The Portland daily press., 1898-12-06
AMATEUR ACTORS.
a Great Decrease in the Number of Organ,
izations in the Last Twenty Years.
New York SUM-

/
Where twenty years ago there were
nearly 300 well established, successful and
popular amateur theatrical companies,
made up of men and women more or less
conspicuous in the social life of the large
cities and particularly New York, Brook
| lyn, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago,
there are now scarcely dozen. Brook
lyn We'd with Boston for many years in
the number and importance of it's anna
| teur theatrical societies. All such com
panies were much alike in makeup.
There was the stalwart young leading
man, who had invariably the choice of
parts and of plays. There was the gifted
and accomplished leading lady, who per-
sisted in selecting heroines attired in the
most expensive fabrics and in the latest
style. There was the invaluable stage
manager, who played small parts or no
parts, but without whom no represents
tion was deemed complete. There was tne
low comedian, who was the life and spir-
it at rehearsals, If not always the most
efficient member of the acting IcasD on
the niQht Of the performance. There was
the plump and good natured young man
with changing voice and total In
difference to appearances, who gave evil
dence of his amiability by playing old
men. and there was the equally good-
natured young girl with the sweet, fresh
face, who looked well (and knew she
looked well) in gray wig, ourled iieeie
on the sides, and surmounted with a be-
co ming cap. She played the old woman.
Then there was, Of necessity, the gay
soubrette, who always quarrelled with
the low comedian at rehearsals, burying
usually the Ratchet Of amateur theatrical
jealousy in philopena or a supper.
Th csc performers were the fixtures OF
each company, but there were others who
filed out the remaining parts, particular
~ the heavy villain, who was in almost
every case, it was observed, hard-work-
Ing and deserving bookkeeper In some
business house, while the dashing adven-
turess of the company, who plotted the
ruin of the hero and heroine, was in prl-
waite life devoted to charitable ac5s OF a
useful character, O member OF a sewing
society and of a Sunday school class OF
teachers, too.
OstensibIy organized for giving anna
teur performances, these societies were
rather of social than of theatrical
character OF 80 members, perhaps, not
more than twenty five or thirty in each
actually participated in the performances
given, which were usually to the NUMBER
of six or eight in a season; the number
I of rehearsals being from twenty to forty.
The other members of the society appeared
at the entertainments as spectators, but
they had their inning later, for after each
performance there was a reception and
dance and these spectators took q more
active part, usually in that function than
did the stage performers.
BY degrees amateur performances
ceased to be given to select few. In
stead of being by invitation price was
oh arged. Entertainments were not given
for the satisfaction Of the members, but
for some public purpose, and as strangers
attended-tOtal strangers to tho perform
ers and their friends in many cases-these
amateur theatrical entertainments We're
Invested of ons Of their chief titles to
popularity and there were many with
1rawals from mem bership. That was the
beginning of their decline and IL was
further celebrated by the success OF some
| Of the members who remained, and at
terward found recognition on the profess
lsional stage, which has been recruited
considerably from amateur societies DUR
ing the past ten years. Some OF the best
amateur performers Withdrew entirely
! for the reason above stated, believing
their attendance at public entertainments
for which price was charged involved
a sacrifice of privacy and decorum. Obn-
ers went on the regular boards.