The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
WHERE ACTING IS TAUGHT.
VIEW FORK DRAMATIC SCBOobSJ
THEIR Ann AND METHODS.

III Nh'i ~ OllOW - - -
that it has its share OF schools where that art
is inculcated. The principal two arc the Amer
lean Academy of ORA matte Ars and the EN-
pire Theatre Dramatic School Franklin II.
Sargent Is President of tie hrst'named
institution Mt Carnegie Ehll. he was
professor OF elocution in Hazard University,
and came hero fourteen years hRo 10 train Do
%ginners for a theatrical stock company. Out
OF that work grew New YorkS first dramatic
school having a collegiate couse. When asked
about the modern methods of Preparing actors
and actresses, and the number OF people anI-
ious to go on the stage, Mr.. Sargent said:
"Wo have had for the past twelve years about
the same number of students. with perhaps q
slight increase, averaging during the saason,
from Oct. l to May Is. abou eight or ten APP
plications n day by letter. tits. OF course, i'm
possible to decide a PERSONS Qualifications un'
til we have had an interview With them. SO that
those who arc really in enrn,st como to Now
York, and are examined rs 10 their ability. It
is hard to say Just how many we SEQ In per-
son-probably not moro than two or three q
day, and of those the portion who prove Mt Is
evident from tho fact that We admit only
about forty students per yeal These are Sc
lectod.
Applicants como from all lasses and from
all. parts OF tho country-and If tho world, in
fact, but the majority have s'me means and
have had a fair education. Crtain cities are
particularly rich in dramatic applicants. Tho
following cities are the centre of dramatic in
terest: New York, San Frncisco, Boston.
Louisville. Chicago. Pittsturih. New Orleans,
and Cincinnati. The talent cones chiefly from
the Southern States. ard mkt from the ex-
treme Western States. TheNew Englanders
and Fasteners have not tfe emotional life.
Tho dramatic talent. howevo, springs up any
where-everywhere. Sometimes q girl from
the country, who has never been inside of .
theatre will come to New York and want to
go on tho stage. She has rad about II, and
she has felt this emotional enthusiasm, and
not infreauently has q great hal of talent.
Probably the most serious obstacle to tho
advancement of the stage Applicant in America
is self-consciousness. Our erve-excitinG eli
mate. and the character Of our Institutions,
and the manner in which w1man Is treated in
this country makes the applicant often very
sclf.conscious for o long tine. and until that
self-consciousness is droord OFF, like q gar
ment. their real spontaneous nature docs not
appear.
THE most important qualifications are: Ply
sically. a GOOD. strong. healthy body, with pref
ty good nervous endurance, without any de-
formity. or without any ,rganic defect. Tho
nature OF the person must oe OF a nervous, emo
tional type, which with ne French is consid-
cred the principal quali5-sensibility. They
must have n sympathetic temperament, and
that undefnable thing, Instinct. TIT instinct
must be correct. and wecan tell that Instant
ly. We take the applicant on the stage. 1t is
like throwing n person II the water to learn to
swim. II they keep themselves up, they are
good natural swimmer. We say: DO this
and that and If they do certain things, 1t will
show that they have the instinct.
"Others have net the feeling Of the theatre.
For instance, the light being in front. they
will turn rourd and read their part with their
backs to tho audience and act with their
backs to the audience. because the light Is be-
hind them. That is q snail matter, but shows
that they do not appreciate instinctively that
ence and themselves. as a picture. Then there
is what might be called the technical aptitude
life what thoy feel. They 1.-Two IT, It radiates
from them: Others want to explain it.
After al. IL is the desire to live the part or
the situation. and therefore a matter OF physi-
cal aptitude rather than intellectual power, SO
education is not the dominant thing. A very
%illiterate, person m ,y.be. a ycrJ good actor, al
though he might be a better actor II his gen.
eral education was more COMPLETE. The worst
people l have to deal with, as far as results 60.
arc those bred In conventionality. They have
not studied the book OF mature, and therefore,.
although they are graceful and easy. they rare
~ no." tihl cubhuslhSll. III sur
render OF their own personality needed"
w hat a.e the first steps In real work, after
an applicant is accepted2'
'Firs.. aim to correct any mannerisms, any
absolutely diScordant conditions in the pres
cnce. action. or speech independent OF any sys-
TEN. Strike right nj their main defects. an5 try
and clear the decks for action. Then lift tho cur
tain for them. and mako ttem understand
what 1t is. i1st rs any ono on board a ship is
Things arc for. Give them the names of things
and try to make them at home on the stage.
Il hRf ~ IN "a Gnnanl, nf q ~ nv itTnl tnA hat Nlnyy
are familiar with, and make them practise giving
Il without saying the words. so that they are
rs though giving it before II deaf mute audi
ence. The pupil at once discovers his limitations.
how small his stock in. trade is. and how much
there is to he acquired. Another short cut 10
to tell them TO practise in their room. always
as, though they were on the stage. with one
side of tho room out and their audience in i'm
there, for the purpose of making the
stage a reality TO them. Al this stage | would
make them have a horror OF anateurishness;
must have not only skill. but knowledge as
well. Then they are ready for a systematic
process. That systematic process would mean
las IN the school "a study under n number of
stage managers and actors, each one OF whom
!; ga a f fp. Gialist IN sone way: and ! would devote
cal work. ! mean training OF the body and
simple clcmcnts OF p~nntonine. training of tho
voice. and simple elements of speech and stage
acting silently without any books
and without words. After n month or six
weeks ! would begin TO give them play books,
simple scenes first. and tLcn have them acquire
tho power TO stand through an act. so that as
he process goes on they would get deeper and
deeper. and moro and more into rehearsal work
until finally all rehearsal work and technique
would become second nature to them. In this
work there are u great many accomplishments
required. An actor must be something of q
singer, n fencer, dancer, have some III
IF languages, must have some iden OF literature
u the stage. aud an understanding OF the ira
litiOns Of the art.
During the second year they devote them
selves entirely 10 rehearsal and performance.
During the first year the students are utilized
$ supernuineraries: during the second year
hey are utilized in small parts. The result
$ IN two years they reach IA point which would
AXE on the stage many years. of experience
20 reach. They leap over all that rough and
,nmhle work In the chorus. and reach n point
which belongs 10 them from their education
md from their own talents.
IN Tie old days actors served, an appren-
Tho su pernumeraries and small neo-
DO were under fire and under criticism. The
III was changed nightly perhaps, and the
'Iuer actors and stage manager took an inter-
'st IN them. That Is not the case now, and
hey have no means Of education except what
hey can pick mn by listening in the wings, SO
hat something of this sort Is necessary. Then,
90. II Indicates n much higher stage of dra-
nat G life, recognition of an educational pro-
Nelson Whentcroft. President of the Empire
Theatre Dramatic School. Said: y think ac-
ors are born. SO they cannot ho made. You can
cach an actor, but you can't teach acting. II
ln rnulI tanAI -. Ian IVA rnTIlA aAt |