one gentleman's wardrobe
attendant, one curtain attendant, one announcer. If a large piece is
to be performed, such as the Reception of Queen Victoria, it will be
necessary to have fifteen or twenty young gentlemen, varying from
four to five feet in height, to personate military and other figures.
Each person should have written instructions in regard to the scenes
in which they take a part, giving full descriptions of the costumes,
position, expression, and character which they are to personate; after
which they should meet in a large room, and go through a private
rehearsal. It will be necessary, previously to appearing before the
public, to have three rehearsals--two private ones, and one dress
rehearsal on the stage. It will be well to have a few friends witness
the dress rehearsal, which will give confidence to the performers,
previous to their _debut_ before a large audience. As soon as the
company has been organized, and each performer has received his
several programmes, it will be the duty of the stage manager to see
that the various branches of the profession are progressing in unison
with the rehearsals. Each tableau should be carefully examined, and a
list of the machinery, scenery, wardrobe, and furniture of each piece
noted down, and competent persons immediately set to work on their
completion. The selection of appropriate music, the drafting and
erecting of the stage, and many other minor matters, should all be
completed, before the tableaux can be produced.

But before proceeding farther, we will give directions in reference to
the size and formation of _the stage_. It should be strongly framed of
joist, and covered with smooth boards, and placed at the end of the
hall, at equal distances between the side walls. It should be twelve
feet square, and six feet in height. The front of the stage should be
made to represent a large picture frame; it can be easily made of
boards ten inches wide, fastened together in a bevelled manner, and
covered with buff cambric, ornamented with gold paper. Oval frames are
frequently used, but they are not so easy to arrange and manage as a
square frame. Cover the floor of the stage with a dark woollen carpet,
drape the ceiling with light blue cambric, the background with black
cambric; the sides should be arranged in the same style as the side
scenes of a theatrical stage. Stout frames of wood, two feet wide,
reaching to the ceiling, and covered with black cambric, should