The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
HER oVERTBAINED SMILE.
nt Causes . Lsnasser - Criticiso Our Choru
Girl and Talk Of Needed Relief.

Girl and TaIh or Needed Relief.
"Tho question Of getting pretty girls for a
chorus" said the stage manager OF q company
now disclosing It's beauties as tho particular
eodture OF q performance here, !" Is merely ono
OF time. II the stage manager Is only willing 10
wait and take the time necessary he certainly
will end by getting women as good looking as
he wants them to be. But II he takes the first
lot OF war horses that somo theatrical exchange
sends to him, thorc will not DO much beauty
among them. That is what q great many Of tho
managers do. They order thirty chorus girls or
FEWER from any agency, and take them because
they have had experience.
Now, II the managers only knew 1t, tho girl
absolutely without stage experience will be q
great deal more serviceable than one that knows
1t oil. The experienced one has learned how to
do tho minimum Of work, and she will try to do
1t. The new girl. on the other hand, is ambi-
tious to do ss much as she oan. The mixture of
experienced women with new ones is likely TO
have a very bad effect. 1t will take all the am
bition out Of the young oncs. l mako up my
choruses almost entirely Of girls who never have
been on the stage before. and l am glad to get
them instead Of tho old hacks, who are In do
mand often merely because they have had ex-
perionce, which IL In many cases the equivalent
OF indifference and faded looks.
A tho Gdiety Theatre In London. out Of .
batch Of atty girls that come up to be looked
tho ~outsiNe a dozen, will be engaged. Then
another lot is looked over and flew more so
lected. In that way about twice as many girls
are picked out as are really needed, and when
the final selection comes only the bcst of them
which every riri is good looking. AnySody
could do the same thing with enough patience.
The sitting process nerds time and caro-. and .
great many stage managers think that Co.'S
metics. wigs, aud costume will make any girl
who is not hideous look well enough to go into
n chorus. The result is the usual combination
OF ugly or ordinary women in "a chorus, with a
few good looking ones. A little more time and
trouble would make them all good looking.
Another feature of the London chorus which
makes II look more attractive Is the system by
which 1t 10 controlled. In Englanh the chorus
girls stage clothes are owned entirely by tho
management Even the lingerie is the property
OF the theatre, and it is thus under the direct
control oil the stage manager. Regularly once a
week stockings, laces and linens that are no
longer fresh 30 TO the laundry, and the girl who
happens to wear them has nothing whatever to
say about it. 1t Is readily conceivable that, as
her salary is small. or II she is personally a little
careless, her appearance might not be nearly 50
bright and fresh when she WAS depended upon
to look after it. So the wardrobe woman sees to
it that everything is bundled into the washtub.
the chorus Rirls do not look spick ana span. The
dresses OF the American chorus girls are, Of
tho girls in London wear on the stage is the
property Of the theatre.
Another point OF view, which Is with us en-:
entirely different. is that from which we regard
the uemcanor, Of the girls on the stage. In
America the idea seems to be that they must
appear continually smiling, vivacious. bright
eyed. and in sction. They are taught to 70
through those movements as a soldier goes
through a drill. With us their expressions. their
smiles. and such small matters are lett for them
TO determine. II they are indifferent. nobody
cares, SO long as they contribute TO the perform
ance what is expected of thcm-l mean as long
as they do not deliberately slight their work.
We teach them first TO acquire ease. repose. and
q perfectly natural and selt-possessed bearing.
After thai they may smile just AS much as they
want and look Just as vivacious. But we hate.
above all things. to have them look as il they
had been taught to do those things. Moreover.
a certain degree of cArelessness Is allowed to
to them, as It helps along the appearance Of
| naturainess and spontaneity. They can be a
| little awkward IL they want and q little indif err
ent-we want them that way, in fact. rather
than mechanical and fixed in their expressions
and movements. Some Of the American choruses
are badly overturned. They smile with the
regularity of clock work. and after q while it
looks as il a little indifference and forGetfulness
would be q delightful relief"