The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
NOTES AND COMMENT.

David Belasco takes a gloomy view Of
the theatrical situation and declares that
$50 long as the American stage is con-
trolled by men who care only for money
making and absolutely nothing for the ad-
vancement of the drama" there is little
chance for an Improvement in present con-
ditions. 1.-THE American public is beginning
to think for ITSELF he said the other day
10 an interviewer. plays no longer sue
coed here merely because they are brought
over from London with the Endorsement of
the English producers. There is comfort
In the fact that such play as The Vir-
gnian' has succeeded in a season when for
eisn works have met with little or no sup
port. Such success spells hope for the
American playwright.
THE outlook for the country generally
next season is woeful. This year New
York has felt its worst. Business has not
been so bad relatively I'm st. Louis, Denver,
San Francisco and the other cities of the
West But what has the out-of-town pub
lie to look forward to for next season? The
country al large gets its supply of plays
from New York after they have served
their terms of usefulness here. Hundreds
son-and with what? New York's failures,
No! The fault is not with the public.
We have the most intelligent public in the
world. But as it is intelligent, so it has
been tolerant. The American is of all
things good-natured. And when he has
gone to the theater, paid his good money,
cepted the situation with laugh on him.
self But the thing has begun to grow
monotonous. The joke is getting stale. "
1.-THE reason that l chose animal parts, -
said Arthur Hill, the "Cowardiy Lion" in
1.-THE Wizard of o. TO a Washington in
terviewer. was primarily because this line
is not overcrowded. There are Hamlets,
heavy men, Juveniles comedians; but,
strange to say. the great bulk of the pros
fession believe, or affect to believe, that
playing the part of an animal on the stage
is mira dig. May be it is, but 1 don't think
so. Acting the part of an ordinary animal,
from easy. Those who think it is not diff
cult would change their minds If they tried
it. My first animal role was that of a
cat in Dick Wilmington in a Christmas
pantomime in Manchester, England. OF
course. il needed limb agility but / had
that from constant practice. 1t also needed
the close study of cats traits and habits.
| really didn't want the part at the time,
but the late great George Conquest, who
had been engaged to play it, was on his
deathbed. SO the manager said Ii was a
case of 'Tabby or no Tabby.' and had no
alternative.
The hardest part about playing animal
roles, after studying up the correct and
natural business, is TO remain inside of the
STIFFNESS, the sitting feeling, the heat-all
make it very trying. The costume l wear
as the Cowardly Lion IN The Wizard of OF
arms are tightly fitted into the front legs
of a genuine lions skin, while / carry upon
my head and shoulders an immense mask
designed after Rosa Bonheurs famous lion
head in the Vanderbilt collection in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art My eyes
come directly behind the mouth in the
mask, and the only way l can see is through
&c fur s1x.
are operated by strings. All the time | an
on the stage 1 am under a great physical
strain.
Miss Henrietta Crosman, starring this
season in Sweet Kitty Bellairs," has
worked long and hard. and struggled in the
face of great discouragements for the sue
cess that has come to her The daughter
of distinguished officer in the civil war
she turned to the stage as a means of live
lihood. Her progress was slow, uncertain
More than dozen years ago she had riser
to a point where she played one of the
widows in Mr. Wilkinsons Widows" anC
fairly good parts IN other comedies Blu
she did not attract any particular atten
ton. She went forth con the road and
New York promptly forgot her. She played
with many travelling companies and in
stock. a constant. bitter. uphill struggle
but all the while she was advancing stead
lily and surely. She waited patiently fol
her opportunity
Rt length Miss Crosman produced mis-
tress Nell" comedy written by George
Hazeltine, a Philadelphia lawyer, which
she had in her possession for three years
only waiting for an opportunity to presen
1t. When she came into New York, tn,
failure of a play at the Bijou giving hel
the Broadway opening. she was wholly un
heralded. New York had forgotten hel
completely and it had never heard of hel
play. No one was sufficiently interested Il
make inquiries. In a single night Mis-:
Crosman became famous. Mistress Nell
was one of the great successes of years anC
Miss Crosman was elevated to the from
rank of American players. Her even great
er hit in kitty Bellairs" has given hel
secure place as the foremost American
conference.-the Players, in Everybody
Magazine for March.
Amelia Bingham has this TO say to youns
people who want to enter stage life: sta,
out of it. Unless you have that 'divin.
spark unless you are prepared to NEE
many rebuffs, many discourageme ant
are determined 10 overcome many obstacles
there is no use in going the stage. Tn,
profession is overStocked; if any young maj
or young woman wants to adopt a stag,
career i think the best thing for them
selves and the profession is to get it hare
at first, and If they stand all the disheart
ching incidents they meet with during tn,