The Washington times., 1901-10-06

sured.
"Ahcut the only thing I have nev.r 1T
tempted to do in connection with the
show business is to build a theatre" said
w. ]. Fielding. manager of the "A
Ragged Hero company, to a Times inter
viewer at the Academy of Music yester-
day. Il came pretty near accomplishing
that. too. in Philadelphia, but my angel
backed out at the last minute. He had
cleared nearly a quarter of million Of
dollars on real estate deal in Atlantic
City. where his father had been a uioneer
and had at his death, left d fine LUac ch of
sand hills to his only sou. The nev .Lild-
ing law makes 1t necessary to exp ii an
extraordinarily large sum of monry on
theatres in Pennsylvania. ard Though
l had my backer worked U to fever
heat, he decided to invest h --, ney in
another assortment Of sand a.. .hile /
remained theatrical tourist
nave handled almost every kind and
grade of attractions in my twenty years
experience and / find that meIudrama at
popular prices is the safest investment for
manager of moderate means.
ITO begin with, the original outlay is
not so great as that required to put on a
high-claSs play. | was manager for the
late Carrie Turner when that excellent
actress starred in the Crust of Society
Z
of hard work, but the staging OF such
piece is something that | do not care to
attempt again. 1t is much easier to pro-
duce a melodrama for popular audiences.
Your society actress. as a general thing,
knows II all and has a few points up her
sleeve ready To drop into her managers s
hand at short notice. Her support must
be of more than average merit and in
telligence and Will. as a matter Of course.
include some has beens and disappointed
histrions, who never neglect an oppor-
tunity to advise the management as to
how these things Were done in the palmy
days when / was with Forrest One
would scarcely believe that so many
petty quarrcls could arise between the
leading woman and the other ladies of
the company in regard to the color of
dress or a bit of ribbon or the style of a
hat The stage manager, of course, en-
deavors to effect harmony in colorinS, but
each female member of the east wants TO
have her say in the matter. The relative
position on the programme. the choice of
dressing rooms, and dozen other APP
parently triiiing matters are worried over
until they assume the proportions OF a
casus belli.
ION the other hand. the producer of
melodrama has an easy task. His ac-
tors and actresses are generally out for
the money and are thoroughly satisfied
when they get it. They have learned 10y
experience that the stage manager s word
is law, and they lose no time diSputing It.
As a general thing there are no rCputa-
tionS to live up to in an organization of
this kind. uniform excellence being aimed
at oftener than individual exploitation.
| seem to have fallen into the melodra-
matte rut and / don't mind telling you
that | prefer my present style of aCtrac-
tion to any other. / am getting good
money. too, and | think IN STAY in the
old rut 50 long as it brings in the ready
cash
The old home of Washington Irving,
preserved intact in it's interior architec-
ture. white faced outside, with curious
latticed windows. is now and has been for
...-......l ,.-..r.. IL. hnnhDIn hn1nn.. nf AIi.c