The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-17
The FUNNY PHILOSOPHY
OF THE STAGE ENTRANCE

ITO me, there is an oyerpowering at
traction" said the old playgoer, Ito a
stage door. 1t indicates, you will think,
a mental weakness OF some kind; but.
candidly, II is not for the ladies. Every
man who hang. around stage door is
supposed To be there In the capacity of
satchel carrier, or, to speak In q Ian
guage all will understand as a Johnny
About the blessed portal / have not been
this sort Of pendant or lounger. My fas-
cination has not been for the feminine
II has not been I'm the slightest degree
amatorial-an explana ton which may or
may not be believed; but is nevertheless
q fact
Having excluded the imaginary alloy,
we may as we'll examine the pure metal
OF my infatuation To me IL Is far more
! interesting to observe the arrival of the
actors than to see them from a fourth
row aisle seat in the orchestra One
cannot extract half the speculative in
terest, not moiety OF tho romance, from
player speaking somebody else's lines,
, living character which is pretence, that
one can. If he knows how, from the
player himself, as he wanders along the
alley and passes into his workshop
'One can always discover, and with
absolute accuracy the success or failure
OF play by observing the actors as they
approach the stage entrance. II the play
is a failure you will find that fact un-
mistakably depicted in the faces of tho
players-they will appear cheerless de-
pressed and crestfallen; while on the
other hand, IL IL Is a success. you will find
that each countenance is jocund, blithe
and gay. When l am interested In how
play is going at any playhouse. / al
ways take my station at the stage door
at 7:15 and observe the performers, and
in few minutes l know to a certainty
how long the play will last. and how
much money has been taken at the box
office the night beforel
Not only do l discover the value OF
the play, but the fortune of the actors
for | am able to know in few minutes
how well the actor has been suited with
the role which he has undertaken, and
as TO the bulk OF his Saturday envelope.
His countenanoe reveals the one. his
clothes the other! An actor who ap-
proaches n stage door early one season
with bowed head and lack -luster eye will
often later on I'm the season be discovered
entering another with head erect. with
swinging steps and countenance radiat-
ing happiness. The early play was a
failure and he had u bad part; while now
he has the limelght In the middle Of the
stage and ln a SUGGEST
Many evenings II has pleased me TO
observe the two Davids, Belasco and
Warheld, arm IN arm, wander up TO
the stage door OF the Biiou. This pair
simply blazed with pleasurable satisfac-
tion IL did not require much speculation
TO flgure out that something quite en-
ioyable was occurring on the stage Of
the Bljou l recall Richard Golden last
winter one night when 1 took my place
at the stage door at the Garden theatre.
lie was playing In The Good Samaritan.
and as he came along the street he WAS
the picture Of despair! He was wrapped
I'm gloom, incrusted with detection, sur
rounded by meRnchoy--e sad and de-
plorable sight The other night, / wan
dered IN to the Majestic theatre and
took my place at the stage door. l
hadn't noticed who was I'm the case OF
The Tourists but who should come
dancing along. as merry as ARK, but
the same Richard Golden-with head up.
smiling like June rose, and exuding
ioy and giadness! / didn't have to be
told that he had made hit and that
the play was n biz success.
In this wAy I keep myself ieformed
of the varying fortunes OF my actor
friends and az the success or failure
~ playr nv watching tho stage door
7 learn good man, other things which
would not be well TO set down