The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-06
Mrs. Fiske as a Stage Manager.

THE true stage manager is born, not
made" asserts Philip Jacques press repre-
sentative of Mrs. Fiskes company. Like
other artists. the stage manager must be
endowed with the talent for the art he
practices. For stage management is surely
an art. 1t is the painting of series of
animated pictures, the reproduction of in
cidents, episodes. life stories in such a
manner as to create the illusion of realism.
The art of the actor is individual. the art
OF the stage manager is collective. The
stage manager must have qualities not I'M
like those of a general, the qualities for
directing others. for having the right per-
sons in the right places at the right time.
Only, instead of marshaling armies, the
stage manager marshals smaller forces.
and must take the individual, not the regi-
ment, as his unit. To each role the stage
manager must devote infinite thought and
pains and to the whole picture equal at
tention must be given. Upon these efforts
the success of the entire performance de-
ponds.
'Of course, there are stage managers
and stage managers. Some of them are
made, but they are not true stage mana
gers Their work bears the same relation
to true stage management does the la
bored French OF the student of Ollendorff
to the fluent French of the Partisan. They
may make themselves understood. but
never with the Unborn grace, ease and facil-
ity of the native
Among true stage managers of to-day
none ranks higher than Mrs. Fiske. who
combines in her remarkable mentality the
genius of a great stage manager as well
as that of a great actress. This. in itself,
is unusual, the more so as women as a
rule. are not considered good stage man.
ayers Mrs. Fishes talents. however, can
not be gainsaid. Ample proof is found in
the artistic character OF her productions.
which all made under her personal
direction 1t may be interesting to those
who see Mrs. Fiske to know that every
detail of the productions, even the plays
themselves, are imbued with this actress (
Cwn personality. Mrs. Fiske is a student
and developer. No play that she has pro-
duced. no character that she has played.
but has benefited by her development of il
Mrs. Burton Harrison. author of The I'm
welcome Mrs. Hatch, paid Mrs. Fiske a
sincere tribute in a published interview.
speaking Of the hours that she and Mrs
tlske devoted to a study of the play Mrs
Harrison said: Il have never come into
contact with a more radiant intelligence
than Mrs. Fiske's upon these matters
1t is wonderful. said a member of Mrs
tiske's company to the writer. how Mrs
tiske seems TO fire one with her own genius
She is herself so conscientious. painstaking
and, above all, so intellectually brilliant
that one feels inspired to do the best that is
in one, In order To respond TO the work of so
talented woman. L never played under a
star or a stage manager so quick to grasp
a situation and TO remedy a defect Her
understanding aud appreciation of her art
is Incompatible.
I'm the mounting, too. the same care is
noticeable. Nothing that might contribute
10 the best effect has been omitted In the
two plays that she produced at her own
theater, the Manhattan. in New York this
season. Mrs. Fiske has been enabled To fur
ther her own ideas more than ever This is
seen I'm the settings of The Unwelcome
Mrs. Hatch that are actual reproductions
of such New York scenes as they represent
IL is also seen in the beautiful mounting of
Miranda with its fine examples of Eliza
bethan. Moorish and Spanish interiors and
OF its realistic picture of the Sahara des-