The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-06
CREENROoM is HISTORIC.
This Important Adjunct of the stage
Dates Back To 1876.

oates Back to 1876.
| From the Chicago Chronicle.
TO the American as we'll as TO the
European stage the 'greenroom" is as
essential an adjunct as the property
room, the 'armory,' the firing room
OF the painting room" NotWith-
standing this fact and the fact also
| that in all it's essentially the green
| room has been handed down to us
through an epoch of drama dating
backward TO the first London theater
ever instituted under Elizabeth in the
year 1876, only to greet us as posterity
and bringing With it no pedigree OF
origin, no plausible excuse for having
been inaugurated and but limiting at
Il namesake which we must accept and
in accepting interpret as best we can
Like many customs originating in the
oblivion of ancient history. the green
room is given prestige. is sanctified by
society, is eagerly pounced upon by
modern art and, in short. is idolized by
all lovers of antiquity or primexal de
sign. For this reason if not for an
other, ii might be termed indispensable
TO modern and reputable theater
again. unlike many ancient customs or
lads, the greenroom does not prev
upon our sympathy for antiquities and
ask our adoption in lieu alone of the
nobility of its ancient patrons, but is
gratefully accepted by modern archi-
tects as a room adaptable to modern
purposes and needs.
Regardless, then, of its primitive uses
or functions, the greenroom has been
for years and years 10 the actor what
yestfy is to a church choir. In the
practice of his profession he needs il,
he frequents il. and, regardless of it's
name. its origin or the purpose for
which it originally served he simply
must and consequently does have it.
He claims it by the right of prescrip-
ton or by heredity. He considers ii as
ii has been described by one of Eng
lands old actors: The greenroom is
one Of the antiquities OF the stage
which are heirlooms of the house of
Thespis. handed down from generation
TO generation. coming from no one
knows where"
Just why il was termed the green
room is disputed by historians Of to-
day. Webster says 1T is q room
close To the stage in a theater in which
the actors wait until ii is time FOR them
to go onto the stage or during the in
tervals Of their parts" He further
states that II gained its name from
having been originally painted in green
Worcester agrees with Webster eX-
cept that he believed ii was usually
rather than originally painted with
green. In writing of theatrical anti
quaries, some 80 years ago. an English
author refers to the greenroom as a
device that must be left. so far as it's
original purpose is concerned. to the
imagination He describes this room
which is identified with so many great
names and 50 closely connected with
the wits, the actors, poets and drama
fists in English theatrical history, a.
being the assembly-room. where the
performers meet when ready for the
stage. and said that il was curious oft
en-. in its collection of costumes. seen
too near. and that as gath
ering of bright and witty spirits IL was
frequently amusing.
From what definite information can
be gained from bits Of history chroni-
cled here and there the greenroom
seems to have undergone a radical
change from age to age. as the char
acter of plays has been eVolutionized
Such room was not known in con
nection with early Roman or Greek
theaters. The plays which Mere then
staged We're lacking in the newly born
Of operate chornses. They saw
ored more OF individua1ism and of soil
tary or dual casts. Then there was not /
the necessity Of general gathering
room.
With the advent Of Shakespeare
plays, i'm the 10th century. "A greater di- 4
versity Of characters was brought into
the profession and have since been
steadily increasing in number. l.. l..
Sharp, GhicaE8's veteran theatrical .
manager explains the demand OF a
green room as being first appr5 cated at
that time.
The various roles. says Mr. Sharp.
would come frsW their dressing rooms
and Enngfegute in the green room. In
those days each theater employed a call
boy. hose duty ii was To carry the call
rom The pramPter T. the gfeea room.
notifying the roles when il was time for
them H. take up their position behind
the wings. preparatory to receiving their F.
cues tor entrance TO the stage.
Two centuries later the green room
found recognition iu France. when the
FL ucb stag first won its reputation F
through the genius u such actors as
Mel.eTe. Cprnril!-. l. kaiH. Racine.