Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-15

IL makes one alert, ~ teacneS you 10
learn quickly, and It teaches you TO
adapt yourself to circumstances. You
learn the alphabet of the language that
is spoken behind the footIights. You
learn the addition and subtraction Of
theatrical mathematics. And you learn
them more quickly there than any
where else. There are dramatic schools
which have done and are doing good
workout many people who can look
graceful on the wooden pony In the
merry-go round cut sorry figures when
perched on a real saddle upon the back
of a live horse. What you learn In a
stock company is practical and per-
manent, and | know of no other place
where one can learn so we'll"
Like all other stars who have been
brought out" by David Belasco. Miss
Bates is an ardent admirer Of that
acknowledged monarch of stagecraft.
stage managers as a rule" she says.
"are martinets and are dreaded by
actor folks. The work of rehearsing a
company of players and producing
big play is an enterprise of such enor-
nous magnitude and taxes one mans
energies and temper to SO great q de-
gree that an occasional violent rage
is admitted to be a prerogative of all
stage managers. Indeed, there are
times when a stage manager becomes
SO abusive that one would suppose hs
was driving herd of Missouri mules
instead of instructing an intelligent
company of men and women.
There is a certain man in New
York, producer Of a number of great
stage spectacles who once threw a.
chair at the head of an -obtuse leading
man because he mispronounced a word.
while the language and mad cries OF
another welI-known stage director
are proverbial along Broadway, in New
York, where actors gather on the cor
ners to talk shop. ~.
"Belasco, however, takes as his text
the old adage that you may drive
horse to water but you can't make him
drink He argues with the players
under his direction until they think as
he thinks, and then he gradually
moulds them into the parts which they
are to play. He has been credited
with possessing hypnotic power, for
his success is due to the fact that he
achieyes his purpose by insinuation
4 rather than by command
"Belascos disposition is kind because
he has such perfect control over his
temper. That he is a man of pas
! sionate nature and strength of 'charac-
ter has been proved again. and again
by his undying opposition to the. theat-
rical trust. Against overwhelming
odds, against influence and money, he
has wa'ged and is still waging an inn
placable fight that will ultimately end
! either in the oblivion of his enemies
or his own partial defeat. One thing
! is certain that either in defeat or
victory Belasco cannot be reIegated to
oblivion. He is too great an artist
). and while he continues as an active
producer of plays the public will in
j sst on the right to witness his handi-
work.
! "The best evidence of his strength
of character lies in this very power Of
; controlling his temper He displays
!, the same kindness and consideration
! for an unhnportant supernumerary
that he shows for a leading man or
. woman, and no matter how much he
may be disturbed and excited by the
; unnecessary mistake of some thought
less player, he never permits an unkind
! word to escape his lips"
An incident which illustrates his
! wonderful temper-control, and which
also accounts fort the fact that Belas-
co never carries a watch, occurred
during the rehearsal of The Darling
of the Gods"
. 1t was the first dress rehearsal OF
the japanese drama, and things were
! running smoothly. Not a mistake had
been made. Belasco, with his prema-
. turely white head bent upon his breast
and his coal-black hypnotic eye riveted
on the stage. was watching every de-
tail of the performance.
Suddenly the blare of trumpets
which announces the arrival of the
outlaw, Prince Kara, rent the air.
And it did rend the air, 1t tore the
atmosphere into jagged strip. for one
of the musicians had struck a horrible,
false, fiat note that ruined Kara's en-
trance and the whole effect of the
music. 1t was like throwing a hand
full of mud upon snow white statue
of Venus
Belasco gasped, his features assumed
an expression of excruciating pain.
Grasping his forehead with his long,
white hands, he ran up the orchestra
aisle and disappeared behind a cur
tain.
1t was impossible to continue the re-
hearsal without him. Miss Bates asked
some one to find him, and Mr.. b. r.
Roeder, general manager of the David
Belasco companies, volunteered to look.
He found Belasco behind the cur
tain, the rage upon him, beating the
wall with his hands. In his clenched
fist, he held his magnificent gold