Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-20
POINTS AND HINTS
From One of the Worlds Fore
most Actresses
TO GIRLS WHO WANT TO ACT
What Is the Art of the Aeuess.-T The
Leading Essentials and First
Necessary Qualities


quested 10 state whether | would advise
young lady TO dedicate herself 10 the
dramatic art. | Will say that tins art
besides being one of the noblest when
well represented is the most perfect
and the most difficult among the ib-
eral arts. But If the young lady at
tracted by a strong fancy for the stage
has not been favored by nature with
these qualities which are indispensable
10 an artist, her struggles TO succeed
would lead 10 failure. If, on the con
trary, she possesses all the Necessary
requisites, | can see no reason why her
vocation should not bc followed. But
II Is principally necessary that she
should place herself IN ihe hands OF a
good guide. Ii IS true that gifts come
from nature alone. but personal gifts
are not all that rs required. Art Is
necessary, and lis secrets can only be
revealed by Il clever master.
For any person desiring 10 dedicate
herself to the dramatic art and 10 sus-
tain the lead ing parts, the fundamen-
tai, indispensable requisites are natural
disposition, personal appearance and
voice.
Some may believe that even when
deficient IN these gifts, or IN some OF
them, perseverng study and an iron
Will may suffice 10 make Il great artist.
do not deny that such cases can be
verified; indeed. myself have known
artists who although totally deflelent
IN the above nanied qualities. thanks 10
their intelligence and 10 lerSevering
study, succeeded III occupying lead
ing position IN the art. Bat such cases
are rare, and great is tae,liiiicu!ty ;hey
find to Disguise IN themselves the EFFORT
made 10 handle the deficiency of nat
ursl gifts.
One day during Leo Kills jubilee
my servant came 20 announce to me
that young woman requested the ia
vor OF beng received 10y me. 1 con-
sen.ed to see her. Trembling ana un-
CERTAIN, the young. woman began 10
apologize for having presented herself
to me wlthout;l letter OF introduction.
| begged her 10 be seated and 10 cX-
plain the object OF her visit. After
some agitation, which she found DIM
cult To contfol she told me that from
her childhood she had always possessed
an unconquerable passion Tor the drd
matte art, and as ner parents did not
1t al approve oil this VOCATION, they
had endcayored b. every pos
sibe means to dissuadt her from
carrying out her VISA. Ru, re- Owed
as she WAS to dedicate herself - the
stage, her only thought was to find i5d
best means Tor rtalH,ns her golNc.i
dream. Having heara much about
noe. she had resolved on coming to
Rome to ask my advice anb protection.
But how avoid the ylg..1ncc and the
suspicious of her fanny? 4 strange
idea had fiasacd through her nind.
Become Il p.lgr.nl. ION IaeIseii Id tie
faithful WHO were gong Ia EoAic u
pay homage TO the Holy FIthel.
gaZed upon her ainazcai she was
rather snort oil stature not good look
ing, and with Il voice OF no great COM
pass. young lady," | said IA her.
your youth ami your ineXperlence
oblige me6o speak frankly 10 YOU In
the first place, yuu are very much mis-
taken if you tbink tnat the manager of
trst-rate company would engage "a
young and unknown beginner then and
there, and when the year Is half over.
simply because she profcss TO
entertain IL passion for tie dra-
matte art. Ii You have a good disposl-
ton (of which shall judge later on,
begin 10y practising N some philo-dra-
matte society, or else IL u small dra-
matte company. Begin With small
parts so as afterward TO make progress
under good school. Many of our
best artists commenced their dramatic
career by Joining thIrd-rate companies,
taking parts which were entrusted to
them. |. for example, hegan in tins
way, guided by the good sense OF NY
father, who maintained that II was nee
essary 10 become familiar with the
stage, and never could complain OF
the result. In thus causing You TO see
the real state of affairs | feel that ] am
fulfilling an obligation of conscience.
:. But come, recIte some tning TO me.
so that ] may form a Just opinion OF
your dramatic qualities.
The poor girl trenhled like a leaf, al
If she were standing before an acropa-
Cite Her heart must have been beat
ing terribly. Finally. sunmoning up
her courage, she recited a patriotlce
poem of her own composition. lis-
tened to her attentively. Her gestures
were nothing particular; her voice not
very good, but the lntonstion fair.
By my enthusiasts 1t was known that
my favoTite color was blae. and behold
on occasion of my benefit night It en-
tered into their heads TO have blue ices
made and my portrait stamped on
them, calling these also glaces IL Rs
tori. ON similar occasion they
adorned the theatre with bouquets OF
flowers tied with Whit and blue no
hons. Hundreds of poems, accompa-
MED by flowers, fell from on high around
me. covering me entirely. ladies' of
tho high society flvalled one another IN
paying me com ,,iiments, bat, however
clsted by all this incense might have
been, the wise advice OF my dear father
ever remained stamped on my memory.
| resolved strictly TO obey him, and
now bless God for ID thousand times.
Resuty. voice. elegance of department
have only 8 relative, ephemersl value
when tue foundation - wanting. which
a intelligence OF the art
Adelaide Bi.teri
After rejecting little gave her my
opinion. 'fNou have much sentiment
intelligence, | sad, but you DO net
always give your phrase the color
necessary. The tone Of your voice :
80 times declsmstory, bot ! must
frankly tell you that your figure -
little suited Tor the stage, and the
accent 81 yeur dialect - 50 marked
that a woald cot be tolerated ~ or
pnfics. Mbst psfts should you ike
io represent -
Win determination she fepl "a
Passionate parts Those fer pfras
aouns r