Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-22
Player. shed Real Tear.

Laugh and the world laughs with you.
Weep and you weep alone" does not mean
anything as applied to the stage. Many
comedians laugh at their own comedy VINO
cannot succeed in getting their audiences
to laugh with them. Many tragediaus,
tragediennes, and emotional actors of both
sexes weep and see through their tears
whole audiences weeping with them. In
literature laughter Is supposed to be a
this does not always work out on the
stage. Since the day of Clara Morris
American audiences have loved to CRY.
always attended that weepiest OF dramas,
East Lynne and the oceans OF tears
that have been shed over the troubles ,s OF
always a brisk demand for comedy and
farce, there is no necessity for the drama
tist who has written a fearful play to tear
it up. Tears have their place on the stage
and much money and fame have come to
the people who have made them How.
OF one prominent actress now before the
American public In emotional roles II is
said that one day at luncheon she was
asked whether she could cry as naturally
OF the stage as on. Her answer was to
look upon the chocolate ice cream that she
happened to have before her and to say,
"lou. poor little chocolate ice cream" In
coUrsed down her cheeks. She had answered
the question. This reminds one Of the
piece OF goods that Mrs. Siddons, the
tragic queen Of the English stage in days
gone by, one day went to buy. will 1t
wash?" she demanded of the saleswoman.
Inc latter, slFuCk on heI BuaIu Ny lhs
intensity Of expression which the actress
had thrown into her voice, started back
in alarm and never more could be got
to wait upon Mrs. Siddons.
OF all the actors on the American stage
today perhaps the readiest cryer Is Henry
Miller, When he plays Armand in Ca
mile" his eyes fill with tears and he
weeps real tears all over the place Most
men on the stage prefer to cover their
faces with their hands when they weep or
to turn up stage so that the audience
cannot behold the convulsive workings of
their features.
with women It is different. They enjoy
good cry as well on the stage as on.
Some of them ruin the effect of some OF
their strongest scenes by permitting the
audience to behold red noses and strained
features The most artistic weepers let the
tear flicker in the eye, but express most
seems to be more like true art than is the
half hystertcal surrender to tears that
marks the work Of some Of our actresses.
When Clara Morris had to cry real tears
she would call up to her mind some dis
tressing incident that she had witnessed OF
had read about. The tears then would fol
low naturally. Other actresses have emu
lated her example, but not with SURPRISING
success. On the stage tears are not sup
posed to run their course, as they do II
real life, and some Of those actresses thai
have forced them have discovered, to theil
genuine grief, that, even after their cue
to be merry has come, the tears have shown
no inclination to depart
It may be set down as a general rule tha
not one actor in one hundred feels or want.
TO feel that the part he is playing Is a real
actual experience through which he Is pass
ing. The few that feel the part alwayi
work under the handicap that is created b!
their own tears, that, once being started
can be depended upon in most cases to con
tinue longer than the creator wished. Mos
OF the successful players have found tina