The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05
.AAAYo, NO, NO, NO, MOI Tha
IN isn't q bit, like it. Cart youe
ANEY lstrr1e,, n1ut hi1irer, at al e. E told

you moi; 10, deliver the spesch: until
YOU'RE I: away down. stage. Here, I'll
The Scene: Is the stage Of the, Metro
politan theater, but the house bears lit
ele resenlb lance TO the brilliantly Light
ed audits,riuin as it, looks when a fash
ionable udtenee is gathered to see the
play Now, the shades. are up at the
side windows ard everything has a
sickly hue in the pale, white light from
outdoors The gilt and, paint look
cheap and tawdry and the huge vaulted
auditorium is full Of dark, puzzling
shadows. Up In the balcony a1woman
Is busting chairs. On the stage a single
ssbunch hght,' composed Of half
dozen incandescent lamps inclosed In a
white tin hood at the top Of tall iron
stands, casts a yellow glare over the
foreground. Beneath it's rays and in
the middle of the stage, almost In the
9eotliahts, sits man in his shirt
sleeves. He is the stage manager Of
the company, and it is he who spoke.
He impatiently leaves the little
table at which he has been sitting and,
repairing to the back Of the stage,
comes down towards the footlights as
he has been trying to teach the girl
before him to do. 80,
WELCOME to- our land, prince, ~
he says, In a delicate, mincing manner,
Ahat il Intended to be the perfection Of
feminine grace and charm. But
5who are your companionsq' There, do
4 you see what I meanY"
The girl, his pupil, murmurs a bash.
aul assent and goes back to the rear of
The stage to try it again. The other
men and women Of the company sit OF
stand about the bare, dreary stage and
look on with Indifferent amusement OF
interest. They are clad in their street
clothes. Two are laughing over let
ter in a. corner beneath an incandescen1
light and one young woman is crochet
ING. The others, those who are "on'
In this particular scene, stand uncom
fortably about, waiting for ''Miss Stu
MD as one of the girls calls her II
e whisper. to edo it right. - Down II
+he orchestra pit. the leader is rehears
RNow, on I'VE must part forever,
come in strong. Try that once more
No. no. forte, fortelp'N Once more tn
strain is played. !H't:Now the next Gu GU
a. GA strange drowsiness steals owe
me-, That Continues until f., see.
all.' Now we'll try that.''f :; p
j. !. +
The side the public sees is but
small part Of the business Of the the
alter. All day long and often for
good part of the night the work o
preparing for the few brilliant hour
before the public is carried on. Tn
audience which sits in the plush chair
and see the smooth performance, i
which everything seems to move so pei
fectly, has little idea Of the amount Q
labor necessary to achieve thoaeeresult
After the final curtain hastfallenS an
the audience slowly files out in 4th
street again while the orchestra send
with it the melodies Of the evening
there are few who give thought. t
4he men and women who have .worke
hard to give them the evening s=ente;
tainment.
The work begins long before tn
theatrical season opens, altho for til
actors and actresses there is little
do until two weeks or SO before th
opening. The manager and his assis
ants, however, must plan and order tt
necessary display printing, engage tt
members Of the company and do a