Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-10-04
THEATRICAL ENGAGEMENTS.
How the Dramatic Artist Secarea
His Contract for the
Season.

That's good" said the stage man
ager of a summer garden as he looked
over the contents of a big envelope
that had come to him by mail. Here's
my contract for the winter season.
Lets have a glass of mineral water
on the strength of it."
While discussing the mineral water
the stage manager revealed d few of
the mysteries of getting a job with
a theatrical company, relates the ST.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
The first essential" SAID he, lis that
you know how to GO the work that
YOU want some one to pay you for CO.
ing. and that you let it be known that
you know. Surprising you TO be rec
nizeG in the profession as a competent
artist and you want an engagement.
your first step is to enter your name
on the books of a dramatic agency il
New York. When a manager comes
around looking for a person possessed
OF the qualifications you have. the
agency man gives him your name. If
he decides that you are the man for
him the agency notifies you, and If
you ike the place @ write and ask
for your contract. When it comes Won
s:gn it. and your mind is at rest. The
agency doesn't do all this for love OF
you or motives of patriotism. It eX-
acts 9 percentage of your salary for
the first ten weeks of your engage-
meGt The usual fee is five per cent.
My new contract calls for an engage
meEt Of 20 weeks with a salary of So
a week. The agency will collect $3.7S
a week from me for ten weeks. Then
l vii be free of it,"
suppose you don't give satisfaction,
or you cont get along with the man
ager OF the comPany?"
That is covered by the two weeks
Cause in the contract He can dismiss
me for cause after giving me tive
weeks notice. If he Gismisses me
without good and sufficient cause !
ear collect the amount OF my salary
from him. That is. I can collect the
amount 1 lose by being out of an en-
~gagement. For instance, if Il am let
out after two weeks and do not secure
another engagement. he must pay me
my salary exactly as though I had con
tinuee in his employ. If. however,
get another place, he is liable only fol-
the amount of my actual loss
Suppose you quit; what recourse
has the manager2"
He can sue me for damages. or en-
join me from working for any Other
theatrical company. OF course. thest
contracts can be broken. and some
times they are, but the person who
breaks n loses caste in the profes-
sion. I remember one case where q
prima donna quit a company and the
manager sued her. She employed a
shrewd lawyer and he brought out
that while she was employed TO sing III
comic operas the manager had on one
occasion put on 'Cavaleria Rusticana.~
This the court held. vitiated the whole
of the contract. and the prima donna
could not be held to her engagement.
This was a victory on a techHicality.
and the woman was blamed for tax.
ing advantage of it. II hurt her with
managers. and it was several seasons
before b got another desirable en-
gagement."
Suppose after a man has signed a
contract to go with one company. he
is offered a more desirable position:
what is the custom?"
In such a case the man asks to be
relieved of his first contract. and If
there is time TO get another ma in
his place he is let go. In the event
that the artist is one of great draw
ing power the manager would not be
so complacent; but we are talking
about the average player"