The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-28
THE STAGE MANAGER,
SOME OF THE WOES WITT, WHICH He
HAS TO WRESTLG.

The Hard Time lie Has When He L.
Managing For Rcpcrtory Compn-
n,-Thc AnnOynnccs Tint Attend
thc Numerous Rchcnrsn2s.
The public knows nothing at all OF |
the hardShips OF II stage manager"
coniided an actor To IL reporter. Rep
ertory companies generally close their
engagements about the middle OF May
and from that time until the first or
middle of August do nothing. Then
they begin rchcarsalS. two Il day. 1t IS
then that the hurdships Of the stage
manager begin. The whole rcpcrtory
of the company is thrown upon him in
heap. and he is compelled to sit up
into the small hours OF the morning
preparing the plays for rehearsal the
next day. He takes the manuscript ~
ii GENES to him. The manager OF the
company tells him that there arc so
, many ladies. usually three. and 50
many gentlemen, usually five to play
| the drama. But when the stage man
agc'' looks into the play he finds eight
| or ten male characters and possibly
! four or five female. But OF course lie
Is genius and can fix up such Il little
thing as that all right. He goes to
WORK. lie has one man play two or
three parts; another speaks the lines
OF two or more characters rs one
Then he draws his lead pencil through
other lines. The play Is all cut up anh
chopped to pieces. but don't blame him.
IIc can't help it. There are only three
wOmpN and five Il,nu fo ,,luv IL
"IIc thinks lie has done his work
we'll. He lays that play aside AMI
takes up another. using lis blue pencil
rs III tho first. These TWO plays arc
then ready for rehearsal.
''But he has no sooner said this to
himself than Il low rumbling sound is
heard in the cast. That Is the author
Of the play turning over In his grave
"Tle stage manager puts the hashcd
up manuscript under his pillow. think
ing that will retain his ideas Of Il mas
tcrly production. Actors are all super
stitious even In small matters. but that
rumbinG sound keeps up until day
light. He dvcams-urcnm many differ
ent dreams. but they are all TO one
point. and that is of his Skill In improv-
ing upon the author.
"Thcn lie comes to tho rehearsal next
day n veritablc crosspatch The first
rehearsal Is ~ w and monotonous to
all concerned. 1t is mere rending re-
hcarsal whereby the cast locate their
positions and get an idea Of the parts
they are about to interpret. They usu-
ally run through about two or three
acts and reserve the rest until after
dinner. when they finish that play and
start upon another. They have first
rehearsals' Of about three plays and
then go back to the first. They arc
generally called for 10 O'Clock. but Of
course In all communities and organi-
zations there are stragglcrs who nre
oblivious to the rights Of others. The
stage manager is mad. Rehearsal
starts. The man who opens the scene
comes In Mt the wrong place, and the
stage manager says. Il told you SO and
so,' to which the actor replies. 4 for
got
"Thus 1t Is all the way through the
play. Each actor or actress is trou-
Dled with defective memory. The stage
manager Is mad.
"At the third rehearsal thcy are ex-
! pccted &c know their parts. But no
matter how well person knows his
part fully two-thirds Of the time he
will have to be called when his cue
comes. He is Off smoking or telling
What q hit he has made In such and
such a part or Is criticising the stage
managers ideas Of stage business-in
some manner airing his own ideas to
the discontinue of the others.
"And the ladies' are always off in the
wings, paying no attention to the re-
hearsal. Their conversation is usually
about dress. The stage manager is
more annoyed by the nonattention of
the Indies than Of the gentlemen. for to
the ladies he must always be cour-
teous, while to the gentlemen he some
times uses language which IS TOO point
ed to breed respect and good feeling.
CAS- to the study or the lines, every
actor can tell q funny story. They gen.
orally study their parts in their rooms
ut the hotel. OF course they study
aloud, and the man in the next room
thinks he has crazy man for q neigh
bor.
"Soon the opening night comes, and
the actors go to tho theater to win
fresh laurels and each to regulate the
Others In their respective parts. The
first night always goes smoothly.
$There the abominable rehearsals
keep up for four weeks whether needed
or not There is only one thing that
will arouse the ire Of q comedian more
than an extra rehearsal after these
four weeks are up-tbat is to have
some. Of his 'horseplay' cut OUT
| Omaha World Herald.
Can Hear, but Rot See.
| tsWhaD naOpIo rand fbot orr,ian oro