Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-06


a SORT oi rsuisy ia the sale OF tickets.
As manager you must now decide
upon the programme and get your
stage and all It's necessary properties
ready. and begin your rehearsals. These
need not necessarily be held in the place
where your performance is to be given,
but should be practiced once at least
there to gauge it to the voices.
You will now be pretty busy, but you
must see the editors of the local papers,
and it is just as well to write about
what you want to say yourself, and give
it to the editor with the polite phrase
that knowing him to be so very busy,
and that his time is SO valuable, you
thought best to make few notes which
he could read and draw upon at his
leisure. Ten to one he will print the
notice Just as You wrote it. In small
places the local editors expect and
should have tickets. Don't be stingy in
this particular. The clergy also could
have complimentary tickets.
The programme that gives the best
satisfaction in summer resorts is one
which permits dance afterward. The
last arrangements to make are to find a
ticket tazer and an honest man at the
box office, to get couple of gentlemen
to act as ushers, to see that all the
chairs for your audience are in their
places, that your stage is solid and all
right. to look carefully to the safety Of
your footlights, to have your curtain
and stage properties in perfect readi-
ness. so that there can be no possible
hitch and no danger from fire, and you
must personally make sure during the
last day that every "artist" who is to
take part is going to be there, so as to
make provision for filling in his or her
place in case Of failure.
The3roper sheets Of music must be
there in duplicate, so that if in the haste
Of departure the ARTISTS" have forgot
ten theirs it can be given them, and the
prompter probably yourself, also) must
have the prompt book in hand to stimu-
late tagging memories. A good concert
piano should be at hand and whatever
other musical talent available be read
for the overture.
A good programme for an entertain
ment of this kind for one of the larger
resorts would be as follows, with such
variations as the case made necessary,
Overture-By piano. violin, flute, etc.
Comedietta-''rhe Happy Pair" or other one
act play with small cast.
Song and encore by some young lady.
rfalF Id. ~.
child.
Minuet by children in costume.
Tableau- Something relating TO Revolutions
AIRY days by same children In same costumes
Intermission.
Solo by lady. gentleman or child.
shawl or scarf dance by lady.
Parlor magic or instrumental music by gen.
tleman.
Quartet Ballads.
Tabieau by children.
limitations OF various celebrities by lady Oh
gentleman.
Einale-Tableau Of some historical or fairs
piece by whole company, with red light.
The programme does not look long
but what with the waits and the encorei
it viii FIJI a good two hours, after which
there can be small hop, or. if that il
not desirable, one act farce can b,
\ played. There are various places wber,
scenery, properties and costumes are t,
be let Tor just such entertainments a
very reasonable prices. remember on,
where Mrs. Mary e. Bryan wrote littll
comedy for production and had all tn
costumes, scenery, etc, sent on from
New York.
And that makes me think to sugges
that clever manager can make up yer,
pretty little plays from the fairy tale
and nursery rhymes, and have then
played by children, part in words ant
part in pantomime Classical subject
are also pretty and taking, and the audi
ences being disposed to be lenient, it i
not hard to get up something amusin,
and novel, if You have an idea of sceni
effect, and have the faculty of drilling
raw material, which is by no means al
easy task.
For programme in a small tow
charades go very well. as they give tn
audience q sort of feeling that they "be
long to the show" and tableaux O
Biblical subjects are always taking, an
so are pictures of low life in great cities
and the scenes from Ten Nights in
Barroom," and last, but not least, patr
otto scenes with wounded and dead so
diers, and a fierce battle with stars an
stripes above all. This season Columbu
tableaux would go well.
MATE LEROY.