The silver lance., 1897-12-31
THE PLAY BEHIND the SCENES
The Work That Ii Done and the Money
That Il spent.

TE PLAY BEHIND THE SCENES
The Work That In Done and the Money
That Il spent.
We all date our brief examination of
the history of play from the moment
the manager of the theater, or, per-
maps, the actor-manager, accepts the
work and decides to put 1t on"
though, indeed, most plays, even at
that early stage. have already long
and checkered past, says Leslie's
weekly. The stage manager takes the
typewriter, oilcloth covered manu-
script, in which form the play at this
time has its material existence. and
proceeds to cut, slash, and generally
remodel it, by means of robust blue
pencil. If the author is a man (or
woman, We ought to say nowadays) Of
experience, he diplomatically assists at
this operation. which means his prac-
tical acquiescence in all of the stage
managers somewhat dogmatic views.
III he does not acquiesce, the stage
manager goes on cutting and slashing
just the same, while the author
gnashes his teeth in impotent rage.
Then the play is cast-that is to say.
its parts are distributed to the mem
bers of the stock company of the thea
ter, or the company supporting the
star" If such organization is not
already in existence, the people have
to be found and specially engaged, un-
der contracts as easily breakable (by
the manager) as pie crust. Their pay
does not begin until the actual public
presentation of the piece, though their
hardest work is done during the weeks,
perhaps months, of rehearsal. Mean
while, the stage manager has prepared
a scene plot" wherewith to start the
scene painters, stage carpenters, cleo
tricians and gasmen at their respective
jobs. list Of properties" is drawn
up, including all furniture and acces-
sories used in each act. and every sep
arate article called for, from an imi
tation elephant to a forged will. If
the play be costume piece (requiring
foreign or fancy dress, or clothes of
another period than today, these have
to be designed, fitted and made to or
der for the principals of the cast. The
wigmaker receives extensive and di-
Ncio oIucTS. ne itdueT OIL tue OTcHts-
ira has troubles of his own with the
incidental music. Finally a call is
posted and the company assemblies for
the first rehearsal. This may be in
the theater where the play is to be
presented. or in any other house that
happens to be unoccupied at the mo-
ment. 1t is not MATERIAL stages are
+, alike, behind the curtain. They are
all bleak, dark. draughty and dusty
and always smell of gas. Time, 10 ..
m.-The stage manager. sitting en-
throned at a little table at the front
and center of the stage. with the man
uscript before him and a movable
bunch-light at his side, dominates the
scene. The cavernous gloom of the
empty theater stretches beyond. On
the stage the actors and actresses are
huddled in little whispering groups
The stage manager calls time, and the
first words of the play are spoken for
the first time officially. II is read
ing rehearsal. the actors having their
parts-little typewriter brochures,
with the cues red-lined-in their
hands. After few days they are re-
quired to be "dead-letter-perfect" with
their lines, SO that attention can be
concentrated upon the entrances, ex-
its, groupings and general business"
of the action. All these are mapped
out on large sheets of paper resembling
meteorological charts. The stage man
ayers annotations on the prompt
copy" of the play almost equal in vol
ume the words written by the author.
1t has been said. and very truly, that
plays are not written. but rewritten.
Weeks pass: rehearsals go on strenu-
E,opsly and the thousand and one sug-
Ia. r,tions and inspirations arising from
,nde daily contact of many minds crys-
tallize into a consistent whole, which
is "the play" as the public will see it
on the first night of its performance.
The preparation of it, as here outlined,
has cost the manager or producer" in
round figures $4,000. The production
Of comic opera, in first class style.
with large company and chorus, cost
ly costumes and elaborate scenery,
may, and frequently does. involve an
actual outlay of $4,000 before the cur
tain is raised.