The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-27

large business which ketths ID doing,
playing TO crowded houses at every per-
formanoe. 50 / went around there espec-
tally early In order TO get as good a
seat as possible. While i was awaiting
my turn In the long line OF ticket buyers.
I saw Manager Lovenberg standing quite
near me.
Have a pleasant vacation?" he asked
affably. Very" / responded. Haven't
you had one yetr You look as IL you
needed one" I'm afraid / shan't be
able 10 get any. You see we don't close
down at all: since we've extended the
stock season two weeks longer than we
originally intended II should last. we've
planned TO close stock Sept. IL and open
with vaudeville Sept Is. leaving no In
terfum between the two seasons. There
are 80 many things to be done In order
to make this possible that / am really
very busy"
II didn't imagine a manager was ever
truly busy" remarked, continuing. II
always thought his duties consisted
chiefly In engaging people to do the work
for him."
Mr. Lovenberg smiled. as he said, "Yes,
80 everyone. was hasn't tried II, thinks.
But we are busy from early morning une
I'll late at night, every day Sundays not
excepted. Almost every businessman In
every other line of business has at least
one afternoon or evening on. but the
atrical manager never does. Literally he
cannot be said to be at the theatre al
ways but figuratively he Is. for his mind
and thoughts are always there"
But just what do you have to dot"
I asked, curious TO know what could util-
ize quite 30 much time.
What do I have TO dor Really It's
hard to know just where to begin.
My labors vary with the seasons.
stock and vaudeville"
A. n .t.A
not waiting for reply TO my previous
query.
I'm many ways I prefer stock, and,
likewise for several reasons / like yaude-
vile better. There Is a greater RESPONSE
bility about stock. In organizing the
the stock company. have to take every
precaution to secure the very best artists,
I'm each particular line. available. In
order 10 do this. / am obliged to keep
a complete mental list of every stock
actor and actress In the country, with all
the requisite facts about each. his or her
line, appearance. with what companies
been connected. versatility. adaptability
and ability TO study. general rating. SAL
airy. personality and character. etc. etc.
There are always new actors and actresses
coming into the stock field: recruits from
the many dramatic schools, looking for
practical experience. which is best OBJ
tained by association with a first class
stock company.
Then. too. every season finds many ex-
perienced artists who have been in DIFF
ferent line OF the profession ready to ac-
cept a stock engagement. At one time
summer stock companies were very rare;
now, there is no theatrical city In the
country that has not at least one. and
many have two or three. Providence
theatregoers, as you have undoubtedly
noticed. are above the average in intel
ligence. Our theatre has always catered
TO the best, the discriminating class Of
theatregoers. This class will accept no
inferior article. They want. and must
have. the very best actors and actresses.
and In order 10 give them the very best
l am obliged TO keep all OF these facts at
my tongues end
Then, too. not only must 1 give them
the very best artists, but I must give
them the finest plays In the stock market.
Every year there are new plays I'm the
market and a stock manager must keep
thoroughly posted upon them-their merits
and royalty. He must feel the pulse OF
his people, and learn by experimenting
and observing the kind of plays best
liked by his patrons / read each play
through carefully, and judge II from the
audiences standpoint. which. by-the-bye.
is an extremely hard standpoint TO attain.
This reading OF plays IL a very important
factor In managers duties, and occupies
a great deal OF time. Why, / never have
plays on my desk awaiting perusaL And
that Is not all.
After both play and players have been
carefully chosen there remains the task
OF casting the plays. / consider the I'm
dividual abilities OF my players, and how
the play can be cast TO bring about pos
sible results A good stock actor pos
sesses enough versatility to play almost
any role, but that IN not sufficient. Each
role must be assigned TO the player who
can play II best. After I have cast the
play. turn the manuscript and parts
details of the stage management at re-
hearsals.
After an hour or so each morning with
my stenographer, I attend the rehearsal
OF the company, suggesting any needed
omissions or additions that occur TO me-
Then on Monday afternoon watch the
first performance of each play. criticising
as at rehearsals. In between l sandwich
In all the many little things pertaining
to the management OF the front OF the
theatre, for instance. the supervision OF
the cleaning and renovating, which Is
constantly going on, the purchasing OF
everything needed for any part of the
theatre. the o. King OF all bills and
statements. and seeing that each en-
ploye does faithfully and TO the best OF
his ability the work for which he is en-
gagged,
The latter takes very little OF my time
for we have here an unusually loyal set
Of men. My hours at the theatre are
usually from a. m. to 1880 n. m, with
the exception OF the brief interval occu-
pied by my mcals-about 20 minutes usu-
ally. When am not az the theatre l am
always thinking of plans whereby the
enjoyment OF our patrons may be en-
hanced. and occasional little plans for
the enjoyment OF the members OF the
stock company. All these things make
the day seem all too short for me. But IL
pays. I think our patrons appreciate the
results. our business this season has
been remarkable beyond our most SAN
vuine hopes and our company Is excep-
tlonally popular"
II should think you'd be right glad TO
have the stock season over. thenT' I
venturcd.
why? Because I'm 80 busy7 Why.
I'm Just as busy during the vaudeville
season rs I am during stock. You see.
then. too. ! have TO observe the tastes
OF our people. and find out what acts go
well at this particular house. Now. for
Instance I find that good musical acts
always make good 10 use then trical