The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-01
THE STAGE ASPIRANT
A HARD ROAD FOR MEDIocRrN 70
TRAVEL.

"This thing is wearing me into tho
ground"
It was O theatrical manager who had
tust dismissed q young woman who had
BEEN imploring him to engage her.
He was an unusually soft hearted
manager. The average one generally
gives q cynical grin and says, another
girl who wants to play Juliet"
Words may be futile to stem b
torrent, but Just q few hard facts may
cause an aspirant here and there to
stop and consider.
Here In New York, this seething
Mecca Of the Thespian, the situation Ii
actually tragic. There are just about
5000 Actresses TOO many for the posi-.
tons The pity Of it is the ~incompetents
IRE in many cases crowding ont the ca
pable, experienced players True, the
incompetents sooner or Later find their
level, but while they are finding 1t the
capables are out of positions and the
wolf Is putting in his time at their fifth
flight hall bedroom doors, the critics
are guying, the manager Is fuming, and
there Is q good deal Of unpleasant THO
ton everywhere
I know Of one thoroughly equipped
player who has sewed the soles upon her
shoes repeatedly TO keep them On hef
feet while she walked the streets IN
search Of an engagement Another wash
co her clothes in the bathtub Of her
boarding house and dries them In her
room. Both these women have played
prominent parts In good companies An
other has lived for some time on ~
meal Q day. These women arc fair Of
lface-one Of them would DO called
handsoms-and all arc thoroughly com,
petent
The cases Of the young. inexperienced
ones that have come TO me hoping ]
could help them are too many and too nd
10 recount They drift into typewrttings
copying and starvation. Many Of them
drift back homo Some become "ex.
traa" That means they 90 On the stage
as "guests," or the mob, Just 20 Stand
around and say nothing. Thsy must at.
tend rehearsals, dress perhaps several
times during the evening and be regard
cd with scorn by those who hare speak
ine parts. all for 81 a performance For
lthe chance to do this hundreds crowd
the stage entrances whenever there II
call for "extra ladies."
One young woman who madc Q short
starring venture in the west and who II
lundonbtedlv nossessed with talent, COM
hinsd with the beauty Of face and figure
which make mn n pood stare uresence.
came two years Q to New York to
Geek an engagement. She was armed
with letters Of introduction 10 many
prominent managers from Colonel Rob
ert G. Ingersoll, and the future seemed
rosy to her bright young eyes This In
lfuential man, who had seen her act, sens
glowing words TO the Gotham magnate4
but not one Of them gave her . chanca
She has not stepped upon Q stage fsom
that day to this.
How has she Iveda BY doing en-
broidery for n Of the large Wholesale
houses She has bravely kept her self
respect, and she has never given up ny.
ing. She makes her rounds Of tho agen-
cies every little while, and she means
to attain her end yet She win do IL
too. There Is no sort Of doubt thas
such pluck. earnsstness and psr'svsr-
ance will win.
Before the young sspirant who r. In
deadly earnest about entering the dr.
matte profession heaven forbid the writ
or should cast one straw Of discourage
ment.
There IL not only room, but there II
o hungry demand, for the actress with q
strong dramatic instinct, brainA appli-
cation and q large capacity for work
Work. I should like 10 write that
word in capitals q foot hiRh.
The work which In the Roldeu/ sRe
VIVA done 40 well because the eods ii.
v.vs saw must Gonna back srain Ia
sarth Until IL does there will stiil be
tears and AGONY and micide In the soly.
inc of tbe life nroblem.
II Won love the art m THAT M laboe.
~urivat;on. rehufYs or hardship en- stsnd
IN vour NAV than von have q RIGHT "a
trial that heavon maant WIN "a AFT
m ~ tbon1b tba skies fall.
II vm want 10 90 ON the stspe dim.
NV to wear nrettv CLOTHES and sttracx
attention. don,t do it. Tor tha md a
ldnst and ashes
n Won want To be q "usu6aesioual"
because Won ..liket the lie. "dou't do Il.
You'll find the life full cf damp and
dirty dressing rooms, d~intnerless Jour.