The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
NOW CONE THE STAGE STRUCK
NEW YORK'S ANNUAL INVASION
ny WOULD-BE ACTRESSES.

ny WOULD-BE ACTRESSES.
Yeune women with Dramatic Aspirations
Arriving From All Over the Country
"A Cold welcome Awaits 1hen,-TypA'
onI Expertenoos-BeautS W. Genius.
This is the season that brings to New York
tho dramatic aspirant. She arrives from
every part OF the country, confident that she
Ii going TO make . success that will place
her at bound alongside Maude Adams.
Margaret Angln or any old star who hap
pens to have been in advance OF her on tho
march to fame.
This IL about the worst time OF the year
for the aspirant to arrive. Nearly all tho
managers abe will want to sec are In Europe.
But it b tradition that she should arriVe
at the end Of May, and abe does.
Probably the time OF her arrival "A not
really important. She would not So the
managers II they were here; 30 her descent
on Broadway Just ct this season may not
be 80 unpropitious as II seems. She comes
from every city OF the country. Some
times she Is beautiful Nearly always she
Is young. Sometimes she 10 neither one
nor the other, and then her case is almost
unrelievedly pathetic.
Various motives impel her toward the
Rialto Most frequently she wants to earn
her living. But that desire u not expressed
In the simple mood that would possess her
she came hero to work as typewriter or
a dressmaksr. She IL surcharHed with the
artistic temperament that is going to carry
her high into the dramatic armament.
She settles In a boarding house some-
where II she Ia poor-and she nearly always
is-or she goes to visit friends In Harlem
while she gets place on the stage. Various
causes may have turned her thoughts
theatreward
She may have acted In amateur theatre
calls and been declared a born actress by
the press Of her native city. Or she may
have studied elocution at the high school
and recited Portia's speech or the potion
scene from Romeo and Juliet 10 Won
derfully that everybody told her that she
Just must 60 on the stage - II would DO
shame not TO with such talent az she had.
But tho strongest reason Of all for her
Incoming an actress 10 the fact that she
In stage struck That Is the motive that
starts nine out OF every ten in the little army
that moves on the light blocks OF Broad
way thronged with actors.
They ars stout and dark-eyed. thin and
sreen-cyed. with determined expressions
about their mouths .biiRht-e yed and blonde.
with tho burr of the Middle West. They
talk with the accents OF New Orleans and
Buffalo. the fiat, broad as Of Virginia and
the nasal twsng of New England.
Every type and every style are repre-
sented in the ambitious throug that is going
to conquer New York and place their names
in the list Of the great. OF course, they
do nothing OF the kind, but nre fortunate
TO he inspired by the great hopes that enable
them to expect 80 much. They need all
the confidence they can summon.
Few Of them have the temerity to coma
10 New York without some kind Of letter Of
introduction. Most frequently II is from
the manager Of the theatre in their native
town.
The young woman arrives with her letter.
and II the manager TO whom 1t is addressed
happens to he in town. and has very little
to do just at that time. she may be re-
ceived. But in nearly every case he will
hand her over to one Of his stage mail
ayers.
The warmth Of her reception will, Of
course depend on the extent to which
the writer Is acquainted with the manager.
Even this element will make less difference
than one might expect. So many letters
of introduction come from 80 many different
quarters that managers are. in way, In
different TO all OF them.
.What experience have you had?" the
At. &c manag ger will ask. with a CLASSY eye.
"a he stares at the young woman.
Il might 10 added that the glassiness
Of this eye will vary in accordance with
the beauty of the applicant. II abs Ia
really handsome, the eyes will almost seem
TO be human In their expreeeiveness.
They may even be promising II she is
tall, with regular features. But II che 10
plain, he will look at her with the bored air
OF a man just expecting the relief that is
to rid him OF tiresome duty. 1t comes with
her answer, az 1t may be supposed that
this applicant is not beauty.
sI've never acted except with amateur
companies che will say hesitatinely. "I've
had a good deal Of experience, though, in
that way. And I've recited a great deal In
public"
To her surprise tho stage manager has
not asked her for any specimen OF her
ability. She came prepared to recite at
least "IAsca' But the stage mana ger 10
already preparing to open . letter he holds
In his hand.
I'm very sorry he says. that We
haven't a vacant place in any of Mr.. Smiths
companies. He told me TO do what could
for you, and would like to. But bleee me,
Mr.. Smith has moro people under contract
now than he can possibly use next year
SO don't see anything that could offer
you.
Then, it's q fixed rule Of Mr.. Smith q
COMPANIES never to take any actors without
experience. Ne never engage EN- here
I'm less they've had at least a year or two
on the stage. -
But III remember your name In the
future. And you might leave your address
with the office boy there. Good-by.'
He has opened the letter and read his
way half through it before she is out OF
sight.
1t was really waste Of time for him tc
talk with her, even for that fifteen minutes
He saw in his own way Of expressing 1t
that nothing was doing the minute he
laid eyes on her.
II she had been really beautiful there
might have been employment OF some kind
for her. Inexperience on the stage may
ia