Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-31
CHORUS GIRLS
FALL EXHAUSTED
FIVE YOUNG WOMEN FAINT AT
THEATER
Work Of Staging Play at the Hotoh.
kiss Proves Monumental Task.
Managers Daughter Among
FatIgued Danseuses

Exhausted after more than thirty
hours of constant practice, wherein
they were compelled to dance more than
10000 steps, five girls in the chorus of
the Hotchkiss theater playing with the
Kolb and Dill company tainted last
night during the first act Of the produce
tion of II. o. u"
The brave fight made by the young
women to finish their act was pitiful.
Time after time as they attempted to
kick or dance in some of the nerve
racking chorus effects of the play, the
exhausted girls would totter and in
many instances had 1t not been for
their stronger companions they would
have tainted on the stage.
One little girl, who had just Joined
the company and was trying her best
to make a good showing stumbled sew
cal times during the dances. At three
different times after she had left the
stage she tainted, but in spite of the
persuasion of the management she in
sisted on returning and finishing the
act.
Many Are Novices
The production of play, "I. o. u"
calls for 159 changes of props and cos
tunes by the members of the chorus.
In addition to this the peculiar style
of chorus dancing calls for the most
violent exercise and the girls are COM
PEELED to go through all manner of ac-
robatic feats in order to play.
With only ten Of the old girls Of the
company to form the background for
the chorus, the Hotchkiss management
was compelled to hire sixteen new girls
Several of these were refugees from
the Tivoli, four came from Chicago and
others were girls who wanted to go on
the stage.
The girls began to rehearse several
days ago but at the last moment, be-
cause of certain bitches in the perform
ance, it was learned that the chorus
could not play with the limited amount
of rehearsing it had received. Other
ttlays in the securing of scenery and
costumes caused further delay and
Stage Manager Blair started on his
work of training the chorus.
Girls Faint From Exhaustion
The work began Monday morning
when the members of the chorus were
called to work at an early hour. They
received only few hours of rest thai
night. and Tuesday the saizle- rehearsal
Ndo lHey were OlSIl1SSeQ III
o'clock "Wednesday morning and were
ordered to report five hours later.
AT noon yesterday, the girls were still
dancing while the stage manager with
clothes awry was shouting hoarse or
ders. In the evening the girls were
still tripping but many of them were
SO tired that they could not stand up.
Supper was served to the entire COM
pany on the stage and they again start
ed with rehearsal.
When the first call for dressing was
made, two of the girls tainted. Miss
Nina Seamans, daughter of tine man
ager of the company and the most pop
ular girl in the chorus, was the first
to fall from exhaustion. She was sent
to her home and later in the evening re-
turned to the theater and insisted on
appearing in the performance.
During the first act, Garnet Neeblac,
one of the best dancers on the coast,
tainted and was carried out of the
theater and sent to her home. Agnes
Tate, another chorus girl, was also sent
to her home after having fallen from
exhaustion.
1t is stated that the girls will have
good chance to rest today and be
ready for the performance this even
ing.