ON REHEARSING

Question. What should be the first consideration in rehearsing a play? Answer. Its background.

Q. What is background?

A. A general idea of the time, place, and condition wherein the action takes place.

Q. What is the next step?

A. Giving the plot and analyzing the characters for the persons who are to take part in the play. Q. Why do you do this?

A. In order that every one taking part may have a thorough knowledge of every character concerned in the play; his birth, nationality, age, education or lack of it, social standing, degree of experience, health, strength, disposition, atmosphere, and peculiarities, even of the slightest. The smallest details of character must be comprehended and must become an intrinsic part of the actor's consciousness. This is what is called, in modern parlance, psychologizing a part, the outer expression of which is characterization. Q. What is the next step?

A. Having the play read aloud by the members of the cast, correcting the English, emphasis,

phrasing, tone color, pauses, and discussing the necessary pantomime and the general pictures, the climaxes and the stage business.

Q. What is stage business?

A. It is made up of entrances and exits, general deportment, crossings, and elaboration of incident and action for the natural and complete development of the play and the required dramatic effect. The character and cleverness of stage business depends upon the creative ability and good taste of the rehearser and the rehearsed. Q. What qualities make a good rehearser? A. Authority, poise, patience, a background of culture, and a knowledge of plays. He must be a good architect, a good reader, a musician, a decorator, and a clever costumer; he must understand the art of make-up, the proper use of electricity, and the management of lights. He must have a deep knowledge of human nature, be a good business man, and, above all, he must have the tact to handle the numberless things that are constantly coming up for his decision. A good rehearser never loses his temper, is a good disciplinarian, and is always fair.

Q. What is required of those to be rehearsed? A. Promptness, trustworthiness, unselfishness, strict obedience, self-respect, and an interest in

all that concerns the complete production of the play. During the rehearsals no one should presume to argue or to question the authority or disobey the directions of the person who is rehearsing him. If there exist differences of opinion or personal grievances, they should be discussed in private with the rehearser only. When it is difficult to obtain an interview with the rehearser, you can always write a note.

Q. What is meant by stage setting?

A. A conforming to the requirements of the play in the matter of exits and entrances and in the disposition of properties.

Q. What are properties?

A. Everything used during the course of a play. The securing of these necessaries requires an expert corps of co-workers. The stage carpenter builds the scene, the property man provides the draperies and furnishings, the costumer the costumes, the electrician the lights.

Q. When is it an advantage to use draperies instead of a painted scene?

A. When the scenery you have is irrelevant to the play, it is a distinct gain to use a simple dull green drapery, as it always forms an artistic background for stage pictures and leaves the imagination of the audience free.

Q. Should stage business be made on hard and fast lines?

A. No. While it is absolutely necessary that you should have well in mind the stage pictures you wish to present, the gaining of them should be a matter of evolution through rehearsal.

Q. How is this brought about?

A. It is one of the severest trials of rehearsers in schools and on the professional stage that they are obliged to rehearse men and women of dramatic instinct and talent who lack the essentials of education; who cannot stand, walk, turn, cross the stage, bow, shake hands, present a book or other article, place a chair, sit, rise, or talk with either good pronunciation or refined tone work; who cannot enter or leave the stage effectively; who are not familiar with other arts and have no sense of composition. Would it were possible to demand this culture before admittance to rehearsals, and thus expedite dramatic development! As it is, all this has to be accomplished through rehearsals, which is a slow process.

Q. How do I secure the best cast?

A. By competition. Every one who rehearses a part adds something in the way of interpretation, either through his reading, gestures, or intuitional stage business. It is common among

stage managers or rehearsers to prescribe the business of a play before rehearsals. This course restricts spontaneous action and renders the atmosphere mechanical. The modern movement in all art is to further spontaneous expression and to recognize it and preserve it in permanent form. This recognition of truth by the rehearser is just as much an evidence of his genius as is the prescribing of set business, and in no way detracts from his dignity and authority.

Q. What length of time is required to perfect a play through rehearsal?

A. From one to three months, dependent on the length of the play and the previous culture, experience, and harmony of those in the cast; a one-act play comparatively trivial in character can be produced with a competent cast in a short time. Q. How long should a rehearsal last?

A. As a rule not over two hours, for the actors become fatigued in mind and body. Professional companies, however, often rehearse night and day before a production.

Q. Should the whole play be gone over in each rehearsal ?

A. No. You will find it more satisfactory to rehearse by scenes, perfecting each one. Alternate this with the rapid going over of the entire