Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-04-07
SHE HAD TO SAY "FLY.p
An Amateur Performer Who Insisted
Upon Following the Lines

An Amateur Performer Who Insisted
Upon Following the Lines
II is not often that professional actors
get mixed up in amateur theatricals,
but when they do, as a rule, their lives
are made miserable until the affair is
over. A few years ago young wom-
I'm, who was one of the reigning bellies
f the Four Hundred in this city, wrote
a romantic play, plentifully sprinkled
with singing and dancing. She read the
play to her intimate friends, and they
one and all unanimously declared that
it should be produced at one of the the
aters where amateur performances are
held. and that the author should play
the part of the heroine. After much
coaxing the lady consented. The play
was called "Kismet." The cast was Sc
lected from among the best amateurs,
the leading man being the head and
front of them. The scene Of the play
was laid in Turkey, in the garden and
palace of the sultan. The plot was
hinged on the abduction of two beauti-
full girls and their final rescue.
A clever professional stage manager
was engaged at a big salary and re-
hearsals began. Everything went along
as smoothly as could be expected until
the last rehearsal, which took place on
the morning of the day appointed for the
production, when note was hastily de-
ivered to the stage manager saying that
the leading lady and author had lost her
voice completely, and that her physician
had ordered her not to leave the house.
She was very sorry, but advised that a
professional actress be engaged to take
her place. Here was "a pretty kettle OF
fish''-how to get an actress at so short
a notice. The costumes must be fitted
and the part learned before p. M. The
manager thought of friend of his, Mrs.
Addie Plunkett, Charles Plunkett's wife,
who had just closed her season with
Lawrence Barrett and who was then at
liberty. He sent for her and requested
her to return with the messenger. She
did so, and after long talk with the
stage manager consented to rehearse the
part. She was nervous, of course.
In the garden scene her sisters lover
has discovered her hiding place and
they are having a loving interview, the
heroine remaining on the lookout for
interruptions, which may occur in the
form of the sultan's servants, which
would mean death to the intruder. At
a certain cue the heroine rushes up to
her sisters iance and tells him to 'Fly!
fly for your life-some one approachesr
and the lover is pushed through wick
ct and escapes. Mrs Plunkett rehearsed
the scene carefully and told the leading
man that in case she should forget to
say all the lines she would make him
understand when it was time for him to
make his exit Thus it was settled be-
tween them. Evening came, and the
time for the curtain to be rung up ar
rived. Most of the performers had stage
fright, one fair amateur declaring that
she had entirely forgotten her lines and
was sure that she would faint from
sheer fright.
Plunkett struggled bravely through her
part, dropping an occasional speech now
and then, but with professional tact she
covered up her mistakes SO that the au-
dience was none the wiser. When the
garden scene was reached the lover ap-
peared in good time and she stood guard
until the proper cue was given. 1t came
all right, but alas for Mrs Plunkett, she
had forgotten her lines. When she heard
the sultan's guard approach she rushed
to the lover and said, "Awayl begoneT
but she received no response from that
gentleman. She pushed him and tried
to get him to go through the wicket, as
agreed upon, but he refused to bulge an
inch, and said to her in stage whisper,
''Say 'Flyl tlyP" but Mrs. Flunkett was
beyond speech by this time, SO she con-
tinued to push him toward the wicket.
Her efforts were useless, however, fol |
he resisted and declared he would not
go until she said, ely! fly! for your
life, some one approaches so the audi
ence can hear you" Still she could not |
speak, but with one herculean effort |
she gave him tremendous push that |
sent him flying through the wicket and
into some stage bushes which had been |
arranged at the back of the
stage. When the performance was over
Mrs. Plunkett heaved sigh of relief
and said, "This is the first and last anna
teur performance for mer'-New York
Tribune.