The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-07-21
DELLA FOX ACTORS
T. HATE SUNDAY STAGE
Noted Prina Donna Says Pro-
fession Is UnaIterably
Opposed to 1t.
NERVES MUST HAVE REST
She. Declares No Ono Has Any Idea Of
ttn Strain Under Which Stage
Folk Wosk-Young Women
Safe as Anywhere.

Yes. every member Of the profession
longs for the day when there will be
no Sunday stands. The actor folks are
for o. stx-day week. But there are the
managers and the more exacting pub
lie. To the public Is due the Sunday
theater."
This was the reply Of Della Fox to
the question Of a reporter as he sat
talSing to the famous prima donna in
her dressing room.
She had been speaking Of the hard
life Of the stage. and Of how often ac-
tors mast simply pull themselves to-
gether by the force of will power to do
their part and how weari.g On the
nerves are the thirty-week engage
ments. such as she will complete with
the close of her appearance at The
Farm this week.
People don't realize, dom you know,
how wearing on ones nerves this work
is. They don't know that we must key
ourselves up to the highest pitch AL.
every appearance. To the folks in fr4gslt
Of the footlights the actor or actress on
the stage looks perfectly natural and
at ease. but everyone who has lacked
on from the wings knows that; every
movement Is a strain that lbs nerve,
racking.
"Oh. you don't know what q relief IT,
Is to he actress to get even one. night
or a matinee off. That Is why 1 say.
that universally the people Of the stage
are against the Sunday theater."
Hard Work Wins SUCCESS.
What of the opportunities of the,
aspirant for the stage, now compared
with the day you made. your debEs
Miss Fox? asked the reporter.
Il assume that YOU mean yosslns
women who look to. the stage as a pro-
fession. There Is MO royal road to- sue
cess in this profession any more than
there must be native ability; but this
will not win without lard work. Com
bine ability with a large capacity for
hard work, patience and endurance.
and you spell success in this work the
same as any other.
A to- the opportunities for q stage
career 1 believe they are more numer-
Gus in this country today than ever be-
fore. but by this do not mean to con-
vey the impression that 1t Is easier to
rise to the top"
woman to start who desires to become
an actresS?"
I'm stock. The stock companies give
the best opportunities. There are al
Ways briglh: managers looking around.
One never knows when or where they
may drop in. II a young woman is
playing In stock, even in an obscure
place, and she shows more than ordi-
nary ability the sharp eyes OF some
manager will see her some time II
there is her opportunity.
First Step Toward the Goal.
THE beginner should take anything.
She should not shun an humble part.
If she can make that part stand out
just Il little stronger than the average
person would be likely to do she has
taken her first step on the long and
tedious road to success"
Would you advise a young woman
with stage leanings to follow her in
clination or would you advise her to
say be still to the promptings of her
ambition?"
advice, don't you know, is the
cheapest thing in the world. For this
reason some folks are most liberal with
1t; but as for me l am a little close
listed in that regard. One should be
careful about giving advice for there
\ is no end to the mischief one may do
But I would say to any young wom-
} an hat unless her ambition to become
, an actress fairly haunts her night an6
! day and Is the uttermost element of hel
being, she should go slow and think
: long and hare before taking the step
! Then II she decides upon the career
. she should make the ambition the very
! thing for which she lives. Half heart.
} edness has caused more failures thar
lack Of merit"
. . ~ yoo . iC SIo6C q "a
career for a young woman?"
: Perfectly Safe on the Stage.
: "a young mi Of sense n dis
!: erection Is as safe on the stage as any
. where. There are a whole lot Of false no
: lions Of the dangers OF the pathwa.
!. behind the footlights. A girl may g.
: wrong anywhere. but not any more 81
5 than any other. It's all up to the girl
She must learn to say No She mus
know the tempter wnen it comes. Sh
must shun the cup, the late dinner
a and the restaurant life. 1t is Their
: that the pitfalls are"
II suppose that you have been ap
preached by many stage struck girl
! in your time and asked for advice?
questioned the reporter.
Yes, and while 1 was starring l go
many letters-hundreds OF them-whicl
. l never attempted to answer. Some o
!, carried ava with the glimmer an
glow OF the footlights and with neithe
ability nor the all absorbing ambitio
) necessary to success.
"Others were from young wome
who, l ave N doubt. would nave mad
1 never attempted to answer these let
I ters. 1t would have necessitated
corps OF secretaries"
How about vaudeville?"
Vaudeville Is the Rage.
9 vaudeville is not what it was a fe,
ears ago. There are just as man
y bright people and cleve actors i
vaudeville today as there are in an
y other line Of acting. Vaudeville is tn
9 rage. The people seem to demand i
and of course the managers must pro
vide what the leople want. A goo
!. sketch in vaudeville is as hard as
part In a good play. In many respect
\ it is harder, for there is no backgroun
and a slip of any kind is much NOR
!. noticeable.
d Then. besides. the vaudeville stag
n today is as clean as any. There is non
8 ! OF that awness that formerly chara,
9 terlzed 1t. Upward is the constant ter
: dency in this line. OF course l speak I
8 the better class of vaudeville. Abst
9 Lutte refinement is now the rule and tn
q opposite the exception"
Shaded Meaning.
!. Milwaukee Sentinel: Beaks-Whs
9 brought on old Wilkins paralytic stroke?
~ r. ns.t 7 @.1Jdntt Gpap, ha ro.-ar.-.