The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-04
David BelascO, the Playwright,
Admits He Is SuperstitiOus.
Looks Upon Washington as His
Particular "MascOt" City.
A MASTER OF PLAYERS.
Is Exacting and Pains taking
at RehearSals.
Lavish to Extreme in Manner
of Mounting Plays.

you may call it superstition if you
like" said David Belasco, but won
my first success when 1 opened in
Washington with The Heart of Mary
land and 1 always feel better when ]
give the first production of my plays
there"
When one considers the hits Mr. Be
1asco has made with "zaza,' "Du Bar
ry' and 1.-The Darling of the Gods" ali
of which were presented first in Wash
tngton, there is little inclination to criti-
-, else his tendency to regard the capital
city as a mascot.
For this reason Washington has won
N.he reputation of being a dog town.,
where plays are first tried before being
presented to metropolitan audiences
But Washington seems to regard this as
a distinction when it comes to a Belas-
co production, and the theater is al
ways crowded to standing room only
capacity on first nights"
"Belasco at one of his Washington re-
hearsals is different man from Belas-
co in New York" said a resident of the
capital recently. Here he is a modest
man who disclaims having had any
part in the success of his productions.
There he is a general, master of the
play the players. and, best of all, mas
ter of himself. At these rehearsals you
have a chance to see the real Belasco;
you have an opportunity to see a great
play come out of cnaOs. OF course, ev-
cry actor is letter-perfect in his part
and the cues have been mastered. But
stage business those little touches that
give realism and life to dead lines. are
yet to be impaired. The players must
become acquainted with the properties.
and those wonderful stage pictures are
as yet a slur upon the canvas. Each
one, from stage manager down to the
most insignificant super, is supposed to
have mastered his particular part, but
BelascO soon shows that he knows more
about the properties than the property
man, more about the costumes than the
Costumers, and more about the light eff
fects than the expert electrician.
LAS the actors take their places on the
stage they are apt to be greeted with,
Miss So-and-so, you haven't the proper
knot tied in that SASH. or Mr.. Blank,
you should wear the short sword on the
right side or vice versa.
How does Belasco get his wonderful
stage effects2 Simply because he is an
artist who sees everything in pictures.
For instance, the stage win be filled and
A., the actors begin with their lines. Sud
denly you hear the voice of Mr.. David
R.-for he IS always Mr.. David to his
company-shouting in stentorian tones
Stop Stopi' and they do stop. You
wonder what is the matter Everything
looks all right to you. But Belasco has
seen a flaw, and the stage is cleared,
and everybody has to march on again.
Still it doesn't suit the manager. Some
Instructions are given, and the actors
file off and come on again. This may
be repeated a dozen times. At last it is
perfect, but again you hear, Stop!
BtOpi' and you see Mr.. David running
at breakneck speed from the back part
of the theater, through the stage door
and bounding onto the stage.
- That all right that time he
plains to the expectant players. I just
want you to hold that picture, and re-
member your places next time
Then the principal players are told to
take note of their positions, and when
the scene is tried next time it passes off
smoothly.
with all the rush and hurry of re-
hearsal it seems strange that the actors
cause Belasco gives reasons for every
thing he does. If a blunder is made
Belasco corrects it and tells why he
does it. Some of his explanations are
quite sarcastic. but they are at least
amusing. / remember one scene in The
Darling of the Gods The moon ap-
pears at the back of the stage, and as
the act progresses the lights in the lit
tie japanese house are turned out. In
the rehearsal the electrician, feeling that
the stage should be dark, turned out the
moon also.
Stop cried Belasco Louie. come
out here he commanded
The electrician came out and Mr..
David proceeded to give a lecture on
things celestial.
Louie he began. When did you
become God Almighty
Louie was somewhat in doubt and
mumbled an unintelligible reply
Don't you know continued Belasco
that the moon doesn't go out except in
case of eclipses dire calamities. pesti-
lence and impending disaster? Just be-
cause people in a house turn out the
lights the moon doesn't become ex-
,atinguished. Whatever you do. Louie
Mont ever turn out the moon when YOU
darken the lights inside a house And
Louie dtdn do it again.
Mr.. Btlasco has wonderful eve for
colors and it is Il positive educa ton to
see him get his light effects. Under his
direction the electrician is able to re-
produce the rays of the morning sun
or the pale beams of the moon. 1t Is
almost uncanny to watch the blending
of the different shades and perfection
as the result.
"A little more violet is the order af-
ter the focus has been obtained More
amber-less violet. and so on until you
see the stage flooded with sunshine or
moonbeams. as the case may be.
"Of course he loses his temper once
In a while but only for an instant. and
those who have the good fortune to
witness the rehearsa1s give their entire
sympathy to him and wonder why ne
has been good natured so long. For
instance, an assistant in the property
room has charge of a particular piece Of
work-to do that and nothing else. He
doesn't do it right although he has been
drilled for days as to his duties.
Thompson calls Mr. David to the
----.---.-.--.-----. .-=-.---.-----s'--------a.