The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-26
The Chorus Girl
What See Must Have
to Get a Position.

I OK Herald
There IS many a heart broken girl
waiting al the stage door; waiting for an
eneagement that can't be secured I've
4ramped these streets from agency TO
agency. from manager 70 manager, till
nv shoes and my heart are pretty near
" worn out And I'm no nearer luck
than the day I came ID towns In sick
70 death Of II all And I wish 70 God I
was back home again"
why don't you go?' said her com
panion.
GO? Ne 90 back home? And get
laughed al, and I told you So and all
that? Not much! Here I am. and here
III stick II 7 drop in the streets. But I
say it's a shame, all the same. Many
2 girl that hasn't half my looks, and not
& quarter Of my voice-and I not able 70
get an engagement I say its shame"
I talked over this topic with several
managers IN New York yesterday and
asked them 70 tell me candidly and fully
just what is the sitgation-just what
chance a girl has Of getting an engage
ment in respectable theatrical com
pany, OF with a good comic opera. or
ganiza ton
KIaw & E-Ianger know as much about
that sort Of thing as any one, for the
reason that they have numerous com
panias OF their own and are the booking
agency Of a great many organiza ions
that visit the leading cities. Mr. Frank
l. Pe-Iey, who managed the Bostonians
and other well known comic opera com
panies. and Is now starring Miss Alice
Nelson. is another among the several
managers whom 7 talked with, and who
sized Up the situation
first called on Klaw & Erlanger at
their great suite OF offices in the Hol-
land building. at FEtieth street and
Broadway. 4 staff OF clerks was busy
over the books; managers. actors, agents
were going IN and out-the place re
sembled a big banking or commercial
house, II which there was a constant
rush Of business. I was turned over %
Mr.. KIaw, who received me courteoUsly,
and after we were seated said: Wen, fire
ahead,''
Now. let Us suppose I said 10 Mr..
Klaw. Il an a chorus girl"
7 never would have suspected IT," said
Mr.. Klaw. or II you are your disguise in
trousers and high hat is perfect. Assure
me you are a chorus girl and Wen en-
gage you al once and put you on as q
male tnPersonator in one Of our shows
Consider that I have laughed. You
are very funny. If I ever run q min
strel show III put you on as end man.
But 10 return 70 our muttons-"
or our chocolate caramels II you are
q chorus girl"
well. 70 return ID our chocolate cara
mels. Let's suppose I an chorus girl
an inexperienced girl who wants to set
on the stage, and come 10 your Office
seeking an engagement Now. what
would you say 10 me2"
What time does your train 20, and
have you a return ticket? At least that
IS what I would feel ike asking you, bur
probably I wouldn't I would be polite
and ask Il you had had any stage ex-
pe-ience"
And I'd tell you I hadn't"
NO you wouldn't You'd tell me you
had had a good deal Of experience"
But In supposing I've had none"
You'd tell me you had. all the same.
And when I questioned you-I wouldn't
question you al all, you know-probably
our stage manager woUld-you' f5 most
beautifully But when he'd questioned
You he'd find out what you might as
well have told him first of, that you'd
been in a church Choir amid sung al fun
erals. and consequently felt vel calcu-
lated 70 do leading role in comic
opera"
Then. you'd fire me for having re-
Elected on one Of your shows
Not al all I'd think our companies
had never visited your town. and that
YOU were talking about some fellow down
The street Anyhow. we'd soon get down
70 business You'd have come to stay
an hour and talk l. AL over. and we
would be ready TO say yes or no 10 you
in three minutes and q half"
And II you said 'yes2 Why
Because We saw you had a handsome
face
and a good figure and somehow
impressed Us that you'd look we'll in thu
chorus ranks
But how could you know al this2
There's many a heart broken waiting
ar the stage door You know, and I've
been trar-ing the streets from agency %
asencv. TIL my shoes ana my heart are
nearly worn out and consequently
look haeEa-d and shabby and ike thirty
cents generally
oh, no you don't You've put the best
foot foremost. and instead cf looking Ike
thirty cents YOU resemble al least thirty
nine dollars and a hals But. no matter
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