The Red Cloud chief., 1894-04-13
THE UNDERSTUDY.
eUBAcroRs WHO MUST BE READY
TO TAKE PRINCIPALS PLACES.

Delays I'M Uncertainties They Find In
Getting to the Front-They May Go
Through an Entire Season with No
Chance to Show Their Powers.
After two years Of patient waiting and
study q young actress, who was In I'M
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 90 weeks in the
year by that particular organization it
seemed rather like quitting agood thing, |
but IL was not a question of finance with
her. She is an actress Of recognized abil-
ity, and understanding vas not particu-
larly suited to her taste. She had part
after part in new plays and reproduc-
tons, but the principal somehow or 9TH
er managed to get through without being
i'll, or never suffered any mishap, 80 it
seemed as IL the actress was destined to
become q permanent understudy. This
instance is only n 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 q
certain number of professionals on hand
they have innumerable applications from
amateur aspirants for histrionic honors,
who are only too willing to serve as I'M
derstudies on the chance that some acct
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 ut the
same time they are delivered to the prin-
cipals. They are rehearsed regularly
with the company and are presumed to
be as well prepared for the first night Of
a play as the principals.
Manager Charles Frohman's company
is probably n Of the best equipped or
CARNATIONS 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 OF
twice during a season they are always
ready for any emergency that may arise.
Augustin Days and A. NJ. Palmer's com
panies are also well supplied with under
studies, and both have long lists Of anna
teurs ready to 60 on at a moments n TO-
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 IL 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 q woman. The former under
studies all the actors, while the latter i
perfect in all the feminine roles. Theit
salaries and expenses are on a par witt
those Of the principals.
Although many of the stars now con
spicuous in the theatrical armament be
gan their dramatic career as understud
les, 1t is not often nowadays that tn
stars themselves are understudied. 1t
generally assumed by the managers tina
the star is the attraction for the public
NJ and to substitute somebody else is t
n practice a deception which is injuriou
Il to the show. In some instances, how
y ever, where tho star has had to be r.
! placed by an understudy, the latter ha
made even q better hit than the star.
Billy Crane was an understudy in tn
beginning, and Manager Joe Brooks tell
an amusing anecdote of the actors frs
experience as an understudy. He serve
in that capacity with a company tha
produced THE Daughter of the Reg
ment" in this city some years agt
Among the parts which Crane had I
commit to memory was that Of the M
tary. 1t was a particularly hard part b.
cause the notary had to begin by d
claiming a long legal notice. Crane &C
the part pat, but in order that thei
should be no possibility Of his making
n break he copied the process into a boo
which the notary was supposed to carr!
The notary wore a robe that trailed O
the floor. In making his entrance Crane
:. foot became tangled up in the robe an
he pitched headforemost on the stag
The book with the prompt lines fe'
across the stage. Crane pulled himse
together in q moment, and without 10
D ing his presence of mind began firir
= the process off. He went through witt
out q break, and his original entrant
&c made a hit with the audience.
One Of the most notable instances
understanding was that furnished viii
4 Denman Thompson was in the midst
his long run with "The Old Homestead
at the Academy of Music. Walter Gal
whose Characterization Of Happy JAG
= the tramp, was supposed to be inim
. table, was i'll, and at the eleventh hoi
: the manager heard Of the trouble. III
: part was "A most important one in Il
70 cast, and nobody could be found to tai
&c it among the members Of the compan
% Finally a young Irishman named Jam
&c Fitzgerald, who was acting as dresser
:, Thompson, astonished that actor by d
claring that he would take the part.
seems that he was understanding Ga
." right along unknown TO ANYBODY. Fit