The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-10
"PLoTSv AND "CUES."
Stage Business That Theatre-doers
Are Not Familiar With.

A,,o,, the details in tho theatrical business
,v,,bout which a plny could not be given. but
OF which ignorance as dark as tho INSIDE OF
a pocket exists even among exceptionally well
informed theater- eoers' says the . ,iot :,
uno are tho prop plot the scene piotI
the light plot" and tho mubc cues 10
the theater-g gocrs these words mean mourning
To everybody closely connected with the stase
they arc as familiar a declaration TO q
lawyer or q pair OF forocps 10 q dentist. With
out the declaration thero can be no SUIT at
Iaw. without tho forccps tho dentist can't
draw the tooth; without tho various plots
enumerated the manager and his actors enh
When In tho play the lover bends over his
av;.cth,art and assures her that even In this
dense and almost impcnctrablo wood, pcopled
by Wild animals and stu wilder Indians. sho
is rafe there would have been no wood 10
tnIk about If II hadn't been for the constTuc
ton OF tho scene plot and It's proper WORKING
When he plucks from nearby bush
or rosQbuds grow in dense and almost I'm
pcnetrable forests) and hands " 10 his lazy
ioyo IL means that tho prop plot has done Its
duty. As he draws her attention 10 the nght
OF tho kindly moon that Is shining tsrouEn
the trees It is proof that tho light plot IL In
working order, and whon-os no says twenty
long years ago. and begins to toll her tho
story OF his life-tho orchestra glides Into
tremulo music, this means OF certainty that
the music has been followed with com
plcte success.
on the stage nothing is left to chance
Everything is ordered and regular. and each
man who has thing to do TO further tho
general scheme OF things Is expected 10 do
thnt one thing, matter whether tho rest OF
tho men dc their part or not. SO wo coSHo
To the meaning OF the various plots that help
the play and TO the men VINO arc hclo Ie-
eponsIblo for them.
Let us suppose that nobody around tho tho
ntor at which this imaginary play Ia to be
done" has ever socn IT. All that tho stage
carpontor tho house electrician, tho house
proI,erty man, and the house orchestra lender
know is that the play IL TO be played at the
theater the next week. Yet the play VIII bo
q rank failure unless all these men cooperate
with the members Of tho company In making
n a succcss They got their first chance with
the arrival OF the various plots. These aro
printed slips upon which Is set down the needs
OF the play In tho way OF things that are 10
be dono for 1t furnished to 1t by the stan
OF the theater
Take tho scenery hrst Tho eccns plot Gays
simply that the nrst act ls drawing room
with tho "etage crew. cnn rig up a drawing
room eceno with tho house furniture. In tho
back drop or back sot which FERNS the wall
q practical door. This means a door that can
be used The prop plot Will provide that
thcre is 10 bo a table Il. (Which is to the
right OF the stage center, Tho property man
he has everything 20 do with the table. He
gets IL It's nobody else's business, and II
be didn't get Il It wouldn't DO there
SUPPOSE thot there le TO bt safe In the
draWlng e. -room-Quecrer things thnn thle have
happened in plays-and that tho bad OF
tho play, technically called 1.-THE heavy" is
act Of iawbreaking accompanied by thrilling
music Fever and ague" music is tho cant
phrase for IT, Then the music cues Furnished
by the company 10 tho leador OF tbs house
says. Yes. this must be tho place. Now for
the dirty work" or words that effect, the
orchestra is to begin TO woil
II moonlight is to shino the light plot shows
tho moon.
one Chicago electrician got too busy with