who are trying for the leading parts are graded as they should be, but
always on paper so that I will not forget or overlook anyone.
After I am through with them I go through the solo dancers the same
way and mark them and what they can do. I get them down on paper. As
I see them dance I find out which is the best dancer, with the idea of
placing her or him in the show to good advantage. That's the important
thing in planning your show. They all have to be placed in a certain
sequence in the show. If the best numbers are all in the first act,
you kill the act or acts that follow. The success of any show is in
the way it is laid out. It is the placement of the personalities, and
what they are given to do--when they do it--that makes or mars the
entertainment. One with a great deal of personality can go into your
show, and if not cast properly he or she will kill the rest of the
show. Casting must be done with good judgment and common sense.
After I have my list of singers and dancers worked out, then I pick
the people who are capable of playing the parts. Some of them may have
had previous experience, but never perhaps professional coaching. Now
the reason why these amateur shows are usually so rotten is on account
of the incompetent coaches who put them on. It is always the fault of
the stager if the show doesn't go over. Some of them are terrible.
They don't know anything about the show business. They don't know how
to lay out a show. They don't know how to put on the dancing. They
don't know a comedy scene when they see one. They do not understand
how to rehearse dialogue or how to set the inflections of the voices
which make the lines get over as they should. These coaches are
usually people without any actual staging experience, consequently
they are not competent to rehearse anybody. Amateur organizations all
over the country are beginning to realize the necessity for
professional stage direction in order to register success, both
artistically and financially. It is not nearly so costly to employ my
organization as it is to have some other which is only giving a very
poor imitation of us, which means a thoroughly competent staff of
real producing directors, who are up to the minute with their dance
routines and everything else required. If you will take the trouble to
investigate you will no doubt discover that the coach you have
employed has been to my school for a very short time, just in order to
get our latest dances and ideas in staging. Why get this service at
second hand? It will cost no more to get it from me direct.
Before you let them read a part for you, you should first hand them a
copy of their part and tell them to go to one side and sit down and
read it through thoroughly. Some of them don't know anything about a
part. A copy of a part is typewritten, and the dialogue that they are
to speak begins at the margin. The cue that they speak on begins about
an inch away and there is a dotted line in front of the cue, but
always what they are to say starts at the margin when parts are
properly typewritten. Parts are made up of what we call speeches. It
may be four lines or four words or two words or even one word. "Yes"
is a speech. What they should know is what their speeches are. What
they have to say is called a "speech," and in parenthesis must always
be the "stage business" or what they are to do. Stage directions
should always be in parenthesis. They are sometimes typed in red ink
on the first copies of the parts.
When they study the dialogue, they should try to fathom the speech;
that is, they should form a mind's eye picture of what the line
conveys to the audience. That is how I teach them to study. They read
a sentence. A sentence is supposed to express a complete thought. They
must get the proper inflection by reading it out loud. No method of
expression is brought into play yet. By that I mean no pantomimic
by-play or facial expression. They are only reading at first. In most
of the amateur shows, the players never do anything else but read the
parts. They read, crossing back and forth whenever the coach thinks
they ought to cross, and it doesn't mean a thing. I watched that very
thing in an amateur show not so long ago, and it was inane. Nobody
should move from one place on the stage to another without a reason
for moving. There is a reason for every inflection of the voice. A
person with common sense will read a part intelligently, but only a
person with a dramatic spark inside of the body will be able to act a
part naturally. If the dramatic spark is not there, no human being
will put it there. If it is there, a real director will discover it
and awaken it and make much of it.
After this first reading rehearsal, where the parts should be cast,
more than one person can be tried out for the different parts. I make
a call for the dialogue rehearsal where I walk them through the
action, holding the parts in their hands as they walk through the
physical action of the play. You will find that each one has his or
her own idea as to how it should be done. I have them speak their
lines distinctly and slowly at first. While this is going on I do not
allow any visitors. Not one word is spoken except by the person who is
reading the lines, or myself. I make notes as to who reads the parts
best. Many times you will find that the local folks will have ideas
about who is to play this part or that part. I pay no attention to
them at all. I always use my own judgment about such things; in fact,
about everything concerning the production. I don't allow anybody else
to dominate the show or arrange anything for me. But you must know
your business before you can assume such an attitude.
After the dialogue rehearsal is over, all the participants are
carefully marked, noting the ones who are most natural and apt at the
dialogue; those who have resonant voices that will dominate the
auditorium as well as those who have positive personalities. You know
there are a great many negative people on the stage; they never get
anything over. I always have tried to pick personalities that will go
over. I can take a crowd of professionals or amateurs and place them
before me in a semi-circle, seated; get them to read a play for me and
immediately pick those who will score a success. This, of course, is
the result of years of experience, yet if you try this you will have
some with strong personalities dominating your little semi-circles.
They will usually dominate your show. There is always one personality
that dominates everybody. It might be a comedian, it might be a
singer, it might be a dancer, but there is always some personality
that sticks out, and after all, such a personality must be reckoned
with and properly cast, otherwise it may even dominate the play. It
usually does. If properly cast it may carry the play to success.
A rehearsal usually lasts about three hours. Accomplish something
every minute of the time. Get on with the business of rehearsal--no
discussions or arguments. When rehearsal is over make your next call
for these people, at a definite time and do not change it. After
dividing all of your people into groups as I have said, make separate
calls for principals and the ensemble. For instance, take your
dialogue and principals' songs Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings,
from 7:30 until 10:30, or thereabouts; and the chorus or ensemble sets
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at about the same time. I think you
will find that you can accomplish a great deal on Sundays. I usually
call the principals and members of the chorus the first Sunday at 2
o'clock, and keep them until six, unless there are religious scruples
against rehearsing on Sunday, which is really not considered
sacrilegious. (I was brought up in the Episcopal Church and sang in
the choir as a boy.) Then I run right through the play as fast as I
can, to teach them the sequence of it. Then I usually call the
principal singers back Sunday evening and give them a good rehearsal
on the "business" of the numbers.
At the first rehearsal for the chorus I have the musical coach teach
them the music and lyrics by ear, one phrase at a time. Provide a
complete copy of the lyrics for every member of the chorus; we usually
collect them at the end of each rehearsal. Do not allow any talking,
laughing or playing at any of your rehearsals; make everybody
concerned take everything seriously from the very beginning. They will
welcome it, since it saves time for everybody. Put them under the
strictest discipline; get rid of those who do not want to take you
seriously; do not be annoyed by them, as they jeopardize your chances
of success.
Sometimes I carry my own musical coach, and I have found out that when
I don't carry my own pianist I always have trouble with my work. I
have never found anybody who can play the piano for my rehearsals to
suit me unless they have played professional rehearsals before. They
must have a certain touch to inspire me, so a good pianist means a
lot. Insist upon one who reads easily and who can play by ear as well.
If you have a rotten piano player the numbers will usually turn out to
be terrible. There must be something in the way the number is played
to make the members of the chorus want to dance.
After we get the numbers taught--that is, the songs--then I start to
teach the ensembles to dance the different routines. I pick out what I
would say would be the "hit" number of the show, the best popular
tune, something that appeals to me, that has a production idea in
the lyric. It is usually in 4-4 tempo, what I call the song-hit tempo.
I pick out this one song and we try a simple soft-shoe movement to the
chorus of it. Our routines fit any 32-bar chorus. I work with the song
for a while, then give them a 5-minute rest. Then I may pick out a
waltz number and try a few steps to that 3/4 tempo. But first of all
they are in a ring in a circle around me, and they first are required
to walk in time to each tune in the show.
[Illustration: DOROTHY DICKSON AND CARL HYSON]
I show them how to walk in time to the music. You begin with your left
foot and walk 8 steps in strict time with the music, then you take
four steps in half-time, counting one-and on each side, taking a step
on the flat of your left foot for the count of 1, then bringing the
ball of the right foot up behind the left heel and touching the floor
with the ball of that foot for the count of "and"; the same with the
right foot, and so on. The complete movement being in strict time and
"4-and" for half-time.
There may be eight, twelve, sixteen or sometimes twenty-four numbers,
and the people are made to walk around in circular formation in time
with the music, until they walk gracefully without any awkward
mannerisms. Now, there will always be somebody who will start with the
wrong foot. Someone will always be out of time. Some of them are born
without a sense of rhythm. They don't belong in the show and they must
be eliminated if you are going to make a success of the ensemble work;
only people who do modern dancing well should attempt the dancing.
We go along and teach our regular routines, whatever I lay out for the
show, but working on every number at the same time, doing maybe four
steps for one number, four for another, and so on, until I have laid
out the whole show in my mind. I never lay a show out in advance. I
do my best work on the spur of the moment. I have tried the other way,
but whatever is cut and dried is never any good. I must be inspired at
rehearsals.
When those who are going to be the principals have learned the songs,
I talk to them and try them out on a few little test steps to see what
they can do. Some of them are usually able to do some little dance
movements. Then I make them stand behind the ensemble and do the work
I have taught them, not in front of the chorus where they would be
embarrassed if they missed a step, but behind the lines where they can
be picking up the work. Then I eventually get them out in front, and
they usually do about the same dance as the ensemble, because if they
don't the ensemble shows them up. And you don't get your precision
effect. You must always get in an effective finish to every number,
either a final picture or an exit. If you want the chorus to get a
hand, bring them on for the encore, and let the chorus exit big on the
encore, but first get your effective finish. Then you have them all
back for the encore, then exit the chorus if you like, and let the
soloist stay on and let her or him do a solo dance if it is going to
be strong enough. There are different ways to finish a number and you
have to use your own judgment.
Be patient when you handle the principals and chorus, but persistent.
Shape up the dialogue right away, and take the entire show through as
soon as you can--the first Sunday as I suggested, if possible. Make
them run through the show no matter how it looks. They must stand up
for the ensembles and go through what they have learned, no matter how
rough it is, and the principals must do whatever they are supposed to
do to the best of their abilities. Don't take "no" or "I'm not
prepared" or anything like that for an answer. Accept no excuses; go
through with it. The more you go through the sequence the better they
will be at the performance.
Along about that time I am thinking about the pictorial effects. I
will have worked out a costume plot for the principals and chorus by
this time. By a costume plot I mean an assignment of dresses,
costumes, for both the chorus and principals. I make out two separate
plots, one for the members of the chorus and one for the principals,
in sequence from the opening number of the show down to the end of the
show. If I have thirty-six or forty-eight members in the chorus, I put
their names in and the costumes that they wear for each number, in the
order that they are worn. These plots are then typewritten according
to the sequence of the show. This is most important. They show every
change in costume that every one of the ensemble makes during the
performance. The same thing with the principals. Always figure the
time you have allowed each person to change costume, otherwise you
will strike a snag which may ruin the performance.
The show is taking a definite form by this time. I then start to give
them formations or groupings on the scene. When the curtain goes up
sometimes they are discovered on the scene. Some scenes I arrange for
the purpose of obtaining a good, effective picture, according to the
architecture and atmosphere of the scene, or I may give them some very
effective entrance movement coming down a staircase, through an arch
or gateway, or over a fence. This is influenced by the set. I
sometimes arrange surprise entrances, or little surprise exits which
are inspired by the lyrics or music. Sometimes I may use a personality
in the ensemble and give her an entrance or exit last. I resort to any
sort of producer's magic, as I call it, to get an effect or to provoke
applause, always keeping the costumes and the color schemes in mind.
Of course, I have my own "bag of tricks" with which I can insure the
success of any musical play that has any sort of entertainment appeal,
and you, no doubt, will have yours in time, with experience.
During the dialogue rehearsals, I make the principals speak the
dialogue in time, the same as the dances are done in time. They are
not allowed to use their own conception of how the lines should be
spoken unless I think their conception is better than mine. Every
syllable they utter will have to dominate the entire auditorium. That
is something that the coach must understand. When the house is full,
the audience makes a difference in the acoustics. Your people in the
show don't know anything about that, and so you must govern the volume
of the dialogue and set every inflection, attitude of the body, and
gesture definitely. But never let them use gestures that are obvious.
We will next assume that up to this time we have been working in a
hall. Now to perfect the dialogue it is sometimes necessary to go over
one speech fifty times or a hundred times, to get a certain inflection
and to set the accompanying "stage business." Stage business--all of
it--creates some dramatic value for the performance. That has to be
worked out, if you want to get effective pieces of "business," much
depending upon the brain power and the experience of the coach,
whether he is able to devise effective business or not. Sometimes you
will find it indicated in the script. For a man to make a success at
this business he must have inventive ability. He must thoroughly
understand dialogue, how to time it and set it. They must pick up
their cues, and at the proper moment, and not make "stage waits"
between lines. Sometimes the line is one that calls for a laugh.
Sometimes there is a line preceding it, preparing the audience for
what is to follow. We call that a feed line. Where the period comes
there should be a slight pause. We time that. The actor counts to
himself, "1, 2" before proceeding with the next line, that gives a
laugh a chance to get under way. If you don't give a line like that a
chance, it doesn't get over and the point is lost. It doesn't get the
laugh that you expect, and it would if the coaching is done properly.
Rehearsing dialogue is very tricky work. You must be very strict when
you rehearse it. If anybody on the stage should move, if a chair is
moved or if a door is opened at the wrong time while the dialogue is
going on, it would detract from the line and kill the play. No one can
move while a line is spoken unless it is some kind of a line that
doesn't call for a point. But if it is a comedy point that you want to
put over, or any other kind of an effective point, the characters must
be still and the line must be delivered, and after the period, after
the end of the line, you can break the picture and move.
Many a play is killed because people don't understand how to rehearse
dialogue, don't understand how to get scenes over; amateur coaches
teaching wrong business. I saw wrong business ruin a whole show once
in Baltimore. The chorus was walking up and down stage trying to get a
lyric over, with no sense of direction. They didn't know where they
were going or why. The coach just told them to walk up and down. The
soloist's back was toward the audience at times; she was facing right;
she was facing left; in every conceivable direction except the right
one to get a song over. Of course the number failed. The soloist
should have been in the center of the stage so the lyric could have
been heard and followed by everyone in the audience. Get the verse and
the first chorus over so that the audience gets the idea of the song.
It creates atmosphere for the number. If you walk sideways and your
face is sideways, the audience doesn't get the lyric. When I rehearse
a show the faces are at least three-quarters to the audience, when a
person sings or speaks. Nobody must ever have their back to the
audience when a line is spoken. If they sing a song or speak a line,
everything must be done for the benefit of the audience. That must be
kept in mind from the time you first begin to rehearse the company.
Whether it is a professional or an amateur company makes no
difference. They are trained in the same way.
Now, let us say we have finally perfected the play. They know the
lyrics, they know the numbers, they know the "business" that occurs
during the dialogue, and they know the "business" of the ensembles. By
this time the play has actually taken form, and it is time to rehearse
it with the scenery. When the scenery is added, both the ensemble and
the principals who do the numbers all report in their practice
clothes. Insist upon that. This insures their getting right down to
business without "stalling," as nearly all people on the professional
or amateur stage are disposed to do.
Go through the sets, get effective groupings so that you get the most
natural and effective pictures and it all conforms to the architecture
of the sets.
After you have finished rehearsing with the scenery, commence to give
them the hand-props. Sometimes I use important hand-props in dialogue
before I take on the scenery. That has to be carefully worked out and
considered. Otherwise I work the scene rehearsals in with hand-props.
You will find that most every one who has to handle a prop will fumble
it, will be terribly awkward with it. If they have to pick a chair up
and set it some place else, they will drag it across the floor and
make a noise with it. They can't pick it up and set it down without
any noise. This must be rehearsed. If they have to handle some
hand-prop, they will drop it at the wrong time. Most people are very
clumsy in the presence of an audience. Rehearse them with hats.
Gentlemen have very often come on the stage in amateur performances
and worn their hats in drawing rooms in the presence of ladies. I have
seen them take them off and place them in the most ridiculous places,
even in professional shows. Figure all of this out and rehearse it
carefully. I have had awful times just trying to teach them to sit
down and stand up properly.
[Illustration: A CORNER IN ONE OF THE LADIES' DRESSING ROOMS]
After the scenery and props come the costumes. We never have any
trouble unless somebody is trying to rehearse everything at the same
time. Not even in an amateur show do I do that. I won't allow it. The
sequence of final rehearsals is in this order; the scenery, the props,
the costumes, the lights, the orchestra.
You often have trouble with your costumes unless you get them from a
good concern. There are two or three first-class establishments in New
York where you can rent most anything. I have given the names of some
in a preceding chapter. There is one big firm in New York that has
recently bought over a million dollars' worth of costumes from the
Charles Frohman Estate, including some wonderful period costumes.
I always seem to be able to get about what I have wanted for amateur
productions from certain big New York establishments in this line of
business; those who make costumes for the Famous Players, Griffith,
and the very best moving picture and theatrical companies. They have
made many things for Marion Davies and her Cosmopolitan pictures. I
had a telegram from a girl in Minneapolis the other day. She had to
have a certain costume, because her engagement depended upon it. She
was to work three weeks at $150 a week, and she couldn't do it
without the proper costumes. I had one of my men pick out the costumes
for her. They cost her $45 for the entire three weeks. They were sent
to her by parcel post C.O.D. by one of these firms.
We have an art department in our studios where we make our own designs
for settings and costumes. When amateurs or professionals write to me
or wire me, I am usually able to put them in touch with the right
people and help to get just what they need. Any of these can be gotten
at reasonable prices. The prices range from $5, $6, $7.50, $10, $12
and $15 a week for each costume, depending, of course, upon the
quality of costume. I used a marvelous costume once worn by Ethel
Barrymore in one production, and I think I paid $15 for the rent of
it. A costume like that would cost $1500 to have it made.
After I am through with the costumes, I begin to do the lighting. I
will use certain lights that will affect the sets, the scenery. Other
lights will be used for the characters. I use the side lights,
overhead lights, border lights, and front lights. The spot-lights are
used to pick up the characters; sometimes I use X-ray border lights
down stage overhead to pick up the costumes. These lights are not
focused on the scenery at all. The other lights are worked to tone the
scenery to the desired effect, either to obscure it or to bring it out
vividly.