The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-01-19
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We all date our brief examination 81
the history Of play from thu moment
the manager OF the theater. or. per-
haps. the actor-manaser. accepts Tie
work and decides 10 put Il en-.
though. indeed. most plays. even 81
that early stage, have already q long
and oheckered past. says Le1llea
Weekly. The stage manager takes the
typewriter. oilcloth covered manu-
script. in which form the play At this
time has its material existence. and
proceeds to cat. slash. and generally
remodel It. BY means Of q robust blue
pencil. II the author ls man Tor
woman. We ought to say nowadaysl Of
experience. he diplomatlealiy assists a
this operation. which means his prae-
teal acqulescence In all Of the stays
managers somewhat dogmatlc views.
n he does not acqulesce, the stays
manager goes on cutting and alashing
Just the same. while the author
gnashes his teeth IN lmpotent rage.
Then the play u cast-that Il 70 say.
is parts are distributed 20 the mem
bers Of thu stock company Of the thea
ter. or the company supporting the
star" II such organization L. not
already In existence. the people have
10 be found and specially engaged. un-
der contracts as easily breakahle by
the managerl a. pie crust Their pay
does not begin until the actual public
presentation Of the piece though their
hardest work iH done during the weeks.
perhaps months. OF rehearsal Mean
while. the stage manager has prepared
scene plot. whereWlih 10 start the
scene painters. stage carpenters. cleo
triciana and gasmen az their respective
Jobs. A list Of properties" Il drawn
up. including all furniture and access
series used In each act. and every sep
arate article called for, fnom -eu m. 2
tation elephant 70 a forged will. II
the play be a costume piece lrequiring
foreign or fancy dress. or clothes q
another period than today. these have
20 be designed. fitted and made 20 or
der FOR the principals Of the cast. The
wigmaker receives extensive and d.
vera orders. The leader Of the orchos-
ira has troubles Of bis own with the
incidental music. Finally q call Il
posted and the company assemblies for
the hrst rehearsal. This may be IN
the theater where the play IL 70 ha
presented. CT In any other house that
happens 20 Be unoccupled az the mo-
ment Il is not MATERIAL stages arr
alike. behind the curtain. They are
all bleak. dark. draughty and dusty.
and always smell OF gas. Time. 70 ..
m.-The stage manager. sitting en-
throned At a little table Al the front
and center Of the stage. with The nam
uscript before him ana n4sea's
buneh-lighi a hlA e,os. ION G. ~
scene. The cavernous gloom Of IL.
empty theafer stretches beyond. On
the stage the actors and actresses ar,
huddled In little whispering groups.
The stage manager calls time. and the
first words Of the play are spoken fol
the first time officially. Il Is a read.
ing rehearsal. the actors having thsli
parts-little typewriter brochures.
with the cues red-llned-ln their
hands. After a few days they are re-
CURED to be "dead-letter-perfect- with
their lines. 20 that attention can hs
concentrated upon the entrances. er-
~. groupings and general business
OF the action. All these are mapped
out on large sheets OF paper rcsemhllnr
meteorological charts. The stage man.
ayers annotations on the .prompl
copy" Of the play almost equal IN vol.
ume the words written By the author
Il has been said. and very truly. that
plays are not written. but rewritten.
Weeks pass. rohearsals 80 on strcnu.
ously and the thousand and one sux.
gestlons and inspirations arising from
the daily contact Of many minds crys.
talllze into a consistent whole. which
ls the play" as the public win So Il
on the hrst nigh, Of lis performances
The preparation Of Il. az here outlined
has cost the manager or producer II
round figures $4,000. The proinctian
OF a comic opera. in lrsl class style
with a large company and chorus. cost.
" costumes and elaborate scenery
may. and frequently does. involve an
actual outlay Of $4,000 before TIE cur
ain ls raised