Читать книгу The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work - Virginia Penny - Страница 46

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The circumstances under which a play-actor's life are seen are calculated to please the young and susceptible. They put a false estimate on the pleasures it affords. They are apt to forget that the moments in which performers appear on the stage all sparkling as the diamond sands and crystal pebbles of a brook, are the principal, perhaps the only bright ones of their lives. Many a sad spirit, many a broken heart is concealed under the glittering tinsel. We are not among those who denounce the theatre as a school of vice and infamy—nor could we conscientiously laud it as a school of virtue. We think the influence and effects depend very greatly upon the character of the plays; much, too, depends upon the individuals of the audience. There is no amusement that may not suffer in the abuse. Late hours, intoxicating drinks, and bad companions, in many cases form the curse of regular theatre-goers; and for these the plays (perhaps harmless in themselves) are charged with being demoralizing. Good plays have an intellectual fascination. We think the drama might be made more a school of instruction and innocent pastime—less a school of evil tendencies. In China and Japan, the female parts in theatrical performances are never executed by women. No women ever appeared on the stage of the Greeks or Romans. Even the female characters in Shakspeare were not represented by women in his time. The first lady that appeared on the stage took the parts of Juliet and Ophelia in 1660. The publicity attending the life of an actress makes it repulsive to many, and the egotism that the profession engenders is an objectionable feature. That there are good and virtuous people connected with the theatre we cannot for a moment question; but some of the men are worthless and dissipated, and many of the girls and women engage in it because they see no other way of earning their bread. Many a ballet girl has danced to support an infirm mother or orphan brothers and sisters. The roving life of an actress and want of home influences are not conducive to the growth of domestic virtues. Yet some actresses have married advantageously in Europe, and been respected in social life, not less for their virtues than their talents. The craving of admiration incident to the calling is apt to make an actress vain. Her fondness for excitement, and her consciousness of importance in the eyes of those who patronize her, furnish additional fuel to the fire. If she makes a failure, she may die of chagrin. Mr. B., a dramatic agent, thinks there is always a supply as soon as there is a demand for dramatic performers. They cannot enter and leave the profession, like any other. They must be actively engaged in it all the time, or leave it. Their talents must be carefully considered, and they placed in the company that requires them, and in such places as suit their talents. If a play in which they excel is to be performed in a distant city, they accompany the troupe to which they belong. A company consists of a combination of various talents. The number employed is not fluctuating, but they change their localities often; that is, go from city to city and town to town, shifting their place as seems best. They are compensated according to talent and proficiency—from $3 a week to $150. They are usually paid according to the contract made with them. I think the voice of actors when off the stage is peculiar. It is deep and hollow, as if trained to be thrown to a distance. By the drama two of the senses which afford most pleasure are entertained—the eye and the ear. Madame Celeste made $50,000 clear in this country; Essler, $70,000. The play, "Our American Cousin," is said to have cleared $40,000 in New York. Mr. P., a dramatic agent, told me that actresses are paid according to their position and talent. A ballet girl is paid from $3 to $6 a week, if by the season. Wallack pays $5 or $6. Utility people are paid from $6 to $10. Prices depend very much on who and what the people are, and the class of theatre by which they are employed. Those of the better class are paid from $25 to $60 a night. When they are not required they are not paid anything. In Europe, some of the theatres are open during the summer. In New York a paper has lately been commenced, devoted almost exclusively to the drama. "Our great star actors, Mr. Forrest or Miss Cushman, command their hundreds of dollars a night. The handsome Brignoli or the ponderous Amodio will not dispense their silver notes short of fabulous thousands of golden dollars per month. Those who try the life of an actor speedily discover that, of all hard-working men, few render more constant, wearing, unceasing labor for their money, than those who conscientiously do their duty in a theatre. Multitudinous and constantly varying requirements are made of an actor who has achieved a leading position. He must be a linguist, an elocutionist, a fencer, a dancer, a boxer, a painter (for the proper coloring or 'making up' of his own face and figure is no small part of his art), a soldier (so far as a knowledge of military drill and the manual exercise is concerned); and he should be a singer, and a bit of an author. In a theatre where a drama unfamiliar to the company is produced every night, or in case of a new 'star,' who plays his own pieces, a day's work of an actor may be set down as follows: To learn by heart a part not exceeding six 'lengths' (a length is forty-two lines), attend rehearsal from ten to one or two, and act at night in one or two pieces. That is, six lengths new study, rehearsal, and playing at night, is what may be required of an actor for a day's work, without giving occasion for grumbling at the managers. There are many actors who, upon an urgent occasion, will study from ten to fifteen lengths in a day, besides attending to their other duties. This, however, is never required except in case of sudden sickness of another performer, or some similar extraordinary event. In provincial theatres the actors are worked much harder than in New York, and paid much less. The starring system universally prevails, which necessitates a constant succession of new plays, most of which have to be studied from night to night, as a play is not often acted two nights in succession in small cities. But when a piece has a successful 'run,' the actors have no new study for several weeks. Actors are usually engaged for certain lines of business; that is, each one engages to perform only such style of characters as he is best qualified to personate. The remuneration of actors comes next into consideration, and the scale has a wide range, from $3 a week up to $200 a night. This last sum was for years the demand of Mr. Edwin Forrest. Other stars are generally content with certain 'sharing terms;' that is, the gross receipts, after a certain specific amount has been deducted for the expenses of the theatre, are equally divided between the star and the manager. Thus, for example, if the expenses of the house are $300 per night, and the receipts $400, the lucky star and the fortunate manager pocket $50 each per night. This is the fairest basis on which to conduct the starring system, because, by this plan, the salaries of all the stock company are assured first, and the profit of the star depends on his own power of attracting the public to the theatre. In New York the salaries paid to stock actors are higher, on the average, than those in any other city in the United States. The managers ignore, to a great extent, the technical 'lines of business,' and engage the best artists that can be had, and then have plays especially written, in which each of their leading actors shall have a part suited to his peculiar powers. While this plan secures to the New York public the finest acting that can be seen in the country, it also entails upon the managers a salary list of dimensions that would swamp a provincial theatre in a single week. The leading actors, as Messrs. Lester, Blake, and Walcot, at Wallack's Theatre; Messrs. Jefferson, Jordan, and Pearson, at the Winter Garden; Messrs. Mark Smith and Vincent, at Laura Keene's Theatre, receive from $50 to $100 per week. Salaries for women are about half, or perhaps two thirds of what are paid to men holding corresponding positions. General utility men, supernumeraries, and ballet girls receive from $3 to $10 per week. When an unusual number of 'ladies of the ballet,' or supernumeraries of the other sex are required, on some extra occasion, they are specially engaged, at 50 cents a night, or sometimes for even less money. The salaries on the east side of the city, at the Bowery Theatre, are lower than on Broadway, the principal actors seldom receiving more than $35 or $40 per week, and the others are in proportion. In smaller cities, as Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, &c., the highest sum paid to a performer seldom exceeds $25 per week. Actors who have achieved a position which warrants them in demanding it, stipulate for a 'benefit' in addition to their salaries. On these occasions, a third or a half of the gross receipts of the evening is paid over to the performer, according as his agreement is for a 'third clear' or a 'half clear' benefit."