The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-28
THE CHORUS GIRLS LOT
NOT A VERY HAPPY ONE
Theatrical Managers Are Much
More Exacting Now than They
Were Formerly.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS


tressing time for the chorus girl-that is to
say, for The Chorus Girl, the type, the
professional. who is a chorus girl at the
beginning and at the end of her stage
career. In the most favorable circumstances
her history is a good deal like Macbeth's
brief candle. or Omar's snow upon the
deserts dusty face She lasts about five
years and then fresher faces and trimmer
figures come to take her place, and-'Where
are the SHOWS OF yester year?" as Villon
puts It.
An authority on the subject has estimated
that the chorus girl this season is paid
$4,000 a week, whereas last year she got
$4,000. Even the smaller sum would be
sufficient to purchase several automobiles,
but not enough TO be distributed equally
among 1900 girls, for that is the number
of them in total of a dozen musical pieces
Their salaries range from S14 to $40 a week,
the average being about $50. Girls in COM
panies on the road are paid somewhat
higher salaries as a rule and when a mu-
steal play comes into New York from tour
ing there is a reduction all along the line.
because chorus girls expenses are sup
posed to be less in New York than on the
road. That theory, Of course, does not
take into account any of the popular notions
about automobiles or apartments on River
side drive.
THE PROFESSIONAL IGNORED.
Several things have happened to make
the chorus girls lot somewhat harder than
usual. Early in the season the Shuberts.
who manage a number of theaters-and the
atrical companies, most of these musical
comedies. decided that they needed new
line of girls for their choruses. They prac-
tically ignored the professional, and estab-
h. 11ar
cities up the State and elsewhere. with the
result that they filled up their feminine
ranks with faces and figures which, if not
Invariably beautiful, were at least new to
Broadway.
Another trial has been the special require
ments set by the managers of the musical
pieces. Girls who could really sing were
wanted for 'Babette," girls who could look
like dolls were IL demand in Babes in
Toyland, and a good many girls who ap-
Nightingale" failed there because the man
ayers had a notion that this chorus must
look a little like Japanese. One of the
hardest tests was in "A Midsummer Nights
Dream, for the girls engaged for that
production were required to be nimble and
quick and fairy-like as possible. Mother
Goose came as a kind of midwinter bless
ing, for there are nearly five hundred
women on the stage in that production and
though only hundred of them are
strictly in the chorus, the ensemble at
NSlCOn6 TO many girls
who had been seeking employment in vain
On the whole, the choruses this year are
accounted prettier than usual. The prefer
ence for slenderness appears to have been
carried further than ever before, and the
heavyweightS are rare, even in the show
girl class. The groups in Babes in Toy
land show some exceptionally pretty girls,
whose witcheries are freshly delightful.
There are half a dozen girls dressed as
French dolls who look as if they might
have been picked from millions of applicants
ont of hn and
Frank Daniels may always be counted
upon TO secure pretty girls for his chorus.
There has been some carping criticism
about the Shapeliness of certain of his
typewriting misses, but a careful scrutiny
of the chorus fails TO disclose any reason
for serious complaint. In The Office Boy"
playing in New York. the lineup of grace
and beauty appears more than ever TO JUS
tify the praise bestowed upon the American
admitted that Paris had nothing TO COM
pare with her, as she has been selected
and trained by such artists Julian
Mitchell.
THE TREATMENT VARIES.
There is considerable variation, naturally.
in the treatment accorded the chorus by
managers, stars and others. These may
make the stage a happy home or a place
of misery for the girls. The dressing
rooms at Weber & Fields's are filed with
very cheerful persons. and save for the
chickering's of cliques that are as inevitable
as human nature harmony is maintained
When Peter +. Daley is in the humor for
il he makes plenty of quite incidental fun
for the girls who dance in the accompani-
ment to his songs. Sometimes the whole
company appears to be having great sport
between the lines.
Lillian Russell moves among the little
chorus girls like Lady Bountiful. indeed,
and most of them are quite devoted TO her.
a luncheon
Jolly Five, one OF the coter!es behind the
scenes. 1t was a merry luncheon, truly,
and the fve girls enjoyed it as if they
punches OF violets, with ribbons stamped
with the monogram j. F." This group of
girls have a dressing room at the theater
all TO themselves, and they have adorned
1t deliberately.
Fay Templeton. who is now on tour with
The Runaways," always takes an inter
est in the chorus girls. and she is an in
splration to them. Miss Templeton is one
of the hardest workers in the profession
and she is eager TO help girls who are
trying to act as she is TO study out some
new effect for herself. Paula Edwardes and
the girls in 'Winsome Winnie" get along
together capitally. 1t was she who came
to their rescue the other day when the
management decreed that the ten show
girls did no dress their hair properly.
Amid the tears and exDostulation with
which the demand of the stage manager
for uniformity was met, Miss Edwardes
interceded successfully for them. Now
each one dresses her hair to suit herself.
GIRLS WHO CAN ACT.
Occasionally a girl who can act is found
among the merely commonplace lockers
and singers in the ensemble. She does not
stay in the chorus long. for managers have
their eyes open for talent. From the
chorus to one-line part is the first step
upward Now and then the audience sin
giles out a girl for special favor, as hap
pened last year in Mr.. Bluebeard" at the
| Knickerbocker when a slip of a girl by
her comic acting so caught the fancy OF
the public that her way to advancement
was made easy at once. a mite of a girl
in the production of Mother Goose" got
the best Of the press notices because of
her naivete.
well. look at that" said a cynical man
| at a performance Of Red Feather"
Look at what?" asked the less cynical
/ man.
See that chorus girl acting!-really act
ing
She was actually taking an interest In
| her work, with many arch mods Of her
pretty head as she danced out at the end
| of the line of gayly-bedecked girls. So
! they do sometimes act, and sometimes they
/ do cease 10 be chorus girls. But many vet
Grams have had reason 10 weep in a season
/ like this.