The Washington times., 1901-07-28

| cnee-tId.
w. T. Francis, who wrote the music 70,
"a Royal Rogue the De Angels offer
Ing of last season, will supply the score
for the new piece, which will have its
first performance in November.
A recent advertisement of a dramatic
school is authority for the assertion that
twentyone graduates have had positions
secured for them with companies. most
of which are controlled by the Frohmans,
| who are advertised in connection with
| this particular school. This statement
| should cause the average attendant of the
| theatre to shudder and make mental vows
to eschew the playhouses in which these
ambitious young people will make their
| appearances.
| The influx of the amateur Thespians is
| cause for grave consideration and fear on
| the part of the player whose education in
| theatrical matters has been gained oy
hard work-laborS extending over n pc
| riod of years. one great fault to be found
| with the school of acting" actors ana
| actresses is that, rule, they possess
| absolutely no talent and have nothing TO
commend them beyond the ability to get
| along without any salary, and there nave
| been instances in which young players OF
this type have actually paid for the priv
| ilege OF being troupers
In this connection the Dramatic Mir
ror," which is regarded as the mouthpiece
| of the better class of actors, says:
| THE relative positions OF employer anu
| employed, of payor ana payee, IN tue
| theatrical world are becoming somewhat
! confused. 1t is no longer safe to assume
| that the player who struts the stage Is
making his bread and butter by his effort.
| More often than is generally supposed tine
| player is paying his manager handsomely
| for the privilege of following the profes-
| sion. This condition would be humorous
| were 1t not tragic to many actors VINO
must needs look upon the stage as an I'M
mediate means of livelihood rather than
| as a profession TO be conquered by shrewd
| design or as vehicle for vanity
Last season in one of the most prori, l,
| nent companies in New York a young man
| appeared in small part, acted II Wen anu
| was regarded by the majority of onlookers
\ as a promising fellow who had the goou
| sense to begin at the bottom Oh the iauueI'
| presumably on a small salary. AS mat
| ter of fact the young man paid the mana
ger good round sum at the beginning OF
| his own board and clothes. This season
| the young man, having by MS marvellous
| aptitude for the stage. and his INDUSTRY.
| forged rapidly to the front. Is to head
| very fair company on the road under the
| management of a theatrical firm, as a
| star For this privilege ne has paid the
| management over a thousand dollars, ana,
| as before. is to pay his own expenses.
| The young man, though some persons
| might think him foolish, is wise In his
! generation. He IS a capable actor. con-
| sidering his short experience ana ne sees
| that by expending a few thousand dollars
| which he fortunately has to spend-he
| can rise in three or four seasons to a
| position in public esteem that without
| money he could not hope to gain IN a
| quarter of a century. From one view
| point he may scarcely be censured Tor ms
| enterprise nor may the managerr-in these
| days of commercialism-be blamed Tor en-
| payinC him. Nevertheless. such enter
| prise reflects unfortunately upon other
| players not possessed of wealth. ~ is a
thrust that cannot be parried: rms one
| case which has been mucn discussed on
1 the Rialto, has without doubt embittered
| the. hearts of hundreds of hard-working,
| ambitious players. The bravest hope can
| scarce engage in battle against SO wei
| armored an antagonist.
| ..The case of this enterprising young
| man might not awaken concern II IL were
unique But it is far from being unlaue, n1i,',
| Last season a first rate company travelling
\ in the West possessed Q. leading woman
| and an ingenue. both of whom acted fairly
| well, dressed well, were accompanies -py
| their own maids and paid all their ex-
| penses A number of like instances
| might be given, but these suffice to Illus
| trate the present condition of AFFAIRS Inc
Young man is taking a short cut to fame.
| The women merely satisfied their vanity
The season of musical comedy at
| Chase's has been the forerunner of what
! patrons of vaudeville houses throughout
| the country may look for during the conf
| ing theatrical year. The season at the
Grand was somewhat in the nature OF an
experiment. but it has showed managers
| of the vaudeville theatres in the different
| cities in the East that their audiences
| will find much to please them in revivals
| of the Hoytian pieces, with plenty OF IN
| terpolated specialties.
There is little doubt but that the organi-
| cation that has been housed at Chase s
| for the past few weeks will play the vau-
deyille circuit next season, giving the
same pieces that have been offered to To-
! cal audiences, and that, in addition, the
! a
| of other attractions that greatly differ
| from the usual run of vaudeville bills.
| The announcement is made that Mrs.
| Fiske and Henrietta Crosman Will both be
| seen here at ChaseS next season, and
there is little doubt but that other indie
! pendent stars will find an open week at
| the Grand before the close of the sea-
son. Manager Chase has stated that the
| Percy HaSwell stock company will come
| over from Baltimore for two weeks during
! the year and with Robert Mantell and a
! the syndicate breastworlSs, Mr.. Chase
| should have no difficulty in booking half
of his season with attractions that are
| generally referred to as legitimate y
| Washington was compelled to forego the
| pleasure of visits from Miss Crosman and
| Mrs. Fiske last season simply because
| there was no theatre available for their
use, but there is a prospect that numerous
| anti-syndicate actors and actresses will
| be seen here during the next ten months.
| Just how profitable such attractions will
|
|
| Henrietta Crosman's press agent writes
! that the actress available material for
next season consists of plays from such
| well-known writer's George C. Hazel
| ton, jr., whose Mistress Nelr' was the
| sensational success of last year; J.
| Comyns Carr, of the Lyceum Theatre
| London: Gilbert Parker. A. e. w. Ma
| son. Mrs. w. X. Clifford. Mrs Emma
Greenleaf Sutherland, and a Shakes
pearean production. Her season will
| open on the road with Mistress Nell,
| and the first new production will be Mrs
| Sutherland's play, Joan of the Shoals" "
! which will be tried in October. The
Shakespearean production will be first
seen in Chicago at the Studebaker Thea
| tire, and the play selected is Twelfth
| Night and this will be played there with
| Mistress Nell"
Joan of the Shoals" will probably be
| used for Miss Crosman's opening at the
| Theatre Republic in February and
| Twelfth Night will also be done there
| Mr. Hazeltons new play is nearing COM
plction, and will be put in rehearsal in the
| fall The vehicle for her New York en-
gagement will depend the success of
! these new productions on the road. Gil
| bert Parker has promised Miss Crosman
| his new play The plot has been submit
| ted and pleases her greatly. The play
| that has been accepted from Mrs. Clifford
| is In two acts, and is called "A Supreme
| Moment" The play Mr.. Carr is about TO
begin will not be ready for this season.
| Miss Crosman also has under considera-
| ton play from a. e. w. Mason, the au-
| thor of the new play Mrs. Fiske will pro-
! duce at the Manhattan Theatre in Sep
| tember.
| The annexation of the names of States
| for dramatic uses still goes on right mer-