The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-27
AT THE STAGE DOOR.
ALICE e. IVES MAKES SUGGESTIONS
TO DRAMATIC ASPlRANTS.

Copyright 1897. by American Press Asso
ciation.l
The stage aspirant who comes TO New
York for an engagement may hear o.
something to her advantage in thes,
few suggestions offered in the hope thai
they may be helpful in securing hei
hearts desire.
To begin with, here are few
"don 'ts:"
Don't go first to the leading metro
politan managers, the Napoleon" in
the field. Should they have time to adj
NIT you, they will dismiss you as po-
litely as possible, probably taking your
name with promise TO send for you
should there be an opening. But you
are never sent for, and it is best to know
this at the outset, before you waste
your substance in board bills while you
wait.
Don't imagine that letters of intro
duction TO the big managers are going
to do you any good. They may insure
you an audience, but that is all. If the
theatrical car happens to be in bad
humor, you may not get even civil
treatment when he feels himself in
measure forced to see you. There have
been such instances.
One young woman, who came here
with letters from Ellen Terry and other
celebrities, had few days ago pawned
nearly everything but the clothes she
had on.
Don't place any reliance on the ad-
vertisements of actors who will train
you for the stage and guarantee you an
engagement.
Don't go to the manager who adver-
tises for IAN attractive young woman
with few hundred dollars, stage ex-
perience not necessary" In a short
time he will have your money and you
will have the experience, but it will
not be pleasant one.
Now as TO some of the things you
would better do.
Dress as we'll and becomingly as you
can. Speak up quickly and put your
story in as few words as possible. Show
that you mean business and are willing
TO work and to begin at the bottom
rung of the ladder
If you are plain of face don't say You
want to do leading emotional, juveniles
or ingenues. Insist on characters and
"old women" You may yet achieve as
great triumph over physical defects
as Clara Morris or Charlotte Cushman,
but manager won't believe it though |
an angel from heaven came down to
tell him. Begin with lilly Slowboy |
and you may yet do Medea.
If you are determined to try TO get J
into q New York company-and this is |
the hardest possible thing to do-make |
friends with some actress who is men, |
Der of first class company and get her
TO interest the stage manager TO take !
you on as an extra. If you attend to |
business, try to please and are careful !
about your dreCs and make up, the man.
ager will notice you and probably keep !,
track of you. You will attract his at
tention more with one rehearsal on his |
stage than you would with six visits to
his office armed with letters of intro
.uction. You may do nothing but Eek
ras a whole season, or you may be !
ntrusted with small part, but ear
lestness and perseverance win. One of
our most prominent players started this
way.
Should you be able to afford the ex-
)ense of a course at one of the reputable
schools in New York, it is adj
disable TO do so. But the glittering bats
II engagements held out to pupils must
Ne taken with some reservation. In the
ase of these schools certain metropoli-
an managers agree to take, say, six
,upils annually. These six will of
curse be the cream of the class in abil.
ty and beauty. The others may get
mall positions in travelling companies,
II they may get nothing.
1t is the fashion of the profession to
xclaim against the schools, but there
S no reason why the dramatic art
hould not be taught in as systematic a
manner as any other, and there will
lways be an army of new recruits press
ng into the ranks, trained or unframed.
If you have had some training at
ZONE, you will find the reputable agent
( use.
But here, again, "put money in thy
'urse. " The agent is as ice to the anna
eur unless thawed by the genial dollar.
lou cannot blame him, because he has
o labor about five times as hard to get
manager to take raw material as that
which has well known brand.
He will exact 50 before he will even
ut you down on his books. After that
10 will want a promise of your first
weeks salary before he will speak of
on to manager. If you get an engage.
lent for these two payments, you may
onsider the terms reasonable.
Amateurs have paid as high as 81, 500
or an engagement. Not long ago one
aid this sum to a New York agent.
he was given a part in the support of
star, and she ran over to Paris and
urchased wardrobe that cost 81, 500
lore.
On her return the star disclaimed all
of the engagement, and the
gent said the star had gone back on
er word. The deluded amateur, after