The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-02
DAY BEHIND THE SCENES
Actors and Soubrettes Who
Spend Their Time Making
Up and Talking Shop.

Some people believe that actors, acrobats
and singers have nothing to do when off the
stage except make fun for each other.
Others think Just the reverse, and have an
idea that the entire life of a performer is de-
voted to business That when not engaged
in eating or drinking, they are creating new
Jokes, dances and other feats. In part, this
last supposition is true, but it is only in part.
To learn for myself how these people oc-
cupy their time, went behind the scenes OF
Le Bon Ton Theatre yesterday with Man
ager T. w Dlnkins After walking through
q very low passage way from the managers
Office to the rear of the stage, found my
self in a corridor which was crossed at right
angles by two other passage ways, which
were exclusively devoted to the artists for
dressing rooms. The old time ''green ROOM
is now thing of the past and there is no
general assembly room now like it.
My attention was particularly attracted to
a notice printed in large letters so as to be
visible, and hanging near the stage so that all
performers could not fail to observe it. 1t
read
ITO PERFORMERS,
"READ THIS BEFORE GOING ON.
This theatre is conducted upon high plan OF re
spectablity. The management caters to refined
and LADY audience, therefore nothing unrefned or
Manager"
DO THEIR ACT THREE TIMES A DAY.
The manager explained to me that each
performer at this theatre does his or her act
three times day, unless special contract
is made for but two performances The per-
formance is continual one from one o'clock
until eleven o'clock at night The perform
ers, after dressing for their first appearance
in the afternoon, seldom remove their cos
TUNES until after the second time they go on
the stage. Then they retire to their dressing
l.Nt k.oh
they generally eat at a restaurant. The en-
trance which Is used by the actors to reach
their dressing rooms is from Gregory street,
and absolutely no one not duly authorized
by the manager Is permitted to enter. A
watchman is on duty at the entrance con-
stantly, and it would cost him his position if
he violated this rule.
to high degree. On Mondays, at half past
nine O'clock, an orchestra rehearsal begins
and each performer does his act Ii the
parts are not satisfactory to the manager,
under the terms of the contract. he sum-
marily dismisses the performer. Every per-
son connected with the theatre must remain
there on Monday from the beginning of the
rehearsal until the curtain falls at night;
but on all other days the performers may do
as they please, providing they appear on the
stage at the time allotted to them.
THE PROPERTY ROOM.
The curiosity shop Of any theatre is the
property room and at the Bon Ton it is a
veritable museum. 1t is easier to mention
the things that cannot be found there than
those that are in that room. Nearby is a
carpentershop, and a man is kept busy all
cay in this department. He must be a Jack
of-all-trades and ready to make anything.
His time is fully occupied. AS an illustra-
tion there is one act being played this week.
where barrel and pail are demol-
ished. The carpenter must reconstruct
these articles Immediately SO that they will
be ready for use when required As said
before, the dressing rooms opsn on two cor
riGors, which are several yards apart.
Women exclusively occupy one corridor and
men the other This rule is not broken even
in. the cases of husband and wife.
On the door OF each dress
the name of the performer who occupies it,
and no one but that person is permitted to
enter Frequently it is necessary for more
than one woman to use the same room, but
this is only done when necessary.
In these dressing rooms ordinary looking
men and women disappear, and when they
reappear their own mothers would not
recognize tnem The change from the street
dress to the stage costume is sometimes most
wonderful. After the performers have pre-
pared their toilets they amuse them
selves by gossip and story telling. Their
continual topic is shop. 1t is
seldom that they talk together about any
thing else, and, as rule, they all like to re-
late their wonderful Imaginary feats of the
past. 1t is seldom that any rehearsing is
done behind the scenes, and nothing but the
gossip about the profession takes place to
relieve the monotony until the performer
is notified by a call boy to be ready for his
or her part Five minu tes' notice is
given.