New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-09
TEACHING YOUNG
TO ACT IS EASY
Sam Forrest, Who Staged
Young America Trained
Small Host.
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

Much may be made of an actor il
he be caught young. Sam Forrest, who
staged young America" says that
children are as plastic material for the
theatre as any director could wish.
81 suppose" he said yesterday, that
many people imagine that a great deal
Of skill is required to rehearse little
children. I have never found it so.
Their minds are alert and active. Most
of the children in Young America
have had little or no stage experience,
yet they grasped the situations and
committed lines TO memory almost in
simultaneously and in many cases with
out so much as a written part"
AS a matter Of fact, there is more
dramatic instinct in the average child
than in the normal grown-up. Almost
every one from the age of five TO twelve
has the play and pretend spirit of the
theatre. Some retain this spirit and
grow up to star or starye for stage or
screen. Usually the power of pretend
ing is stuffed Off about the time when
one begins 30 realize that emotions are
not merely means TO an end.
Ii is the easiest thing in the world
for a child who is angry to try and
make his rage profitable in some way
or other by translating it into tears Of
seeming SORROW, but ii takes a grown
up of unusual ability TO weep at will.
Not only can the child pretend an emo
ton which he does not feel, but he may
be knight or admiral, chauffeur or grlz-
Fly bear for the asking.
A yOungster attacks a part on the
stage as he would d game. Probably
no one in the world loves his work so
much as the boy or girl actor. The
stage at the Aston is more popular than
any playground TO the children IN
young America" We went back Just
before the show began and found
youngsters all over the shop, but chief
~ they wanted place IN the sun OF
the footlights. Every night il Is nee
essary to shoe a dozen children off
the stage before the play can begin.
Certainly if the question was left 20
the young ones of the theatre no child
labor law would ever come past the
stage door
Mr. Forrest is Of the opinion that
the theatre is the best place in the
world for children.
eff ANYBODY has an idea that the
stage has a hard or demoralizing infu-
once upon children | wish he could
spend an evening here" he said.
Nothing in the world furnishes them
so much amusement. and it stimulates
and broadens their minds. The people
around the theatre like children, and
the boys and girls never hear anything
but thu things that boys and girls
should hear"
So much may be said, but it must be
admitted that stage children are pert
and forward. II the good manners OF
childhood depend on being seen and no;
heard, the boys and girls Of the stage
are not good hammered. They are frank
to q degree. This may be a virtue Or
a vice. We remember a nine-year-
how actor who was removed from the
cast of a play in Chicago and forced
TO watch his part played by girl OF
sixteen. As soon as the substitutes
scene was over we caught him IN the
lobby of the theatre clapping his hands
and shouting: "She didn't get any APP
plause, She didn't get any applause.
At once We assumed moral manner
"That isn't nice, Norris" we said. You
ought 90 back and tell her how well
she did your part" q,
81 won't 20 back" said the boy, "and
| think she was rotten"
In spirit of utter recklessness, the
powers behind "Chin-Chin" yesterday
filed a claim 10 practically all the
theatrical records that have not been
staked out and claimed as private
property by other attractions. During
the run at the Globe there has not
been a vacant seat at any perform
ance; no actor, actress, stage hand
nor musician has missed a perform
ance; the curtain has gone up at the
same minute every evening and the
running time has not varied thirty
seconds in $50 performances; one mil
lion dollars has been taken IN at the
box OH ce.
Furthermore, during the $50 per-
formances the chorus, averaging eight
changes Of costume performance, has
had TO make more than 1000 changes,
which. if laid end 20 end, would reach
from, etc, etc,
From childhood 20 the chorus OF
Town Topics" is only step. One OF
the successful applicants for a posi-
ton among the tone impressionists OF
the Century ballet is girl who IS
making her first appearance on any
stage. William Raymond Sill took her
name for programme purposes.
"Grace Jones'" said the girl, with
out enthusiasm, but she quickly added:
81 want TO 90 on the programme as
Marguerite Arlins Grsyson."
Every WELL" said Mr.. Sill. but the