Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03

that peculiar accent and forgetfulness or
final syllables, which proclaims the genuine
southerner. My trials were many, but al
last l felt able TO pass muster north or
Mason and Dixon's line. 1t is wonderful,
however, what habit viii do for a person
Whenever l become greatly excited and
lose my temper all the years of stage tram
ing fly away and my boyhood dialect taxes
possession before / know It. Sometimes the
members of the company smile and then L
realize what / am saying with the excep-
ton of the training TO my pronunciation,
practically four years were wasted at the
start of my career, for it took two years TO
learn many things which required an
other two to unlearn. / love comedy char
acter parts and usually choose those when
directing a company in which l must also
play. | have been director of William
Farnum's Stock Company in Cleveland and
also of Vaughan Glaser's. in which Laura
Nelson Hail leading woman. l have
filled similar positions in Cincinnati, Port
land Los Angeles and Columbus, also with
the Murray Hill and Yorkville Theaters In
New York city.
In discussing the difficulties of stage di-
recting with a stock company, Mr. Morrison
said Many persons, especially parents
have idea that a stock company is an
excellent school of acting. They have this
notion from what they have heard about
| the old stock system being the best aid in
perfecting art. There is vast difference
between the old and the modern stock. The
atmosphere, the training, the association is
entirely changed. Business figures In the
actors life more intimately than 1t did
| long ago There is too little time devoted
to elaboration. to art itself The structure
| is sketched, but that is all. In my opinion
| ii is the worst possible mistake for a
novice to make his debut in stock COM
pany when one part is rehearsed in the
morning. while another is acted at night
Week after week this plan is pursued
| consequently nothing can be digested
| When the engagement is over the beginner
! has profiited very little My advice would
! be. go on the road for five years and then
| attempt stock if you feel like It 1t Is
/ hard hard work Frequently | nave been
| obliged to discharge young men and women
| for the simple reason that 1 did not have
| the time to instruct them. When you join
1 a stock company you must be quick at
| study, quick in your methods and able TO
! rely upon your own resources without
| worrying the stage manager, who has too
| little time it is with scenery to look
after, the costumes to critc.Se, the stage
! business to work out. so that five or six
people won't be standing still in the middle
| of the stage doing nothing when they
| should be scattered, with various occupa-
| tons in order to remove the stiffness.
| IN my opinion the modern actor should
| take his profession more seriously. He
| should devote his time when at home to
studying on his own account. The old
actors spent their leisure moments in try
/ ing to figure out some novel business, some
| thing which would enable them to make
! even a bit stand out prominently. Many
| times l have watched the best chances
! pass unnotlced- An experienced actor OF
/ the old school would never permit this.
| That is the reason the older fellows are
! coming to the front at the present time.
| We can't do without them.
80 many Of the younger set endeavor to
think as little as possible about their roles
when not acting. Instead of standing in
| the wings and watching the work of those
on the stage during a performance they
prefer to laugh, chat and joke. At times
| 1t is all 1 can do to make them take up
| their cues.
Then they won't study properly. There
| is only one real way to learn a part and
| that Is TO shut yourself up in your room
| alone and to concentrate your mind. Con-
/ centration is everything. What can a man
! remember who takes his book and seats
| himself in a park where people are pass
/ ing; where the scent of flowers and the
chirp of birds distract his attention, to say
nothing of pretty girls who pass to take a
! look at the handsome actor. The park is
no pace to learn a role. The life of stage
manager is awfully interesting, but not al
ways easy