The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-24
GETTING ON THE STAGE.
TYPICAL EXPERIENCE or A GIRL
TRYING TO GET 4 PLACE.
The Customary Effort and Ressit-Her FRIENDS
thought Hcr Talented and She WAS VIII
ing to Take q small Part at Ffrst-Whoie-
some Advice That She Followed Finally.

Ing to take y Smhh huEt
soms Advice That She Followed Finany
The fat proprietress looked at the young
woman quite as indefinitely as she might have
stared out of a window. The girl was at
~tractiye. but the woman at the desk PAID nc
heed TO her looks. Us she waited foS an answer
10 her question. You must know, she SAID.
impatiently, what line Of parts you want 70
play" Her tone alarmed the girl. Who ans
wered her quickly.
I'D thought I'd like to play serious roles
-Camil., Juht and parts ike thai MY
toacher always said | could do those best.
Serious and emotional business. NO e1-
perienc :" wrote the fat woman In u leogei
on the desk in front Of her. Then she slammed
the book TO and pushed II aggressively out
OF her way. You might come around every
day, II it's convenient, she said to tho girl,
who had risen TO 70. but you need not put
yourself out to do 1t. / can write TO you a.
soon as there is anything. You must UNDER
stand. though. that there is very little demand
for the services Of an inexperienced girl. low
ever talented she may think she Is H you
had voice enough TO go into a chorus m
where"
The girl WINGED. That word chorus al
ways obtruded itself painfully into the con.
versations about er prospects. and she wanted
to keep the thought as remote as possible.
IF you had a voice and was willing to 60
into a chorus" the woman went on, why
IL would not be diflcuitt to find something very
soon. But you want parts right away and
that is quito a different matter. | might az
well tell you now that tho very best thing l
can do for you will be to get a mail part In
some road company. Or you may have to
act several small parts in a play. The most
they will pay you is s25 a week. You'll have
to pay your own living expenses out OF that,
OF course. II you're very lucky. II may be
possible to find something OF that kind. II
l do, you will be more fortunate than nine
girls out Of ten. Come in, II you are In the
neighborhood. Otherwise I'll write to you.
II anything turns up"
The girl glanced into the room sdjoining
the Office of the woman who kept this theatre
cal exchange. She had never boon In one
before. 1t was the last step she had taken
In her effort to get on the stage In New York.
Seated about the room precisely as domestic
servants are in intelligence offices were half
a dozen women Of various ages. The Oldest
Il them was white haired while the youngest
was a chubby faced blonde woman OF about
50, They we're apparently acquainted and
we're telling chiefly Of their own experiences.
They were all there for the purpose OF getting
en- engagement. although every one was anx-
ious that it should not be thought she was
too anxious over the matter. Their extreme
interest was shown by their presence In the
waiting room. They wanted 10 be on the
spot at the first sign Of employment.
Il didn't want TO go out again with Hearts
and Hands for another season." said a hand
some brunette woman dressed in u cheap at
tempt at finery. I've been with them for
three years and I want to do something new.
They wanted me to stay with them psrticu-
larly because they're going West this year
through a territory where I'm very well known.
But | thought I'd rather do something here,
I've turned down several offers already be-
cause I want TO stay in New York.
well. I'm not going out with The Rubber
Shoe again." said tho little blonde woman.
because they won'tpay me my money. They're
making everything cheaper for next year. but
that doesn't 60 with mo. I oct my money or
| don't work. They're still after me. but I've
told them my terms, and | wont go back for =
cent less than they gave me last year"
The oldest woman. who had added nothing
but a few words to this discussion. heard what
all tue WOrneu uhu W shy. . Doch III sAo
business long enough to understand what all
this talk was worth. She knew that none OF
the women there would not have been glad 70
renew their engag aments with the companies
they had acted with before. But they all
thought IL due their professional dignity to talk
In the way she had lust heard.
The %aspirant who had dropped into a chair
for the sake OF enjoying the sensation OF being
a profossional-whic her presence In the room
gave her--understood none Of the underour-
rents Of the conversation and accepted It all
as gospel truth. She did notice that all but the
old woman seemed to eye her with an unusual
interest whom she came into the room. For
several days In succession she returned every
day TO the agency. The fat woman at tho desk
had nothing for her.
"It's difficult, you know, Miss e. she would
say. ito find what you want. ] placed twelve
yesterday with The Flyaway Girl company
but they were all willing 70 do chorus work.
Maybe something will turn Up. though" At all
her visits she found some woman out Of the
group she had seen on her first visit. They wore
still waiting for the offers that suited them.
W hich were as a matter Of fact any oners at all.
The aspirant for the stage who finally visited
the theatrical agency WAS not different In any
important particular from most OF her kind.
She was young. rather pretty and poor. She
had to make "a living. and as she was a little
more ambitious than some other women. she
decided that she would try the stage But
she would never have formed this resolve II
she had not already been told by her friends
that she had talent, because nobody could
have acted as we'll in amateur theaticals or
recited as well In school without natural talent.
So she took several courses OF elocution before
presenting herself to the managers In New
York. There was very little doubt In her mind
tina, employment would be ready, and she had
ambitious plans Of beginning at the head Of
one of tho New York companies Immediately.
She agreed with herself that 1t would be I'M
reasonable for her to insist on n lead
ing role. If Their" should be for her a
secondary part which would give her &
good opportunity to show her powers and
probably demolish the leading lady Of tho
company BY her success. These wore the
she was travelling toward New York. Her
assets were enough to pay her board In q very
humble establishment for six weeks and a letter
IN one New York manager. She had gotten
that from the pr oph tor Of the theatre In her
local town. She imagined that no other letter
would be necessary, as this first manager would
no doubt engage her himself.
IL happened that he had been long out OF the
business Of engaging anybody at all. and was
at that time employed by All actor who had onos
been a metnDer OF his company. He. finally re-
o,ved her one day. after she had called on him
halt a dozen times and writton ~ often. He
read her letter, seemed to recall the name OF
the writer with difficulty and ex hibltsd no
cordiality when he finally placed the country
Hilu1unr in MA mafnnFY