The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-30
Sc
The AMATEURS
Terrors Of a Dress Re-
hearsal and First
Night.
IMPORTANCE OF MAKE UP
Free Reformed Players VIII
Produce Two One Act
Pieces.

The rehearEalS Tor a play are uDL Ill
tina trouble the amateur company. The
night before the performance arrives and
the company is on hand earlier than
usual for the dress rehearsal, all hands
gather about the big trunk that reposes
in the middle of the floor. filed with coll
ored bundles of costumes neatly tied and
each labeled with the name OF the char
acter it is intended for.
The bundles are distributed and carried
Of to the dressing rooms to be put on
and adjusted with as much care as II the
audience would see the result. There is q
chattering and a demand for pins and as
sistance from all quarters Of the BUILD
Ing, with an OCCASIONAL Interpolation of
such remarks as. Does he think I'm an
e~lephant9' and Look at that hatr'
Finally the actors come forth amid
shouts of laughter and loud protests
about the fit Of clothing and the fitness
of costumes. The property man then
makes a final list Of things needed. 1t is
his duty to have all that is required on
hand positively without fail the following
night.
At the dress rehearsal the actors see
each other for the first time In the clothes
Of the character tosbe portrayed. At this
rehearsal all the properties are used as at
inc fssuaar pefic : -, =
snll1eo ana the use " nsilS stuuieu ?
that each effect may be carefully noted
and changed II necessary. There is music
enough to show what the effect of the or
chestra will be and as far as possible a
rssuiar prsseitation y ~ pay - sisen-
The coach is ON hand, and usually q few
favored outsiders who are identified with
theatricais ~ one way =
tween the acts ene curtain Is io"ereu allu
raised ana AZ scenery aHo s.ase see1inss
the performance.
me costumes nave oAae1en, eneslS Z
oiHefent actors. some are hAnuicappeu
ana others are given an extra anhoune -
artlstic Hn'sn ior ene'r scenes. A. 2 RUE
those VINO arg h~huicapeu conse.nte =
majority. II y rare 70 see "nat tne mos
kindiy woula term a nnlsnen performance
at a dress rehearsal. These renearsais are
IN the vast Majority OF cases ihe poorest
IN the preparation o. z pay
one dress renearsai OF a iocai organiza-
ton was OF such Q KIND tnat me coacn
was moved aIter three hours exhaustive
enort, 10 speak from ms neaft as ioi-
Wen, go on, and II you are as pad as
this tomorrow night, GOD help you
That performance was the GROWING
glory OF the ORGANIZATIONS career IN
fact there is q superstition tnat a COCO
dress rehearsal Is a bad omen. Ihis feel
ing prevails In the professional ranks as
Wen as IN tne amateur
Late that night the . ieaves
AFTER receiving a lew words or ADVICE
from the coach, the gist OF which Isl
Don't STUDY tomorrow; take your time
IN your scenes; II you make a mistake
cont go oack anosrepeat words, PICK up
your cues quickly, ana remember tnat
silent actlon is acpng-
All go away more or less 1earful OF tne
Following nights WORK ano the more fear
Iul and nervous are by no means the poor
EST artisls. Inere y some consolation TOT
amateurs IN remembering mat Hacnafu
Mansneia is prooapiy the most nervous
mar IN the PROFESSION To-Day. one story
mas y tnai ne Manlsu y postpone ms
Original proouetion OF cyraho dc ber-
serac a the last ihoInent' "neh the
mouse was Iuii. ~ - safo ne was hagnly
exciteo ana oeciaeoiy nervous.
Hours before tne time SET Tor me rs
ing OF the CURTAIN Inc night OF the
show, the company IS on nand making
preparations Tor the play M stage
manager ls putting on the nnisnlng
touches to the setting TOT the nrst act
ana arranging the properties Ior Inc
other acts SO mat they may De nandied
easily ana quickly SO that the waits VIII
pc as snort as posslpie-
In the dressing rooms the actors are