The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-15

 that applications to go on the stage are not made at the local theatres from all sorts and kinds of people; men and wom- en, boys and girs-folks utterly without experience, talent, or stage presence" They seldom get beyond the box office a the Jefferson. If they do the manager there usually advises them to stay at home. or in his own words;
 '.I tell them to take in washing-f they are women. If they are men l just don't bother with 'em'
 The clerk in the office said:
 "Quite a number of school girls and young ladies who think the stage is just everything. They always ask me if I know a way they can get on, and to please take down their names and addresses and look out for a chance for them. Of course we can't do anything down here; the companies are all made up when they get here and Birmingham Is no theatrical cen ter. you know, anyway
 Funny thing though, how many Bir mingham men-well known young men about town too-try to get on the stage. Some of them want to play in melodrama; others want comedy parts and think all that comedy is is to black your face and sing a song. No not many of them want the heavy tragic parts.
 ''Yet. taken all in all, considerable talent has gone out of this town, but the ma jority of applications are from amateurs who couldn't act if they tried to; could never learn.''
 There seems to be no remedy whatever for the extermination of these people who think they can act but can't
 "Ohl I'm just perfectly crazy to go on the stage!'
 1T just know l can actl' 'Nlouldnt it be the most heavenly thing on earth!' That is the way the girls-a goodly number at least-put 1t. while the men hardly talk much about it. They do what is worse; they mperso- nate as they go along: Hamlet chiefly. sometimes Cyrano. sometimes just plain Smart Alex till their friends cry out on very prostraton's verge:
 "Oh, cut it out! Cut 1t out"
 Just the other day a young woman called on a manager here. She was q little tragic-and she was a very pretty girl.
 
 We'll" the manager pondered. have you had any experience, ma'am?"
 "Oh, my no! Not on the real stage. you know; But I've recited lotsl I've al- ways been perfectly crazy about the theatre. 1 know 1 can acti I just know it! 1 finished school last year and we had Chat little act. you know, from The School for Scandal, and I played Lady Teazle and everybody said 1t was sim ply perfect!
 And then nave recited Aux Italiens, you know, with piano and violin accom- paniment, and the girls went wlld 1 feel that l simply must go on the stage or I just cane breathe another minutel Of course I don't dare tell anyone around home or l don't know what would hap pen They think it's perfectly awful. you know. They don't understand me. But have it all in me. 1 could play a leading part right off just know I couldr'
 One of the prominent managers con- nected with the Sam and Lee Shubert company, soon to be in Birmingham, was in the city not long since. and we were having little chat in the Hillman cafe.
 "A man applied to me this very morn ing" said he, ''and told me that in ad- dition to being a first-class actor he was a great singer. I asked him whether he was barytone or tenor and he answered:
 . Neither; I am a Kentuckian
 "rhen another fellow tackled me in Atlanta yesterday. 1 asked him the usual question, of course, did he have any ex- perience, and he answered: T can't say as I have sir: but I have driven q United States mail wagon for six years, sr!' Oh yes. we have them as you know, all kinds"
 But the girls" said I. "aren't they almost-wel almost as funny as the men?"
  me with a twinkle in his eye.
 Just you wait till I tell you. Why we have them all classified, in hocks. in schools.
 "Of course, Tn types-yes, say the worstn'
 Why not types?'
 Always to generalize?" l took some more strawberries Poor ladies'"
 our vision.' He could also be subtle" :" |