The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
NATURES" SCENES
now a GREAr SPECTACULAR PLAT
Is KEPT MOVING,

The Dancers In the Play at the Academy
Largo Numbers Readily Handled ana
Groured-Thc Marches and Poses or tho SUI
pernumernries-A stout German Danseuso.
The fairy lake OF Iscalia stretching across
the back of the stage looked like a sheet OF clear
Toe. The night was hot, and although there
was no Dao-o reality in the surface OF the lake
than several large panes OF plate glass, the look
Of It was cool. SO the property man sat on
the edge of 1t wiping his head with o large
handkerchief and staring occasionally into the
depths Of tic mirror that was presently to re.
feet the toes and possibly something moro of n
half hundred baflerinas who were to pirouette
ON It's surface dressed in green silk tights with
water lilies In their hair. They were waiting
then for tho signal TO appear. But IL was not
quito time. The Dutch comedian was playing
the intormezzo from "Caveteria Isusticana'
on his accordion, and that classic had 10 come
70 an end before the scene changed to the abode
Of tho Fairy Queen. who was just at that time
pursuing tho hero with smiles and allurements
that certainly meant trouble for him II ever no
yielded.
Tho girls with tho water lilies and tho groom
tights looked cool. But they might have
looked 1t under less trying circumstances.
Their faces were ~plastcrcd with red. white, and
black ut tho points which are generally sup
posed to derive additional beauty from such
treatment when the foothghts are the illumina-
tion they receive. so tho colors were there, III.
though they were put on broadly and with no
attempt at Mcissonierlike delicacy OF detail.
About their heads hung thick blond curls, and
the clusters OF water lilies must have been the
last straw that sent up their temperatures to
tho whiting point. So their cool looks were a
delusion. Under the painr and tho spangles,
the silk and the false hair they were as hot as
tho property man who was sitting in his shirt
sleeves on the bank of tho fairy lake of Iscalia
hopping tho perspiration from his face.
The girls lowered about The wings peeping
out until they sometimes came almost into the
view Of the spectators. The auditorium looked
like q dark cave. Nobody could be distin-
Euished, for the great audience room Of the
Academy Of Music looks vast and shadowy
from tho stage. When some Of the girls had
moved forward to a point which seemed to
threaten disclosure. q voice came from the
background.
Don't you think. my dear girls" 1t asked,
that you had better get into your places now
and be ready for the changci"
There was O tone half paternal, half gallant,
that suited the words, and that fact made it
certain that William Lytell was the speaker.
Tho girls moved back and there was another
evidence OF tho hot weather disclosed. This
was the stage manager with his shirt opened at
the neck and the beads of perspiration stand
ing on his forehead. But he had not even the
time to stop work and wipe them away that the
property man had. He leaned forward, looked
about the stage quickly, and then turning to-
ward the man who stood on a platform built
against the wall above his head, he said:
A down"
As soon as the words were out of his mouth
the footlights were extinguished and the stage
was in gloom.
IAN out" was the order following tho other
% quickly that it seemed u part Of the same
sentence. Then the stage and the theatre were
% utterly dark that it was dificult to see a foot
from ones nose. In an ofice at one side of the
stage a gas jet was burning and through the
half.opcn door there shone a thin ray of light.
Tine sound of shifting canvas told the initiated
that the scene was changing, and the creak Of
q pulley came occasionally from the heights
above the stage. Combined with this was the
continual tinkling OF bens. the sound OF skirts
and tinsel, the hall. Whispered complaints and
of the ballet girls who were pushing
forward into their places ready to start on the
stage as soon as the lights were up and tho
music had given them the signal. The line
stretched far back to the rear of the stage. and
in Nilsson Hall. which has been hired to accom-
modate them, there were others standing in
tne to await their turn. not to get on the stage,
I"How about those White skirts" asked a man
who rushed 70 the spot where MIR. Lyiel Yves
and show the leg or leave en- aloneT'
leave EN- alone now" is the answer. ITO
uiUEIo" W. u th Ou.
Pinning them up would have to be done very
expeditiously. for the interval in which the stage
10 dark and the scene changed is brief as a
minute. But the practiced fingers Of the dress
or could readily arrange that as tho women
On the fairy Iiisk;o Of 1ses,i ipf half a a dozen Ss I sirt;
are forming themselves into a group. They are
70 sooner in place than another cali comes from
Nj al hTt aB..
Another handle on the electric switchboard
furns with a click and the stage Is brilliantly
It's place IN the wings. Ano.he moves for Ward
20 follow the first In the ballet. The swish Of
hard boards Of the stage, and the brassy iiniie
Of spanglcs are all that the persons standing on
VIII Wings s'a Como ca" tog e1Ss SON SO Closely s ! G that Only I he
occasional glimpse Of the dancers can be had.
TTSS e W t%s1Sn i iS oink oR are sn %ensrb iHe Gio SaiI %Srki
~ the twelve In blue; Then with a inal tough
Twelve in yellow disappear from the view Of the
few spectators in the wings TO the sight OF the
}Ss sSSind Public gbe sce I'M tT srndus Az they They 60 the stage
uo a nt ahou woman oman T NJ black eyes e. a and hair
in a dark skirt and shirt waist. As tho girls
throw their arms over their heads or take
eome other attitude preparatory to staring on
70 the stage, sometimes the little woman stops
N front of the dancers and eyes them critically.
Then she puts, her own arms into the air. crook.
Ing her elbow In a way that suggests Il possible
Improvement over the dancers method. Then
pho smiles, says something in French or italian
70 one OF the girls.and passes on To eye critically
the next girls whore attitudes suggest a possible
Improvement. For most of them she has q
smile, OF a kind word. This Is Nine. Bonfanti,
Eho has devised an tho ballots for Nature"
II was not many years ago that the Madame
herself was one of tho best-known dancers of
the day. Now she Is teaching Others 10 dance
and arranging ballets. which, In view OF her
recollection, that, covered a long period, she
must DO able to do easily.
Whom the dancers are all outside and the
y1imas are twirling whilo the rest OF the ballet
btares at them. the stage Ia deserted, but there
u not yet peace for Mr.. Lytell.
II could not find the dressmaker anywhere"
says u little woman in street dress who buhtlcs
up TO him. 81 went every where. You said IL
was %. East and l was there al IL O'clock, but
couldn't find her, and 1 don't believe my
dresses can possibly BIO ready by Monday night
This young woman 10 going TO take a part in
the play formerly, acted by somebody else.
1t was West,' answers The stage manager
Eesignedly, 'ahd you said you would be mere at
and the dressInakor waited two hours. But
It's all right, l suppose"
The tone meant thai 1t was all right because
II couldn't he helped.
"Im going 70 play the part with an Iriah lln.