The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-04-28

.0A&. memorial COuutlSSS pages
MIAMI have been written advis-
&RK ing the youth of both
sexes to shun the glamour
A and artifciality of the
stage, it is exceedingly rare to come
across an article that would be of
value to one who had chosen acting
for his life work. It is profession
which should never be adopted with
out proper understanding Of it's Pc
culiar difficulties and dangers, but II
your boy is convinced that he has the
necessary qualifications and is pre-
pared to face and overcome host of
preliminary acknowledgements, the fol-
lowing hints will assist him to
proper knowledge of the first steps to
be taken.
Contrary to the general impression,
one does not need to be a genius in
order to rise to fair position in his
trionic circles. In fact, nowadays,
producers are seeking types, rather
than orators and elocutionists. For
Instance, some men, even though In
poor circumstances, are endowed
naturally with tho outward appear
ance and bearing of millionaires.
Such persons. if possessing fair act
Ing ability, can fill millionaire parts
more acceptably than those who do
not look plutocratic. For the same
reason a fat man is more naturally
fat man on the stage than thin
man made up to appear so, as are
also a thin man, hunchback, bow
legged man, bald-headed man, or
an unusually small man.
Therefore, If your boy has any &C.
centricities Of physique or tempera
ment his chances may be really better
than If he were anything short of
high ability without them.
However, there is one essential
which can be tested before he makes
q serious attempt to get on the stage
his ability to memor1ze. To be-
come a successful actor he must be
able to memorize with comparative
readiness. The average ordinary part
consists Of about five thousand words,
which must be committed to memory
with absolute perfection. Further
more, in stock work, where a new
play is put on once a week, an actor
must be able to master this number
Of words in that period. Your boy
should test his memory by one or
more we'll known plays and trying
to memorize different parts. Then
with some one to read the other parts
as they occur, let him supply the
part he has learned from memory.
This test satisfactory, his next
step would be to go to the manager
Of theatrical company and ask to be
given a trial. Should the manager
have play with some small part
which he thinks suitable to the appli-
cant's general appearance, the chance
Of getting employment would be pref
ty fair. The only way to get the
coveted start is to keep after the man.
ayers.
Your boy will receive about SIS a
week when he begins with non
speaking part, and If the company
should be on the road he might be
paid $25. on account Of having to pay
his own hotel expenses. All living ex-
penses are always assumed by the
actor. the manager paying only the
railroad fare.
BY all means the most profitable
class of work in the beginning would
be with stock company. on account
of the varied experience and trying
out that your boy would get In ap-
pearing in new play every week.
Another advantage would be that the
regular season Is only from Septem.
Der 1 to the end Of April, leaving four
months of enforced idleness. while
stock companies are often busy
through the summer.
The "bit actor" Zone who has only
a line or so to speak, in stock com
pany is paid about $40 week. Hav'
ing only these few words to utter
may not seem much. but 1t has its
place, and an important one, in the
play. 1t may be that all your boy
has to do is to enter and say, "His
Lordship has arrived. SIR" but this Is
a distinct part, and if he does it we'll
in the exact information and manner
ism of butler-in short, If he has
mastered the part-the stage manager
will recognize it instantly, and he will
be promoted.
The next advance will be to gen
eral utility man, at about $50 week
The utility man is an actor who takes
small parts and is able to fill various
vacancies of this character. Next he
becomes a juvenile, or player OF
youthful parts, at $50 to $35. The
promotion to character man follows
places in the company and one of the
first things your boy should do early
in his stage life is to cultivate con
versing and telling stories in dialect
studying character parts, stories and
monologues, and fitting himself to
take the part of any peculiar charac'
ter that may be called for without
notice. He can easily anticipate what
he may be called on to do, as he will
know the plays that are to be put on
by his company in the future. Char
acter men are paid about $40 week
From this position your boy goes to
that of heavy man. the villain of the
play, who, next to leading man. has