The sun., 1894-05-06

They Are Housed IN Eenuet-, sss Ti-e
Does Not Inprsvs Their CHARTERS.

II
| Il seemed strange to see Peter DALEY. the
star In "A Country Sport" washing his face
and hands At q faucet Of running water over =
black iron kitchen sink after the close OF his
performance the other evening. Nobody but
| q hostler or n scullery maid would wash at
such a contrivance. and they would only do so
| II II was moro convenient than a suitable
place. II suggested the old scrubbing room OF
the San Francisco Minstrels In their heyday.
But Joseph Jefferson and Henry Irving would
have TO wash up" In the same wsy that
Peter Daley did II they were starring
In the same theatre. Indsed Sarah Bernhardt
would have that same room assigned to
her, and would perform her toilet opera-
tlons over the same kitchen sink unless she
bought proper wash hstand and had 1t brought
In for use during her engagement. The the
atre was the Harlem Opera House. In 10th
street, and the audiences that nightly gather
in It's au litorlum rightly regard 1t as one OF
the luxurious new and modern theatres OF
this town. IL is not singled out here In order
to cast any reflection upon IL or is owner. II
is built as theatres nearly always are and al-
ways have been built. with every regard for
the comfort OF the audiences and the least
possible consideration for the players upon
the stage. Its gilt electroliers its marble
entrance. its luxurIously upholstered chairs.
its softly carpeted nlsles. and its opulent dec
GRAFTON with gold and color contrast only a
little more strongly with the wretched actors
quarters than II the theatre were less beauti-
ful; for practicallyIa all theatres are alike In
respect OF the dog kennel quarters they pro-
vide for the players.
When Peter Daley had his attention called
TO the character OF the,washstand he was using
he said he was usel to that sort Of thing. and
yet not enough used to 1t to like 1t. lie came
a.. IA. A.. H.
1t was q square box about eight feet square.
There was plain wooden door to it, such as
might serve to close passugeway through a
partition in cellar. There was also window.
but 1t was like IL stable window-a foot and
half souare-close upto the ceiling. where no
one indoors could look out OF it DALEY and
mixed uD In the crowded box. lie is such an
enthusiastic comedian and works so des-
tei thai he is Sbisei " 10 Change % even his under'
clothing three times in q night lie also
dresses i9 three distinct costumes, one Tor
for himself what he wou ID do in q room eight
feet square II he hnd to hang up four suits OF
II he had to dross aud undress four times in
that room with trunk and q bureau in IT,
with tho clothing bulginR out from the hooks
and with several lights burning up tho oxygen
In the air.
Just the places to stow tragedians in" said
Daley. "They are calculated to make man
grow more gloomy and morose with each act.
But It's pretty hard to have to inhabt such
after staying in them a while"
Miss May Irwin is the chief support OF Mr..
Daley. She was seen crossing the stage to
go to her dressing room. When q reporter
asked slS d. leave to see her quarters she waved
can't let you see my room. said she. It's
Just q little ,poke-hole up stairs. You would
have, to send my maid ahead to give notice
have to hold my dresses up to navigate the
stairs is-well. 4 would not do 70 tell about 1t.
It'H better to talk of something else"
The American Theatre has reasonably good
dressing rooms-far above the average with
wasn't nsIns ana bath closets IN the best Of them.
Ess not , seem; RSt i they exist ihsy must Ge
in such famous old houses as the standard. the
Star. bays, the Bilou. and the rest. In somo
from the point Of view OF the audiences he
dressing rooms arc mere dog kenne Is hidden
away under tine stag Thss are
OF tho world to regard the audiences
and to disregard the actors, and time brings
' .greenrooms" have been abolished In most
theatres. the progress OF this end Of the stage
years. The accomm od ations that are here de-
Bcribed are tho ones that the very greatest
lin and Irving, Duso and Bernhardt, get no
better, than James J. Corbett or the Big
touT. mere Is one exception 10 thls me
di,rval rule OF transforming quarters for
actors, and that is a riCht-about- face Improve
ment On the dressing rooms OF all the other
theatres in America. 1t is to be found 10.
hind the scenes OF the Alvin Theatre
in Pittsburgh. The Alvin is named for
Alvin Joslyn an actor. who built the theatre.
The dressing rooms in that house are such MS
men and women OF refinement oan use with
out injury tn their self-respect. They have
been the pride and talk o. the profession ever
since the theatre was built. which WAS not
long ago, The stars have n dressing rDnnl. a !
reception room. and bathroom. and these |
rooms nre superior to any that Booth or Irving !
ever built for themselves They have every |
IN odern convenience and many elegancies and |
ornaments. They are carpeted and set with |
pictures and mirrors. Each company that |
plays at the Alvin has tho use Of n greenrnom.
or place OF meeting between the acts. This |
room is a beautiful parlor elegantly and eX- |
pPnsively decorated with hric- a-brao an |
pictures in addition to costly lounges and easy |
chairs The Alvin. II Is to lie hOped is the |
OF what all the fine theatres will be-
IN tho twentieth century. Thu. far in the |
nineteenth century actors have been housed |
ike sheer They are still made TO feel like
RfFnllara nf old whnnayar m