The times., 1901-04-28
CHOOSING BALLET GIRLS
An Experienced Stage Manager
Shows How 1t Is Done.
II IEistrionicaily Inclined Young
Women Need Considerably More
Than Ambition to secure Even
Thinking Parts i'm Modern Plays.

The elaborately staged plays of the day
often include in their makeup hundreds
of women, who are utilized for marches'
choruses, and~perhaps to make up groups
for realistic backgrounds. 1t Is prooaple
that the selection of these women is pref
ty much the same in all large cities, so
that a fair estimate of the method OF
wedding out the applicants is furnished
by the following process adopted by
well-known manager in New York. The
scene was certain big stage and the
man who was TO pass Judgment upon the
hundreds of women, good, bad, ana IN
different, there assembled was the assist
ant manager thereof
Want to see me sort out the bunch?'
he asked a Sun" reporter. "Sit down by
me and watch. But don't expect that it's
going to be any Sunday school meeting.
We don't have time for heart-to-heart
talks about what girl yearns for, nor
why she yearns for it. And we haven
got time to consider her feelings All we
consider is whether she can fill out pair
of tights and can sing and dance and not
be homely enough to put out the foot
lights
He picked up a list of names and read
them aloud.
These ladies were examined and ac-
cepted yesterday" he announced ana
will please leave the room
About thirty girls filed out. They took
enough self satisfaction with them to cor
ner the supply. Proud? The room fairly
reeked with pride The Lady of Lyons
would have looked humble beside the
least of these
If there are any ladies here who were
not here yesterday said Mr.. Lawrence
'Iet them step forward"
Old hand that he is, he wasn't prepared
for what happened next. The 200 women
thundered down the room and down III
1pon the corner where Mr.. Lawrence was
entrenched behind table. 1t was as ter
rifyfng as a cavalry charge. The group
behind the table fed to fight OF steps
leading to the front of the house; all
but a very small errand boy who stood
his ground.
Make EN- get back, Pete shouted
Mr.. Lawrence to the small boy. Tell EN-
] wont look at EN- if they don't get
back
Cit back" commanded Pete with
NapoIeonic wave of his small arm.
The legions gave way reluctantly and
the group which had been behind the ta-
bic cautiously -reoccupied the position
which it had evacuated At once the be-
siegers showed signs of closing in again.
Make 'em get back, Pete" cried Mr.
Lawrence. Make 'em come one by one.
'Youse git back. ladies' said Pete with
another Napoleonic gesture.
The girls fell back. bat looked as If they
would pounce down again at second s
notice Pete held them, however, by the
uncoyed majesty Of his mien.
Now. then, for the bunch!' said Mr..
Lawrence. THAT little lady at the end
of the line, come up here.
The line Immediately developed as many
ends as a CATO -nine-tails has and an as
sortment of candidates, some little and
some who win never see five feet six
again, swooped forward.
Get back! Get back! Get back"
walled Mr. Lawrence. "Oh, if you could
ever get a chorus girl to work as hard
when she's got job as she works to get
one, we'd have to keep a rest cure on tap
for them Now, then. that little LADY
down there, the one with the big hat
This came near precipitating another
charge. For whatever may be the limita-
tions of the chorus girl, and there are sew
eral she has none in the line of head
gear She spreads herself when ii comes
to hats. Consequently, about 119 big hats
pricked up their ears, so to speak. But
the lHNdIQdDiG HEIt nTdIlY succeeded IN
bringing up the girl pointed out.
What's your name?" demanded Mr.
Lawrence.
Vivian Black"
Ever been on before9'
Yes sir
What in?'
She told, and added that her sister had
been at the New York with The Man in
the Moon company
Il don't remember any girl by that
name Pete; do you remember
Pete gave a beautiful exhibition of a
small hoy thinking violently. Then he
beamed
why. yes" he said Don't you re-
member? That was the English girl what
was goin' to marry the coon"
This had a somewhat demoralizing ef-
feet on the girl, but she consented to join
in the laugh
We'll, Vivian" said Mr.. Lawrence,
Wei give you try. There are no coons
in this company anyway. What's your
address? All right taking it down, you
wait over there. Next LADY,
one Of the pig-tailed young girls came
awkwardly forward.
Cant use you. my dear" cheerfuly
announced the stage manager before she
was half way to the table. Next Now
I told you yesterday" to the girl who
This makes four times you've been here
and it's just wasting your time and mine.
100. Don't come again. Do you hear?
Next, What's your name?'
Adelaide Murphy"
Have you ever been on before?"
Yes"
What in?"
"The-the Casino
What in?'
"Tn-in the Casino"
But in what pIay?" angrily.
We'll, | don't Just know the name of
"Oh! Well. I don't Just think we want
you. Next time stretch your imagination
a little further and find out the name OF
a piece as well as a theatre Next, Can I
use you, my dear, you're too big. Next
one of the general housework type
| slouched to the table. got her curt dismis-
sal and went off stolidly, not seeming TO
mind the open laugh which followed her
I frowsy head. Next came two or three
old hands. If they could give some sort
of proof of their experience their names
were taken and they were told to wait at
! one side Of the room.
/ The bunch dwinded as If by magic. Not
| n second was wasted. The stage manager
| sized them up with one keen comprehen-
| sive glance and disposed of most of them
with a curt. Indifferent, Cant use you,
| my dear
No one attempted TO alter mis- decision.
Every body could see that 1t was a case
| of q fair field and no favors. When girl
had met that lightning like inspection and
! seen the managers glance pass over her
| head to the next candidate she knew her
| case was hopeless. Even if she didn't
she had heard the impatient TRADE against
| the few who hadn't had sense enough 10
| take their dismissal as final. but had come
! a second and even third and fourth
| time.
! this first sieve. those who had been retain
! ed were put to second test. Mr.. Law
! renee sat back. wiped the perspiratiOn
! from his forehead and called up the first
girl whose name he had taken.
| They have their voices tried now, he
,RTn