Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-13
THE STAGE WORLD.
A PEEP AT THE AcroR As HE Is
OFF THE poAnDs.
BR is QUITE LIKE OTHER MoRrlLS
The Player IL Not Half Had Fellow
when You Know Him-Linco'n J'
Carter. n.ginning-we May See
ua,timore's stock Company.

nalffmore'S STOCK tef"f"'
Hoy little those OF the great theatre
going public understand the men and wo-
men who people the stage worldl FROM
h,s comfortable seat in front the play
eoer witnesses the performance anu
carefully scruttnizes those who Gene be-
fore the foot-iights, making many
mental comment as to this or that par
,sc,;iar character. He sees them only as
they appear 10 him IN the roles impcr-
sonated. and from such impressions ne
often forms his opinion of the man or the
woman. lie looks at the programme ana
finds tho name OF the person who Is cast
I'm this or that character. but though no
may not know IT. he IS very often as much
IN the dark IS before. TO sum u ah UP
he ia Acquainted only with the character
ma sees. and. as a rule. is as ignorant OF
the player. who loses his own idenuty III
the part no is assuming, as though 'he
actor had never come within the range OF
his vision. lie may go to a matinee anu
sit An the front row. and for two fourS
and a half lie almost close enough TO reach
over tho foot-lights and touch those on
;ba s,age. yet at the hotel that night he
may sit beside the actor or actress as ne
eats his supper. and never know ne Is
again In their presence.
The outside public entertain some very
peculiar Ideas in regard 70 those VINO
make their living on the stage. And these
views are the sole result OF one ulns-
a
always form a gulf between the people or
the stage and those OF the outside world,
and those of the latter have seldom cross
ed this barrier. and placed themselves IN
a position 70 become acquainted with the
mon and women as they appear In social
life. when the mask is off their faces.
Let US look at these people after the
stage door has been closed behind them,
and they are breathing the same air
which gives life 10 ordinary mortals. Ihey
really can inhale the same air that we
do. despite tho fact that some people In
this world believe that these play act
ors" are not 10 be classed with ordinary
human beings. Many believe That the
poor Thespians rather live In an atmos-
phero OF birthstone. in order that they
may gradually become accustomed TO 1t,
but this view IN ridiculous.
You will find the actor. in the first place,
a perfect gentleman. He is generally an
entertaining oonversauonalist and Is in
formed on all the leading topics OF the
day. In his views he is always liberal.
He has an opinion of his own but he does
not set II up against that of the world.
Constant travel has made him exceedingly
broad-minded. for nothing in the world
tends more TO produce this mental state
than being daily thrown in contact with
different types of the great human family
in all parts OF the land. Very often he
has home ties, TO which he is bound as
firmly as the man who. with the setting
OF the sun each day, returns TO his family
circle, and mingles with his wife and chill
dren around his own fireside. The public
Is too prone to believe that the actor is a
wanderer upon the face Of the earth. He
is not a wanderer any more than Is your
esteemed and worthy friend, the CONNER
cial traveller. His journey is mapped out
for him. and he knows in just what ports
he will drop his anchor. Then. too, the
popular idea Is that the player Is an ex-
tremely dissipated man. Another error to
be accounted for. like all the otheTs-ig-
porance Of the subject Some of them are
dissipated, but 1t is not the rule by any
means, and does not apply TO the theatre
cal profession more than 1t does TO any
sther calling.
The women of the stage are misjudged
more than the men. however. There are
had women on the stage-yes. There are
also bad ones off the stage. You will find
them here, there, and everywhere the
first woman was a bad one, and there
have been bad ones ever since. But the
idea that every woman on the stage must
be immoral. simply because she is on
l. -, 60 frnn
from the public mind. Many sap-headed
Johnny has learned from sad expert
ence. and couple of black eyes inflicted
by some masculine member OF theatre
cal company, that there are at least some
women on the stage who must be treat
ed with the same respect accorded those
in other walks of life
Lincoln j. Carter IS a king among pro-
ducers OF melodrama. No production oil
the stage appeals more to the gallery
than does the melodrama, and when 10
an exciting plot is added realism to make
the picture complete, then 1t Is that the
gods" are IN their heaven. In all or car
ter's productions the stage carpenter ana
the electrician play far more important
part than does the swell-dressed man.
who wears a fierce black moustache. and
whose sole aim is TO utterly ruin the
manly young hero" and win ms best
girl from him. Yes, indeed. The two in
dIvIduals first named are not seen by the
audience, but they fit around behind the
scenes in their shirt sleeves. and when
whole block Of Chicago has to be burned
70 the ground; when the bowling winds
must sweep everything from the face or
the earth: when bridges fall, or houses
tumble, or the great iron horse or the
railway dashes across the stage, leaving
behind q cloud or smoke and a shower
OF sparks. then you can just bet thaI
these men. who are not down in the cast
are the moving spirits In all the trouble
and that they can make the winds 10
blow, or the fires TO rage, by merely
crooking their fingers, and that pres
sure of their hands is sufficient TO quiet
the elements and make the scene as
peaceful as a May morning.
To count up Lincoln j. Carriers attrac-
lions now, one can hardly believe that
only eight years ago the author-manager
was struggling 10 produce his first melo-
drama. "The Fast Mail" Mr.. Carter, IN
speakIng of this, the beginning almost of
hia career in the theatrical business, says:
'T had never known what II was TO
possess any amount of money. and l
came upon hard lines. indeed, when l
began 10 peddle my play from manager
to manager, and found none TO take IL.
TO one. even offered half interest for
600. but he thoughtfully declined, and
the manuscript went back into my trunk.
At length / submitted the play TO Man
ager Hutton, OF Havlin's Theatre, Chi
cago. and he offered me a week in June.
1850. the terms being that the first thou
sand dollars taken should so to the house.
j leaped at this opportunity to secure