The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-08
TOPICS ZION srAGELANp.
Shut Theatres Busy with Rehearsals-Tho
beginning OF n Decline In NeEroism,

Shut Theatres Busy with Rehearsals-Tho
beginning OF n Decline In NeEroism.
On the stage Of many a shut theatre sits q
man in his shirt sleeves and with his back TO
the canvas-covered orchestra chairs. There Is
little light, and most Of IL comes from a bunch
OF gas Jets. There is in most cases no moro
|illusory background than the w~hitewashed
brick of the real wall. The actors are likely to
DO c~oatless. evon II they wear their hats. The
shirt waist predominates In the attire OF the
actresses. Sometimes thore IRE groups OF these
figures containing half n hundred persons. At
other theatres only six or seven move about the
stage, Directions from the man who sits
watching them or suggestions from those with
him guide the movements OF the players. who
speak slowly, sometimes uncertainty, or rend
from the slips Of paper that they hold In
their hands. The winter audiences would find
the present shows in the theatres nnnttractive,
commonplace and incomprchensiblo perform
anccs. because they nre now in the
process OF development. The preliminary
stnges Of rehearsinS are now going on daily in
nearly every New York theatre. The new sea-
son is in its embryonic and chrysalis state. 1t
is ripening in the dark. and out Of these long
hours Of work many public performances will
bloom within a month. Not only the theatres arc
thus occupied, but many halls as well. A good
proportion Of the companies which are 70
here. One theatre, now has q cast at work, on
the stage, another IN the, lobby, and a third in
hall formerly used as a bicycle rink has been
divided into four parts by no moro substantial
t RRSses sp S@ss a a set Saat ot. @ ACTORS IS 81 ENGAGED SET q SnS and %
viewed from a seat in, one of the balconies.
plny a lG Sav a" fina i Of %HG iyoot ESfo o %soq blod *
| by a number Of musical publishing firms, and
they are Just now nearly as active as the thea
tres. Good songs are an important element in
some plays. and i is often the ballad that
dows Of these places passers through the street
hear all day the cacophonous poundinEs OF null
singers trying the tunes.
The COON song has overwhelmed farce,
vaudeville and extravaganza these three years.
Negro Jokes. negro dancing, negro melodies
have swept through every branch of lighter
stage entertainment The present Casino
piece really presents the apothcosis of this.
The long procession Of negro cake-walkers in
the last act has the largest number OF negroes
ever gathered on the stage of a iirst-class
theatre. On the roof Of the same theatre
the most notable features Of the vaudeville
arc supplied by negroes. The audiences APP
plaud. but not with former warmth. Negro
ism in the shows has passed its highest point
and the decline has set in. The variety OF in
Producing negroes to sing their own music and
tell their own jokes was n change that pro-
longed the popularity. but the potency Of that
ia failing. Negro songs are now rarely at
temntrd nv the white comedians without the
accompaniment Of real blacks. The wano of
tho element is we'll shown in Yankee Doodle
Dandy" The solo performer who steps, out
from the, ranks Of his associates does nothing
that ~ characteristically Airiean; his 1Ficks
n Whit, mnn thev wouid have as much effect, In
the shelter on the roof the dancing by the negro
women frequently DOSSpSSpS no negro cnnr-
HGterNM hnt nv c,L INV Wall Il IL done in IN neg Tn styIa
TX. ~ , moS II,,a"rWS 49, jriub stonS WIN
no attempt at a1ything else; What Will come m
stage stag = p''t' u '"' :"
Adr.ehne palro,es' VINO n was nori mel YIN IN t ms
appreciated as much as she thought she should
nave nerh. - now se,er'e ~ W E SnatneS ,aronnn ~
the RGjane play is given. In spite of her sue
coss with tbo r6le R6iene ia said 70 have lost
some of her prestige in Paris, as the audiences
at the Vaudeville were not accustomed to such
frank realism as this study OF theatrical life
presented Hhe VIII pr0pa"iy go 10 0outh
America next spring and remain until the fol-
"T'"s ~ .
Jane iaaing VIII De the solitary star IN the
s. Martin under Conuelin's direction, He has
Ieojdnd not to NAV Nanoleon' In This niece
Josephine is first revealed previous to her mar
r;,,a che 10 tho tavoritn ~ n groun NJ ofacors
I'"Eei Wv u u VI, - ~ v. pnl
In order to cut the others out ana not because
he loves her. Napoleon makes her his wife.
In "The Eagle" which Rostand Is writing
for Sarah Bernhardt. the heroine is Fanny
Fssler. the dancer. and the intrigue of the play
is furnished by the Duc de Rcchemont love
" "ll''9 v "o wv
for her.
Ellen Terry Is to play Pauline in THE Lady
~ LYONS" oftor ali She has not acted the
..-.,l .,,-l, 81 tbn JI.y,I1n.IIaa 90. ,,nny
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