New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-05

price for this particular show. The
show TO be delivered to the man who
sits in that seat yesterday, to-day or
tomorrow should be always OF the
same quality and value. As nearly as
it was possible TO produce that pcrfec-
ton Of result, | believe Augustin Daly
produced it and delivered IT to his pup
lie. Now. we don't get the results
Augustin Daily did with his great com
panies. and we don't always deliver the
same quality OF performance. IL Is not
the fault OF the players that one au-
dicnce stimulates them TO great ell
fort and that another audience gives
them no impetus and gets no response.
But. 80 far as we can. the stage man
ayers of to-day. / believe. have tnat
ideal Of delivering the goods, and tnst
they come as close to reaching IL as
conditions admit.
To-day conditions differ from those
Of Augustin Days time. We nave Two
factors now in stage producing. Inc
stage director who is really the pro-
Queer, a man Of reputation, mas IN
broad wav certain conceptions 70 orihs
out OF the play, and, baslng MS WORK
on the careful work of the stage man
aper. succeeds in bringing them out
Whatever conceptions star may nav
of her part or famous actor may nave
cf his scene in this play, the stage Nv
rector. or producer, with several sue
cesses to his credit, will readily con-
vince them of his way of thlnkihg'
Sometimes a stage director does mucn
20 NAV. sometimes he does little eX,
cont IN give counsel and lend ms wen
Irovn name. But orte a production
;s ssfelv started il is the stage man
naar,s iob 10 keep it running by clock
work. ,Iloss
"The stage manager has thankless
10Y He's the man who's blamed
,ben ANYTHING goes wrong with me
TO, whether he's to blame or aot'
r. is mart of his job TO be blamed rus,
"a tbev iump on an umpire at the pau
game Whether il is rotten rope IN
,bo riccinp and one of the flies faiis
end enoils a scene or kills an actor or
whether the crooks handouts won |
,ynrt and the crook walks of the stage
unshackIed. it's the stage manager ;
fault Blame il on the stage manager.
IF the manager of the company mas 10
Give an unpopular order or put over
an unpopular blame II on me
stage manager. He has TO be tne
bufTer. He's philosophical about IL.
comchodv has 10 keep in with the
actors and Jolly along the company'
The stage manager can't. hes an
outcast from the very nature OF th'hgs.
One blame more or less Is scarcelE
~ he counted. SO blame IT on the
stage manager. a.. ;oh
r,hat ;s coming 10 him. The first
tb;nc he does when he comes into the
theatre is 10 assign the dressing rooms
70 tho members Of the company, ana
bv 60 doing he naturally makes every
r;ember Of the company his enemy Tor
the remainder of the engagement.
ale expects TO sacrifice all those
plcassnt friendships and niue com
radeships of the company which make
up the Joy OF working together Tor inc
average player. As the stage man
acer he can play no favorites: lie mas
TO be impartial. to deal Justly, 10 ar
bitrate on any controversy that arises
He has to fine for infractions OF rules
He has TO be responsible Tor keeping
the whole company up 10 the MARI
The crew of scene shutters ana stage
hands arc under his direct control. ne
lighting and the producing OF stare
effects are under his direction. and II
anything goes wrong with me eiec-
trician's part OF the business. blame II
on the state manager-Its what ne
forl
1.-THE duties OF stage managers vary
in different companies and different
theatres and stage managers vary
But | can't begin TO enumerate the
4 I IL. hat n m no
routine for every performance from
seeing time is called TO ringing the
curtain up and down.
"In dealing with the members OF the
comany the stage manager theo-
retically. is az much the captain OF the
ship as the old salt who stands on the
bridge and sails his steamer. HIS
orders are captains orders so far az
the performance may be affected. For
instance, no kilograms are delivered
during a performance. for i'll news, o.
death or disaster, might incapacitate
an actor in the middle OF perform
ance from giving his public the value
he has contracted TO deliver TO all
these people who have paid for seats.
In the same way messages and letters
NAV be held up. and the privilege OF
admittance behind scenes guarded
jealousy for the good OF the perform
ancc.
every change in the cast means
that the stage manager is responsible
for rchearsing the new player and see
ing that he or she goes on the stage
ready to give satisfactory perform
ance. Blame the stage manager Tor
failure But give the player all the
credit for a success. The stage man
ayers crouch is Of too long standing
TO be unsettled by any pleasant occur
renee. Besides he doesn't mind 1t. He
picked out the job Of stage manager
himself!
"Therc is one element, however, that
is the unknown quantity in any stage
manager job:
Temperament.
~ stage manager can't afford 20
have temDcramcnt He can't use II IN
his business. He might as we'll go be
a star at once II he develops tcmpcrn-
ment. But cases Of temperament are