should
sbe employed as largely as possible, as it
will interest the people more. There
should be as many persons on the pro-
gramme as can possibly be given parts,
for the reason that each person, no mat
! ter who, is sure to have friends who will
come to see him succeed and enemies to
rejoice in shortcomings, and both classes
fill the fund, and money is what the
manager is after.
If it is possible to have a tableau or
two with little children in them, or to
have any clever children to sing, dance
or play upon any instrument, or to re-
cite, it is always well, as they look pretty
and appeal to every ones heart irresist-
ably, and their very mistakes and fail
ures are attractive, and every one has
Got of cousins, sisters and aunts, and as
Che affair is for charity it should be
3r.nly insisted upon that there be no
complimentary tickets.
If in small place the price should
be low, as the inhabitants cannot afford
to pay high prices; if in large hotel, or
place like Narragansett, Newport, Sara
toga or Long Branch, higher prices can
be charged, and there are always enough
clever young ladies and amateurs of
considerable talent and pretty children
to make show far better than the
scrubby theatrical performances often
inflicted upon the suffering visitors by
poor travelling companies, which the
summer visitors gladly patronize out Of
sheer ennui.
If, then, the manager wishes to or
ganize such performance he must first
inquire about cautiously for few days
until he gets an idea Of what available
talent there is at hand, and then make
sure that he can get place. Next be-
gin openly by trying to get the Heading
people," as aforesaid, interested; then
let it simmer few days more until
everybody is talking about it. When it
has reached this period it is well to see
the "talent," and find out just who you
can get and what they can do. If there
are any fairly good amateurs try to
plan for a good little one act comedy.
There are numbers of them requiring
from two to half a dozen characters.
That is a good thing to have first on the
programme.
Next thy and find quartet, pianist,
a violin and flute soloist and some
one who plays the banjo. Singers of
more or less ability are plentiful, and in
these days it is very easy to find some
young society lady who can do genteel