Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-10-21
AT THE STAGE DOOR.
ALICE E. IVES MAKES SUGGESTIONS
TO DRAMATIC ASPIRANTS.

| Dramatic Agent-The Question of Mon
Signing of Contracts.
copyright, 1897, by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
The stage aspirant who comes to New
York for an engagement may hear of
something to her advantage in these
few suggestions offered in the hope that
they may be helpful in securing her
hearts desire.
To begin with, here are few
"don ts:"
Don't go first to the leading metro
politan managers, the "Napoleons' in
the field. Should they have time to ad-
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 czar happens to be in bad
humor, you may not get even civil
treatment when he feels himself in a
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 a 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 ''an 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 well 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.
II you are plain of face don't say you
want to do leading emotional, juveniles
or ingenues. Insist on characters and
'sold 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 Tilly Slowboy
and you may yet do Medea.
If you are determined to try to get
into New York company -and this is
the hardest possible thing to do-make
friends with some actress who is mem
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 dress 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
duction. You may do nothing but Tex
tras' whole season, or you may be
intrusted with small part, but ear
nestness and perseverance win. One of
our most prominent players started this
way.
Should you be able to afford the ex-
pense Of course at one of the reputable
dramatic schools in New York, it is ad-
visable to do SO. But the glittering bats
of engagements held out to pupils must
be taken with some reservation. In the
case of these schools certain metropoli-
tan managers agree to take, say, six
pupils annually. These six will of
course be the cream of the class in abil-
ity and beauty. The others may get
4 small positions in travelling companies,
or they may get nothing.
1t is the fashion of the profession to
exclaim against the schools, but there
is no reason why the dramatic art
should not be taught in as systematic a
manner as any other, and there will
always be an army of new recruits press
ing into the ranks, trained or unframed.
IF you have had some training at
home, you will find the reputable agent
of use.
But here, again, s'put money in thy
purse. The agent is as ice to the anna.
teur unless thawed by the genial dollar.
You cannot blame him, because he has
to labor about five times as hard to gel
manager to take raw material as that
which has we'll known brand.
He will exact $5 before he will ever
put you down on his books. After that
he will want promise of your first
weeks salary before he will speak oi
you to amanager. If you get an engage
ment for these two payments, you may
consider the terms reasonable.
Amateurs have paid as high as 81, SOC
for an engagement. Not long ago one
paid this sum to New York agent
She was given part in the support oi
star, and she ran over to Paris and
purchased wardrobe that cost 81, 50(
more.
On her return the star disclaimed al
knowledge of the engagement, and the
agent said the star had gone back Oh
her word The deluded amateur, after
considerable trouble, made the agent re
turn $500 and was out just So, 500 OF
the transaction.
| Money will get you there, but whether
you can keep the place is another thing
One young woman, who paid an agen
$500 for a position with prominen
star, was promptly discharged at the enc
Of two weeks. Then she broke dowr
and wept and told the actor what sh'
had paid for her engagement. He wa
furious and vowed the agent should FL
no more companies for him, and h
| kept his word, which goes to show tina
the placing Of amateurs is not unaccom
panied by risks to the agent.
Another agent who was approached
by an elegantly dressed young lady
who, accompanied by her mother, rat
tied up to the office in cab and wal
told the lady would pay well for an en-
gagement, promptly dispatched the ap
plioant to star who was forming /
company with pointer as to salary
being no object, etc. The aspirant wa
engaged by the star, who demanded