The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-04
THE UNDERsTUDY.
SuBAcTORS WHO MUST BE READY
TO TAKE PRINCIPALS PLACES.

~ Chance TO Show Their Powers.
After two years of patient waiting and
study n young actress, who was an I'M
\ derstudy i'll 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 a good thing,
but it was not Il question of finance with
4 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 reproduce
tions, but the principal somehow or 9th
er managed to get through without being
jill, 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
Jar experiences showing the trials and
tribulations of UNDERSTANDS.
All the big stock companies are well
Supplied i'll 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-
Herstudies OH 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
lbe as well prepared for the first night of
IA play as the principals.
Manager Charles Frohman's company
is probably one of the best equipped Or
EXAMINATIONS in the country in the way of
UNDERSTANDS. 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 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 go on at moments no
tice in case of aickncss or other necessity.
orally carries two understudies while on
the road. Some companies dispense with
their services, however. by recurring the
members of the company to make them
selves proficient i'll two or more parts.
Thus if the first comedian should sud
denly he incapacitatcd the second come
dian jumps i'll, and so on al through the
cast. The understudies who travel rpgu-
larly with the company are usually IL
man and a woman. The former under
studies all the actors. while the latter is
perfect i'll all the feminine roles. Their
salaries and expenses are OH Il par with
those of the principals.
Although many of the stars now con-
spicuous in the theatrical armament be-
gan their dramatic career as lnlderstud-
les, 1t 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 a 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 i'll the
beginning, and Manager Joe Brooks tells
nh amusing anecdote of the actors first
experience dts an understudy. He served
in that capacity with a company that
produced The Daughter of the Reyi-
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 IL particularly hard part be-
cause the notary had to begin bv de-
claiming long legal notice Crane got
the part pat out in order that there
should be no possibility of his making Il
break he copied the process into Il book
which tie notary was supposed To carry.
The notary wore Il robe that traled on
the floor. In making his entrance Cranes
foot became tangled up in the robe and
he pitched hcadforemost on The stage
The book with the prompt lines flew
across the stage. Crane pulled himself
together III 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 q hit with the audience.
One OF the most notable Instances of
understanding was that furnished while
Denman Thompson was in the midst of
i his long run with The Old Homestead"
at the Academy of Music. Walter Gale.
whose characterization of Happy Jack,
the tramp, was supposed 10 be mimi
table, was i'll. and at the eleventh honr
the manager heard of the trouble The
part was Il most important one in the
cast, and nobody could be found to take
1T among the members Of the company
Finally young Irishlnan named James