Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-18
TRY VAUDEVILLE
ON THE DIRECTOR
LEADER PATIENTLY LEARNS
CUES WEEKLY
Much Of the Success Of stunts
Depends on Understanding Be-
tween the Actors and
Musicians
4 S far as amusement is concerned,

> TAR as amusement Is concerned
~ an Orpheum rehearsal is mucf
better than the real show.
A free and easy feeling pervades tht
theater. The members of the orches
ira sit with coats off and cigars II
their mouths. ard Frankenstein, thu
director, has his hat rakishly perchet
upon the side of his head.
The performers, minus makeup ant
in street clothes, loll about the stage
awaiting their turn to INSTRUCT
Frank" as they dub the director
how they want their music played.
The music is most important ad.
junct to most of the acts, and il the
orchestra failed to come in at the
right cues and played the vamps in
correctly the whole act would be ruined
in the eyes of the players.
The first act to rehearse last Mon
day afternoon was that of Signor
Russo and his Italian quartet The
slight tenor through his years of ex'
perience in grand opera was perfect
ly at home, but the other three showed
their amateurishness plainly by their
evident unfamiliarity with stage busl-
ness.
At one side of the stage sat Burt
Grant, the negro entertainer. He was
busily instructing his wife how to sing
a new song. When Russo sang, how
ever, everyone on the stage did little
except to listen.
Russo a Comedian Too
The one-time grand opera singer
showed that he was an admirable COM
edian, for in all of the songs he in
serted bits of delightful funny bus-
ness.
When the orchestra began the sad
strains of 1.-THE Miserere" from I'll
Trovatore" Russo mopped mimic tears
from his face and also from the face
of Miss Schmidt, the soprano of the
quartet. He then assumed a most lu-
gubrious expression and began the
song.
The encore was to be the rollicking
"Funiculi, Funicula," and the business
which Russo inserted in the merry
ditty would have made a hit with any
audience. But at night when the act
opened all the clever bits of side COM
edy were cut out.
All the time Russo was making the
few observers shout with laughter the
bass of the quartet stood with a
gravely dignified expression waiting
for his chief to cease his inopportune
merriment. Then, apparently, Russo
was satisfied that everything was all
right, for, after thanking the director,
he left with his quartet.
Grant lnstructs His Wife
The Grants were the next to tell
their troubles to the leader.
Now, when you come to the vamp
play it twice, for I've got some bust
ness, talk and little dance; then play
the next verse;"
Grant did not sing the songs, but
merely "di-de-doed" through the song
until the chorus was reached when he
sang it and interpolated merry tests.
Then his wife had a song to rehearse.
Apparently Grant was the main one
with that team, for he instructed the
tired looking little mulatto over and
over again.
Pull your time; sing slower 1 amt
got no patience with anyone that runs
away with the time" Then Frank"
told him that if he had any instruc-
tons to give them to the leader.
Now, see here Mr.. Leader" spoke
up the dusky one, don you talk to
me like that. I'm gentleman, I am,
and I've met too many good musicians
to have you tell me anything"
Then Frankenstein gently set him
right on the question of who was the
head one at that particular moment,
and the negro quoted down. But he
could not resist the temptation to give
some additional instructions.
NOW" he said to his wife, "if you
don't pull your time in that song we
will cut 1t out of the act"
The little woman glanced at him and
went on without replying.
The songs Of the Grants were soon
disposed of.
Enters Like q Train
Nita Allen came in to tell how she
wanted the incidental music of her
act played.
Give me good entrance" she said
"and before the curtain goes up 1 want
the effect of train"
The drums practiced over the desired
effect until it was pronounced correct.
The two fragments of cars We're in
the back of the stage, and nice look
ing chap got on the platform and told
the director how he was going to sing
a song with his own accompaniment
and how he would hum the wedding
march. Then he told what cue to look
for.
1t was apparent that Miss Allen had
told many orchestra leaders how she
wanted her music played, for she got
the effect she wanted in much less
time than either of the two acts which
preceded her
Following Miss Allen was a tall wo-
man, somberly CARRIED in black, who
wore a pair of eyeglasses with an air
of distinction.
She passed out the music to the or
chestra and confidentially told the
leader that she had played for twelve
years In comic opera. She then sang.
Her voice was almost baritone in quail
ity, but at the end of the song the
orchestra and the singer became sadly
mixed. According to the statement
of the one with the eyeglasses, the
music had been out on the road and
the orchestrations changed. This ex-
planned some of the strange sounds
but not all of them. Finally the blacl,
CARRIED songbird decided that she
would be all right and the noises
ceased.
Then with a clatter the orchestra
broke into the intermission music and
the rehearsal was at an end so far as
the performers were concerned.