The Washington times., 1914-07-26
SOME LEFT-OVERS FOR THE
THEATER OILERS
By GARDNER MACK.

I joyed not having is that Of a stock
| actor!
| II may be a personal peculiarly, but
| the confession must be made. Otter
| on hot. sticky nights when toiling
| painfully with sore and outraged
! handful to hgrl at deEencelcss readers
| of the Sunday paper-toiltng and pick
| ing when the toilins and picking are
not particularly good and the words
| terribly hard 10 rind-have l teen more
| comforted even, tnan Mrs. Wigs with
| her thoughts Of the terrors of 4 hare
| lip. by the fact tnat I am not a stock
actor. The business OF being stock
| actor Is the only form of punishment
permitted under the cruel and un-
usual clause OF the revercd COnstitu-
tiCn which allows no time or for good
behavior. II one makes a success of
being a stock actor there Is no re-
pr!eve, no chance to redeem ones self
1t is a matter of wonderment. OF awe
even, TO watch the gyyrations of the
men and women. otherwise perfectly
normal human beings. who will under
go the pains ana discomfoIts Of such
calling for the little bit Of money
they receive. The salve OF popular
adulation, might work wonders on
tired soul. but one cannot understand
how its effect is beneficial to sore
muscles or weary mind.
The ordinary stock concern is bad
enough, but think of subIecting hu-
man beings to the twO-a-day torture.
a week. Think of being conpc!!ed to
get to work at 1870 in tn. morning
after having been al it until midnight
the night before. Think OF going
through life with manuscript continu-
ally in your hand trying to commit
next weeks part to memory. and work
out tie business of the play al rehear
sails that begin at 1920 and frequently
last until / O'Clock. Then think "a re-
porting at 2 O'clock for the matinee
Of an entirely different play which
keeps you until 4D or in the after
room. hurrying home for a bite to eat.
and rushing back to the theater for
the night performance. And then after
the night performance. going to hot
Etuffy room and studying half the
night on next weeks part!
There seems TO be a lot OF people
who enjoy doing this-judging from the
number of stock companies that are
working throughout the country. And
giving good performances OF the plays
they attempt. IN the old days when
old plays were utilized for production
in the popular-priced houses II WASH I
so bad as 1t is now. Then whatever
form the characters were presented was
more or less interesting because few
of the patrons of the play knew any
thing about II. But the stock com
pany patron today is a very sophis-
ticated person. She-the women are
the greatest enthusiasts in such mat
ters-demands the latest and best in
dramatic lite ratuTc And the things
she likes the most are the things that
some famous star or some well-recog-
nized company of actors and actresses
have produced at s. houses during the
regular season. When stock companies
produce plays OF this sort they immC-
diately institute comparisons between
their work and the regular company.
and if they do not approximate the sic
cess OF the regular production they lose
patronage.
1t Is or the leading people in such
companies that the burden falls Tho
hardest. The leading woman most Of
all. She Is compelled TO consider tho
wardrobe as well as the character. Her
clothes must harmonic with the color