The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-04-06
THE UNDERSTUDY.
sUBAcTORS WHO MUST BE READY
TO TAKE PRINCIPALS PLACES.

Delays anu uncertainties Iney f1n0 In
Getting to the Front-They May Go
Through Entire Season With No
Chance to Show Their Powers.
After two years of patient waiting and
study young actress, who was an un-
derstudy in one of the principal stock
companies in town, gave up her position
the other day because during all that
time she never got an opportunity to dis
play her talents before the public. She
was on the salary list of the company,
and as wages are paid so weeks in the
year by that particular organization it
seemed rather like quitting good thing,
but it was not a question of finance with
her. She is an actress of recognized abil-
ity, and understanding was not particu-
larly suited to her taste. She had part
after part in new plays and reproduc-
hons, but the principal somehow or 9TH
er managed to get through without being
i'll, or never suffered any mishap, so it
seemed as if the actress was destined to
become permanent understudy. This
instance is only one of numberless SINH
lar experiences showing the trials and
tribulations of understudies.
All the big stock companies are well
supplied in the matter of understudies,
and while they are required to keep
certain number of professionals on hand
they have innumerable applications from
amateur aspirants for histrionic honors,
who are only too willing to serve as un-
derstudies on the chance that some acci-
dent will take them to the front. Most
of these come from the different schools
for the training of actors. The under
| studies receive their parts almost at the
same time they are delivered to the prin-
cipals. They are rehearsed regularly
with the company and are presumed to
be as we'll prepared for the first night of
play as the principals.
Manager Charles Frohman's company
is probably one of the best equipped or
ganizations in the country in the way of
understudies. Eight of these are en-
ployed as regular members of the COM
, pany the year round, and while they are
probably not seen more than once or
twice during a season they are always
ready for any emergency that may arise.
Augustin Daly's and A NJ. Palmers COM
panies are also we'll supplied with under
studies, and both have long lists of anna
teurs ready to go on at a moments no
tice in case of sickness or other necessity.
Every big travelling organization gen.
orally carries two understudies while on
the road. Some companies dispense with
their services, however, by requiring the
members of the company to make them
selves proficient in two or more parts.
Thus if the first comedian should sud-
denly be incapacitated the second come
dian jumps in, and so on all through the
cast. The understudies who travel regu-
larly with the company are usually
man and woman. The former under
studies all the actors, while the latter is
perfect in all the feminine roles. Their
salaries and expenses are on par with
those of the principals.
Although many of the stars now con-
spicuous in the theatrical armament be-
gan their dramatic career as understud-
les, it is not often nowadays that the
stars themselves are understudied. 1t is
generally assumed by the managers that
the star is the attraction for the public,
and to substitute somebody else is to
, practice deception which is injurious
to the show. In some instances, how
ever, where the star has had to be re-
placed by an understudy, the latter has
made even better hit than the star.
Billy Crane was an understudy in the
beginning, and Manager Joe Brooks tells
an amusing anecdote of the actors first
experience as an understudy. He served
in that capacity with company that
produced 1.-The Daughter of the Regi-
ment" in this city some years ago.
Among the parts which Crane had to
commit to memory was that of the no.
tary. 1t was a particularly hard part be-
cause the notary had to begin by de-
claiming long legal notice. Crane got
the part pat, but in order that there
should be no possibility of his making
break he copied the process into book
which the notary was supposed to carry.
The notary wore robe that trailed on
the floor. In making his entrance Cranes
foot became tangled up in the robe and
he pitched headforemost on the stage.
The book with the prompt lines flew
across the stage. Crane pulled himself
together in a moment, and without los
ing his presence of mind began firing
the process off. He went through with
out break, and his original entrance
made hit with the audience.
One of the most notable instances Of
understanding was that furnished while
Denman Thompson was in the midst of
his long run with 1.-THE Old Homestead"
at the Academy of Music. Walter Gale,
whose characterization of Happy Jack,
the tramp, was supposed to be mimi
table, was i'll, and at the eleventh hour
the manager heard of the trouble. The
part was a most important one in the
cast, and nobody could be found to take
1t among the members of the company.
Finally young Irishman named James
Fitzgerald, who was acting as dresser to
Thompson, astonished that actor by de-
claring that he would take the part. 1t
seems that he was understanding Gale
right along unknown to anybody. Fitz-
gerald went on that night and initiated
Gale to dot in everything except the
latter's soul racking cough. Young
Fitzgerald made hit and played Happy
Jack many times, but his career was
brought to an untimely close by an at
I - r4I l.