New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-02
CLASSIC TTALIIN IN 4 BOUERY THEATRE

/ PROMINENT PART PLAYED BY THE PROMPrEh-A
NIGHT WITH THE SONS or ITALY BEFORE
THE FooTLIGHTs-REPUBL CHEERS.
1.-The part played by the prompter in theatres n
Italy is well known. 1; is a chief one. But 1t 10
nothing compared with his role in the Italian
theatre in the Bowery. He runs the whole thing
in fact"
The speaker was a midde-aged man VINO nad
travelled over all parts OF the world. and insisS
that the most interesting place the globe Is the
BOwery. At ea~t once every month ne makes
tour OF the places in the historic street TO STUDY
character" he says, and watch the cosmopolitan
throng.
did you know there was an italian theatre
in this city? / did not. | only discovered II By
accident in one of my promenades down the Bow
cry the other night The sound OF the musical
language which had charmed me in Venice and
Naples drew into the badly lighted building
got a seat in a lower box for 80 cents, among iot
OF dusky maidens and black-vsaged cavaliers
The house crowded. There was not wora
of English to be heard in the house, and It was
difficult to think that | within a quarter OF
a mile of The Tribune tower But soon founa
that was among people who had American pre,a
dices. The tile preparatory 10 the performans
was taken up with the presentation OF stereopucon
views. A series OF religious pictures was gTeeIea
with comparative. indifference. But suddenly
picture OF President Cleveland was flashed on Inc
! canvas No one in the theatre LEFT In douo'
as to the political sympathy OF the great raa)ol'V
OF that audience. 1t is fair 10 say that ie"
cheers were given for the present head OF ".
Nation, but they were soon drowned by ho"ls ana
Kisses. The man at the machine was quick
learn his lesson and threw picture OF uene'@'
/ Harrison before the people. The CHEERS were u"
mendous: every one in the theatre seemed 10 DC
Republican and the Democrats followed the eo''ss
of Br'er Rabbit and lay low.
The people had worked themselves up into
high state OF excitement when the play oessn'
The prompter appeared poked his head out OF ~
cage took a look the boxes each sue "
him, smiled at two young women In my box INV
gave the signal for the play TO begin. eou"
hear him more plainly than The people on tne s a.
from the very first. No actor knew hen ne ~, 80
20 the boards apparently, for before mss .rs
his bow to the audience. he made frantic m n~1
10 the prompter from a little side door sskns 4
he were the next one The stage was suppSkss
To represent house and the various peopNxs,
fore entering II naturally knocked on me a'i n,
But the prompter told them when to do 20 Il
knocking first loudly that It could be near Houbs
over the houss go, the Ssne me Actors st
I'm tragic scene one of the young women women. "y shs
the audience threw Pese OF oaS OF Il with o
ing eyes and at the first opportunity sen, In
the small boys to pick 1t up he. h9w ,ns auto
cratic prompter and placed it in his hands, :, haS
and politely threw the paper IN whlen hs osr
L
Torrance. however, was not interrupted os Wv"
side-plays. lama ~
Between the acts there was snging-some ,hsir
/ excellent. The visitors divided as, " ss
favorites however. and for time II oon. na ION.
there would be a general fight over youns s,s Il
trato Some of them cheered her ana so nnsocls
them Kissed her, and when she retired s"e ~ hem
quarrelled for fully five minutes some e. ., singer
stood up I'm their seats and championed tne hand.
Two people beneath my box-one OF them .sa,r-be
some bronze fellow, with dark. curing no. !" inter.
came so excited that the policeman nau " There
fere These people were not intoxicattea ,,aasncs
was not a person In the house under the FINALLY
of LIQUOR. 1t was simply their hot blood. tor her
the champions Of the singer began 10 car she b.
again. They insisted and she came b S her
gan to repeat her song unfortunately ior nut b
Give us something else, or STOP rams Wv
Neapotan dialect Cha knew
"The poor woman looked helpless Sne ~
nothing else. Her champion arose again.
Sing what you cam he cried out -. hsr voice
and the young woman went on; put III in
was drowned by the humming-like people ~ n
market place-in the house. and she soon nspless
despair The prompter for once even Was nioesed
The manager then came forward ana SPhe ttef
for the hoarseness Of his singers. promsgu ,sst ~
performance on the next night. and l sm
theatre. Go and see II. 1t VIII amuse ~"