New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-06

c. fANAHa--r-
--er q the cay?
- answering this question let US throw aside
.hs consideration Of p~ejudices which among Ger
,,s- classes o. cur people have long been dis
,.ssee very bitterly and apparently 70 no pur-
- Let Us consider rather the practical ad-
...-.sges that might accrue from the adoption
- -he STAGE as a profession In view OF the
-. and Increasing number Of theatres in the
.,,.---v the great value q their real estate
= tbe gross box Office receipts throughout
- season 81 Is surely reasonable 20 say that
-. STAGE as profession may be seriously con-
..s.-ss i- choosing ones lie work. Furthermore.
!, 80 q surprising fact that the number OF
- is growing Gar out u proportion 20 the
,-r-ssse ir population. This clearly shows that
,-.,sss n ret-oxra6ine. the stage If bound TO
,sv,-oe M arordinE q practical opportunity for
- q commercial livelihood or an artistic
carer
=, --e rre-v as % whether I should recon-
- -. one rr r1v family the adoption q The
..ses as a profession. ] would simply answer
,bst f- Is very rare 90 find man. no matter
w. t.- calling may he. who advises his son
.osso-t DIS own profession Why Because IN
- ,,-- .,-e-ferre we see rhe hardships the
.-,sls ana the troubles perhaps more clearly
.ss- r.. see me pleasures and uluTllns accru-
,-r f-.-r OUT calling. whereas. in viewing other
--,ssss.-r- r.a see only the successful man. We
$500 nothing ~ the trials and struggles.
We hear hlt Cf raa success. in other Worcs' we
sse she hi-h LIGHTS az the picture and not the
shadows. and yet the shadows are, after all, the
rnoe- i--rort-u-- NY father. the late James
HENRY Hackett who had every honor which the
,.-oseeeI4- of the stage could heap upon him.
s-v.srs regretted that he had not practised law
,.r.re my la.t-droiler John X. Eackett, who
was rar nineteen years Recorder q New-fork
CITY. and the predecessor Of Recorder SUyth and
recognized 90 be one OF the finest criminal judges
We have had. regretted that be had not adopted
The stage as his profession.
To-day man may approach the stage in
business capacity or he may approach Il arts
tlcaIy. or perhaps in both ways II he APP
proaches IL with prospect Of either becoming
6 manager or a producer, he must have, in addi-
ton 10 a keen business sense. the ability 10
gauge the desire OF the public and its varying
tastes. while al the same time he must have a
knowledge Of things dramatic, so that when a
NAV iF presented under his direction il wiz
Please and prove successful II ne approaches
the stage solely with the hope OF an artistic
career. then. OF course. he should have that In
cescrIbable quality. magnetic ability II is only
necessary glance over the long list OF actors
4. Gu. c.s1lftfg - point our dozens OF men who
have an immense amount OF ability az actors.
Nlt Who 4lh AAE AtlAAEAAA- ADNtl "a llldsLlrA-
isu rss tssuir is that they can never rise
above a certain level. Therefore. 10 answer
concisss the original question. IL is necessary
70 determine which branch Of the drama one de-
sirss % pursue. The commercial or the artistic,
and n convinced that the aspiraut has qualih-
cation for elther IA greater degree than for any
other celiinF. j ST. y certainly advise him most
earnestly - sze,-rr The stage as his profession.
But should the aspraut desire 10 accumulate
great wealth. and IL that Is his sole desire I
should say by az means no. Il is almost frnpos-
tibe FOR any one through the medium Of an
actors art alone or through artistic manage
Tnent 10 secure wealth. on the one hand we
have only 20 point 70 the late Augustin DAILY.
who with all his success. left an estate terribly
Involved. and on the other hand. 10 mention
The houo-ed name ~ s.r Henry Irving. who a
lev wears ago was in dire financial difficulties
This s due principally 10 three causes: First.
ne desire 20 do things artisticaly: second. that
Naer you have success many people. such as
authors share in your profits. but IN event OF
lsAare there ls no one 10 share the losses; and
tail' ~ Tho ta0r THAI the scenery. costumes
e'-7 n Other words. the plant on which so
.-1oh money must be expended. Is perishable.
a Noao seen 10 me that the chances IN the
managerial field. when one is fred by desire 10
procure artistic results, are . per cent against
9oo Whereas = a man invests $4,000 IN 4
toe lactor7 his plant IS non-p erishable at least
Almost 70. and is generally a valuable asset
- Y better 20 begin very young II one desires
70 Hollow the stage as a profession? 7 should
say about the axe that one would start in any
oa..iIg. A training for the stage should be as
Oo1''e'e as an apprenticeship 10 any other art
O. profession
thorough education is very desirable. hut
'nai Goes not mean college education Is ab-
to'lle-y essential hope 10 see the day when
'Ns'e VII be college specially endowed in
'--i'eclon VITA our leading universities for
t-o1auon in dramatic art This would have its
- u attracting the right class OF aspirants
theatrical honors, and as selection would
'en ne r-ade lv examination the stage would
80 considerably, TO the greater satisfaction
q ne piaygoer
- ---l'l--aIs chances on the stage are con-
-e-@1iy Improved by a sound preliminary edu-
- -he difficulties OF getting a start in the
1i@lc held arc The Same as are experienced
o'iei Professions. The struggles for success
= 'ae legal or medical profession are just as
- and d is "a case Of the survival Of the fit
GO on The stage as 90 other arts The apparent
A'-laet-Feness 30 the theatre. I think. draws
- applicants 20 the stage than 10 the ma
---s ~ profess oDs En- proportion 10 the number
:. l-ll-e employed. This r. due 10 the fact that
many people do not realize the necessity %
i'aoi'y and preparation. They think that
merely matter ~ walking on and acting.
many instances where they have failed in
ventures they suddenly become imbued
ne -1ee thar the stage II their calling.
2 a. Individual feels that he is qualifed to thy
- t-age in au seriousness as profession. be
.-o1-c apply 10 o manager. A good deal VIII
i'-l upon The impression he creates as II is
-ey AEels that the manager = going 20
80 az engagement 70 an unknown who shows
y tlecla- oDt-tuae Coz actlng. In other caninEs