The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05
AMERICAN SUPERS BEST.
WOIihi-He Actors VINO Seek Dramatic
Training by Taking Humble Parts.

Are you aware that, as class, the
supers have done more to elevate the Amer
lean stage than all the most conscientious
managers, star actors and social reform
ers combined?"
The speaker was one who stood on the
lowest rung of the theatrical ladder. His
most recent occupation was to carry a
banner ON the stage. He is filing in the
dramatic long vacation by reading law.
His remark was apropos of newspaper
paragraph announcing that Sir Henry
Irving. on his forthcoming tour of this
country, would abandon his habit of bring
ing over crowd of drilled supers and
rely entirely upon American talent to
supply the background and the mobs in
his production of Dante"
Il have hstrionic ambitions" continued
the young man, but | am not financially
able to pay the fee demanded for a course
of dramatic training. hope by industry
and observation to obtain some sort of
reCogn ion and to rise from the ranks,
And lam only one of hundreds with such
notions in THIS city. 1t is quite possible
| the stars Of the future may be found among
/ the supers of to-day.
1T is a mistake to imagine that stage
| mobs nowadays are composed OF sidewalk
! loafers, the scum of the streets and drunken
| hangers-on who haunt third-rate saloons
| by DAY and the stage doors bv night. earn
ing their necessarily small pay for the sole
! purpose of Spending il on beer and posing
| as professionals. Among the Roman sol
dierS and the Senator's in Richard Mans
| fields production of julius Caesar were
| four university graduates, three students
| from the dramatic schools seeking actual
/ an
| Tor holy orders. who took this means to
| procure pocket money.
| Long after actors and actresses had
| been lifted out of the category Of rogues
and vaGabonds, the super continued to be
disgrace to the stage, but this has been
entirely changed OF late years. Extra
people are now culed from better class.
More accuracy of detail in productions
is demanded. The non-spcaking parts must
! at least look like the individuals they are
supposed to represent. When supers are
required to VICAR evening dress they must
| also be able to bear themselves like gem
tlemen,
"If extra ladies' are required TO lend ami
nation 10 a ballroom scene, they must he
able TO wear their costume gracefully, and
not look like a crowd of llnderscrvants
decked up in their mistresses robes. For
this reason the training of supers has be-
come practically school OF department
/
/ OF course. only in n democratic country
| like this are such conditions possible, hence
the American supers are the best in the
| world
What school Of acting can equal the
actual forming of an integral part Of a
dramatic whole, the drilling and tuition
received from the most capable stage
managers and the opportunities afforded
the super for observing and noting the
methods of great artists from their side
he business side, of the footlights? The
pay, which is perhaps inadequate, usually
only 50 cents a night, is a secondary CON
sideration to the majority of modern Amer
lean superS
"One recent innovation has largely con-
| duced To belteri1E the class Of ,upcrS
| No longer j. il necessary for them % degrade
themselves by seekii o. work ~ the stage
door and mourning he possibility Of insult
Well-appoint ed of5C"s and agencies are
now devot"d almu@j exclusively 10 the
selection and engagement oi supers.
"One of these regularly employs about
two Thousand people. in New York and
! Brooklyn alone, during III" theatrical sea
| son. Evon at the modest raie of remunera.
tion nearly n quarter of million dollars
is paid out TO them yearly,
1t is the practice in England 10 pltchrorl
y IT, and let Thorn e. On the stage with prac
jiCally no makc-up whatever. Here tho
utmost pains is taken with their dress
and they arc taught the art of making-uI
by competent instructors"