The herald., 1898-09-11

ana general consideration as proQucer D
plays. that it may be said that the theat
rical season begins only when he gives tn,
traditional three knocks. In New Yorl
alone Mr.. Frohman has five theaters. liz
will send out fifteen travelling compa ndes
In addition, he has important interests II
London and in many minor American cities
such as Boston and Chicago. AS a matter
Of fact, he IS the most important fact II
the modern theat ricals."
Los Angeles gets the benefit of Mr.. Froh.
mans enterprise this week In the arrival OF
Henry Miller. who. with a strong support.
lag company, will open short season a,
the Los Angeles theater tomorrow might in
"Heartsease." followed by 1.-The Master
and "A Marriage of Convenience" Mr.
Miller has been seen in this city number
Of times, but this will be his first appear
ance here as star" although he has bee n
prominent member OF the stellar f1rma-
ment for the last three years. His coming
heralds the opening of the legitimate
dramatic season in this city, and from
present evidences 1t would appear that local
playgoers will have to put in a good deal OF
their time If they wish TO keep pace with
the attractions offered by Messrs. Wood
& Wyatt.
i
day night. and on Friday the Frawleys
come and open an engagement which Will
be extended into the whole OF next week.
1t is matter of nearly three years since
the Frawleys were last here, and while
their reception was entirely satisra ctory
from an artistic point of view, the financial
results were hardly such as to encoura pe
them In making new attempt, owing no
doubt to conditions which will NOT preyaiI
on this occasion.
The company will present a number OF
plays which have been we'll received in San
FRANCISCO. and the organization will be
materially strengthened by the presence OF
Blanche Bates as leading lady.
MISS Bates Is under contract to Frohman.
put tnat lmperal'stic manager has, in thea.-
ricai parlance, loaned" his star for the
purposes Of this engagement.
The Frawleys come here about TWENTY
SIX people strong, and with a, good reper-
tory OF plays. There is, therefore no rea-
son to doubt the successful issue OF ,her
season.
Apropos Of the Frawleys and their lead.
Ing lady, the genial advance representative
OF the company, Melville Marx, relates an
almos; pathetic story of the difficulties thee
encountered in filling at short notice tho
position OF leading woman made vacant by
the unexpected sickness and prostration OF
Madeline Bouton. kilograms we're sent IN
every direction and big offers made to lead
ing women OF high standing in the profes s.
SION. Dramatic agencies offered the SER
vices OF a hundred different women but
the actresses who enjoyed a standing such
as would nave made their names an attrac-
ton declined to come to the coast, and OF
the others there was an embarrassment OF
ricnes without sufficient surety that the
applicants would be able to f!l the hin
AS last resort the management sue.
ceeded in prevailing upon Mr. Frohman 10
release Miss Bates. who was the former
leading lady Of the company. and to allow
ner To re-occupy the same position here for
a limited term
think that this fact is quite a COM
mentary upon the ordinarily accepted state-
ment that there are thousands of women
who are struggling to get position In the
dramatic profession and who cannot suc-
ceed IN getting hearing or at least some
place in theatrical company.
Ine inference, of course, is that there
are any number of people available for or
d.nary places, but very few who are quail
iied for the leading roles
In this connection I will quote some re-
marks from the Dramatic Mirror which
tend still further to illustrate the peculiar
condition CT things which is at the present
time ruling the theatrical profession, The
Mirror says:
ut gives some idea of the oyercrowding
r!cal newspaper in London ITO state that
more than two hundred actresses applied
FOR quite minor character in the new
drama at the Adelphi."
From this it Will be seen that a condition
which many have imagined was peculiar IN
the theater in this country embarra sses the
profession In England. No doubt a like
condition prevails In other foreign coun-
tries. although 1t may be less notable in
them than in England and the United
States
The words "for quite minor character"
however describe exactly the nature of the
crowding of the profession. The lower
ranks have hundreds of applicants for
places that only dozens may fill And from
present Indications there will be no in
crease of opportunities that will relieve the
iongest.on of mediocrity.
y 1t Is rs true now as 1t ever has been-and
w viii no doubt always be true--that tn.
Hnks OF the dramatic profession, or of any
Vofession. above the mediocre are not
fver have been, and never will be crowded
that the supply Of persons 10 fiji! the
Eh places always has heen Is now and
Eays VIII be far from sufficient. The
fter Is Ike the sky itself showing very
Stars of great magnitude, AMI dotted
an infinite number of Pickering and
snlte lights. From the ranks Il the
It uncounted who crowd the lcwo~
OF the stage a few may IN time rise
fater prominence: but, unfortunately.
multitude who search alir ost IN vair
neth!ng to do have little tc hope for
r they are of the multitude
tttraction which the thea.er has fo~ {
Y who possess no commanding call
yen greater than that Exercised by ,
Hose who find the be.te- places on | ,
1pecause their fitness or their tall ,
fcognized and in demard. Itar-
Y useless to advise those who may
for distinction in the theater to
attention and devote their time q