New-York tribune., 1911-02-26
42OF INTEREST to WOME> A|}EzR2az Al4Ez2az
COACHING A PLAY
Nothing Like 1t for the Stu.
dent of Human Nature.

Coaching play" said the woman who
is interested in amateur dramatlcs, "is A
fine opportunity TO study human nature
First, you have to choose the cast. Tn.
coach seldom has much choice in the mais
parts and is thankful II somebody's brother
will fiji vacancy at the last minute. Il
isn't that men don't like 10 show tr as well
as glrls-or even better-but they generally
work daytimes and object to giving up their
evenings for rehesrsals She Is hsmpered
too I'm the choice OF feminine parts, for the
leading lady she must select either the
chairman Of the committe or the president
of the society or the girl at whose house re-.
hearsals are held
"Then. one must propitiate the maiden
who had set her heart on playing the ead,
because she wanted 10 act opposite the
youth who plays the hero. She doesn't con.
slider the fact that she Is much too tall.
and that the heroine must have heavy
wavy hair to let down in the third act;
still, rather than be left out she consents
TO play the confidential friend. At length.
however. after many vicssitudes, he
maiden aunt. tho villain, the French miid
or Irish cook or colored butler are all
chosen-and the rehearsals commence
AT the first rehearsal the coach must
look out for the girl who never forgets the
fact that she has real talent for acting. and
| that she would have gone on the stage IL
| father hadn't objected She is the sort OF
girl who spends all her money on matinees
| uhe first row OF the 0-cent seats), and Is
always seeing emotional roles that just suit
her peculiar personality. Against the sug-
eestions of the coach she sets up her own
theories as to how her part should he in
terpreted. and is generous with suggestions
| to the rest of the cast.
But the most trying character to ths
| coach Is the man who plays low comedian.
| This man is frequently wit the kind OF
person who makes YOU laugh whenever he
opens his mouth and who doesn't have to
act. Just he himself but he considers him.
self above learning his lines. He prefers to
improvise and use his own jokes. instead
of the printed dialogue. and the result Is
most confusing to the rest of the cast who
are waiting for their cues.
! "If the leading man Is very young, as
is usual in an amateur cast. he is apt 10
| feel decidedly embarrassed when his part
reads: 'Algernon (tenderly putting arm
| around her waisO-Do you love me.
I Maude" / have noticed that Maude does
not mind it nearly as much as Algernon,
| though by the night Of the performance
Algernon, as we'll as Maude, has become
quite expert in the most trying situations
! even the stage kisses are sometimes real.
roha al
tired, the curtains won't work. the janitor
says he can't fix the fcotlights, and at
midnight the coach wonders why she ever
undertook to work with such stupid ma
| terial But the next night, in some mracu-
! lous way, everything turns out all right
the lights decide TO work. so does the cur
tain. and the local glee club, warhling be.
fore and between the acts keeps everybody
happy. No one cares that we are half
hour late in beginning, due to difficulties IN
making up.
Just a word about this task Of making
up; Il is a matter that must he handled
tactfuly The boys don't like much rouge
l believe they think paint is feminine
weakness, and therefore unmanly, but the
girls are much pleased when they see how
little color improves their appearance.
Also, | have noticed that the older the girl
is who plays the maiden aunt the more
she objects to being made up with lines
on her face and with powdered hair. she
seems to think that her friends in the au-
dience will remark: Fan" Is losing her
grlsh look; don't you think? How old IS
she. anyway
It's hard work, but after the footlghts
are dim and all the actors are still rouged
and costumed and mingling with the au-
dience, modestly accepting congratulations
on how perfectly fine everybody was-and
especially how the one person addressed
Just made the play'-then the coach, rest
ing in a quiet corner, has her hour OF tri-
umph For she alone has the satisfaction
of knowing she did il ALL