Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-03
FINES ON THE STAGE.
OFFENsEs FOR WHICH THE CHORUS
 SUFFERS IN POCKET.

The Manager Makes Them Pay Fer the
 Privilege of Making Unnecessary Ges-
 lures, For Laughing or For Being Late
 In Getting to Rehcarsals.
 ''Now, what in the.vurld can you make out of that word?' tho manager asked.
 The reporter looked over his shoulder and was puzzled too. The reporter had just dropped into the office to say "How dye do?" and to hear if any new orbits had been calculated for tho planets and satel- lites of the stage. The raper which the manager held was report from tho stage manager. It said; Miss - and Miss - fined for making (then came the word that was hard to read) gestures, 50 cents each. Miss - and Miss - for laughing at them aloud 25 cents each" The question-merely for the satisfaction of curiosity, not that 1t was of any other importanoe-wa what sort of gestures they were which, in the opinion of the stage manager, ought to cost 30 cents each. After 0 good deal of study the word was made out to be exageratory.
 Do you have to fine the members of the chorus often for making 'cxageratory gestures CT for other faults?' the reporter asked.
 No" said the manager, mot very of- ten. With our company, which is employed through the season and is thoroughly dis. ciplined, there is less need of it than there Is in some others that are got together for shorter periods and are not so well trained and managed. But it has to be done some- times. There is no other way to insure dis cipline. To keep them in order all tho time you have got to touch them where 7ranc in
 What are tho usual offenses for which you impose fines?''
 Just such as these that you see before you-acting wrong on the stage or laugh ing or talking or dressing wrong, or faults in making up or tardiDess Half a dollar is the usual amount, or 0 quarter for little things
 "Neyer 1nore?'
 "Oh, for something more important, like impertinence to the stage manager, there might Do a fine of dollar now and then, but halves end quarters are the reg ular thing A man or . woman in the chorus, or 0 girl in tho ballet, who is get ting 515 Q week, really misses 50 cents and will generally try hard not to lose it.
 Do you have to keep up the system all through tho season?'
 "Oh, yes, from tho beginning of rehears- als to the very end Thero is O little more latitude at rehearsals, of course, than there is when tho piece is actually on the stage and before the puElic It doesn't make so much difference then if 0 chorus girl whis- pers to the one next to her at the wrong time. and prompthess is not so necessary, though most stage managers arc pretty particular on that point
 "Hov much latitude do you allow in tho matter of tardincss before you impose flnes?''
 'None, now. We used to, and some com panies do still, but VIC think the better way is to require absolute prolnptness You have heard the expression among actors, Ten minutes for difference of watches. That used to be the rule always all over the world, suppose. That is, you know, if rehearsal was called for 10 o'clock, nobody would be fined for lateness if he got there before 1o;10. A few years ago in England they began the system of calling 0 rehearsal r-- r+ '10 o'clock for 10 :3G.'