The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17
Seen BEHIND THE SCENES
Pecnliarities and Environments Of
Vaudeville Artists.
seIf-coniidence "a Noticeable Charnc-
teristic of the Profcssion-An Ar
tistic Fnmiiy-Disnpooint Aero
bats-Fair Performers and Those
Who Handle the stnge Settings.

The visitor behind the scenes OF vau-
deyille theatre, If he be actuated By Curl
osity. and a conviction that theatrical folk
especially of that class. are funny peo-
pie" may excuse himself TO himself for
bis presence amid the strange surround
| ings Concerning these latter let one pic
ture. behind the mysterious stage en-
trance" and leading thence to the stage
itself, passage like to the ascent, in a
| large old-fashioned cattle stable. from the
stall to the hay loft. On one side Is a row
| OF compartments or cells which in the for
mer instance. might be intended for stor-
Ing the hay, but which. as a matter OF
| 1act are devoted to the use of the pro-
| fessional ladies and gentlemen. who. as
| the doors are often left open, may be seen
in various stages of dishabiIle, for an ov-
| erWeaning mOdesty Is by no means their
| distinguishing characteristics
The ascent along this corridor Is effect
| ed by means OF steep stairs. the rickety
| condition Of which presGpposes that conf
denee on the part OF those who habitual-
| ly mount them that is. perhaps. their
| most noticeable quality tGth on and of the
boards. This wonderful self-compIaceney
on the part O: the most Insignificant vau-
| devillian is what tends to make the class
| so very amusing in a private and unpro-
! fessional capacity. Should a turn not
take" we'll, the failure is attributed by
| the performer. not to any delinquency on
| his part. but to the obtuseness Of the pub
! lie.
The professional contempt for the pub
lie is beyond all description. Whether
| this case arises from the exceedingly va
| cuous expressions presented by rows of
| grinning faces before the footIights when
( me many-headed are amused, and The
| equally driveling ensemble when they are
affected TO emotion Or Whathar tho
ment arises from the artists own Unborn
sense OF superiority, it is impossible for
the unprofessional onlOoker behind the
scenes to determine. Certain it is that,
from the chronic song and dance come
dian to the star who has come down a
peg or so in the theatrical world, or to
the individual who entertains ambitions of
rising therein. this refreshing sense CT
personal Importance Is a very general
one. Not infrequently indeed iI assumes
the magnitude of a profound conviction
that its owner is endowed with genius"
and is only kept from rising into a star
OF the first magnitude through jealousy.
though just how this is effected or by
whom. the injured party is either unable
or disinclined to state specifically.
The amount of high art contained in
heel and toe dancing, cellar flaps, and 9TH
er refinements of the vaudeville stage=are,
perhaps, never thoroughly appreciated by
ptioOhS Hot VI tAt until IQey
have attended discussions among the fra
ternity who delight the public by these ap-
parently simple methods. Thus the visi-
tor. after tumbling Unexpectedly through
crazy little door with glass in it, on to
the bottom of gloomy well which waz
the stage itself became aware of muir
muir of voices proceeding apparently from
somewhere near at hand. The. voices be-
longed to the component members of an
aerobatic family, who were engaged in an
imDromptu rehearsal of their several per-
formances. The father sitting in chair,
and with a couRtenance Of Stupendous
gravity was performing divers vague and
grotesque maneuyres with his legs and
feet which appeared wholly independent
of the remainder of his body while the
mother. daughter. and son looked on APP
proyingly. OCCASIONALLY suggestions would
be thrown out By one of the spectators for
telling bit of business" the immense
effect possible in the introduction or omiS-
sion of tap being presented to the
mind of the stranger for the first time.
There was mixture of professional pride
and domestic harmony In this group which
produced upon the stage truly novel
effect
When the eye has become accustomed
to the gloom in which the stage is enyel-
oped previous to the lighting up it notices
nothing around which is not coarse and
shabby and tinseled From the bare brick
walls to the daubed scenery, from the deal
boards to the maze of ropes and fiy-pieces
above there is nothing pretty. nothing at
tractiye, nothing refined. And be 1t said.
with an absence of all personal prejudices,
likes or dislikes. the people who are seen
amid these surroundings are in general
thoroughly in harmony with their charac-
ter. And yet the transformation that is
worked on the stage itself by lights and
t., -, F,Ar eLAIt 1f.t-.
seems communicated to the persons of the
performers-at least to the audience The
former-that is in case they possess any
artistic ability Understandings met
amorphosis truly astonishing to the spec
tator behind the scenes. The moment the
cue is given the actor assumes the post
ure the look. the voice. that make him
different parsonage. This effect however,
so noticea hle IL the case OF true artist,
is somewhat rare among the vaudeville
fraternity who can scarcely be said to
represent the best of the Thespian pro-
fession. Thus couple of those primitive
fun makers called clowns, having ''lim-
bered themselves up as they said by
turning handsprings some half hour pre-
vious to the raising of the curtain. met
with decidedly cold reception from an
Indifferent audience.
Chilly bunchi' exclaimed one of the
artists in the midst OF thrilling act, and
an indignant wind. Going on the stage at
the conclusion OF their turn" the other
clown. who was too full Of rage to give
vent to his passion before. unburdened
himself Of his opinions concerning the Ia
dies and gentlemen in front Of the foot
lights in a string OF profanity. to the great
edfication OF his perspiring confere and
brother artists.
The stage hands. from the manager 10
the doorkeeper. are gentlemen remarkable
for an absence of consideration for the POI
lite forms of society and blase indiner-
ence to the female Establishments abund-
artly lavished upon them by the fair ar
fists The latter themselves. are charm
ingly unconventional in manner, but a
close view OF their features is open, in
general. to the same artistic objection at
tending a too critical inspection OF the
scenery or. indeed any OF the inanimate
illusions of the boards.
The lower strata OF the dramatic pro-
fession which is seen in vaudeville the
atre Is an interesting study. 1t Is. I'M
fortunately, too generally a sediment in-
capable OF putting forth the growth OF ge-
MUS or even OF earnest endeavor. 1t can
never represent in any measure. those
lofty attributes OF an art which. such emf
neut critics as Clement Scott are inclined
to think. is less encouraged in Its better
sense at the present day than at any pre-
yious period OF its history.
Mashed n ..Masber.n
CFrom the Boston Record)
Two of the young women. pretty ones