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The book provides a comprehensive guide to writing for vaudeville, a type of entertainment that originated in France and developed in the United States. The chapters discuss the history and evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. The book highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. It also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which consists of various acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama, and how a manager selects and arranges these acts to create a cohesive and entertaining program. The physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, are also discussed, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. The book provides guidance on how to write for vaudeville, including the importance of brevity, vividness, and smoothness in writing, and offers tips on how to create a successful playlet, including expressing the theme in a single short sentence, creating a scenario, and developing the story while concealing and disclosing information to create suspense. Additionally, the book discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. The concept of dramatic instinct is explored, and the book provides examples of how drama can be achieved without words or action, and how the dramatic can be revealed through facial expressions, gestures, and movements. The book also touches on the topic of one-act musical comedies, including the musical elements, scenery and costumes, plot, and comedy, and provides guidance on how to write a one-act musical comedy, including tips on making a burlesque tab. The art of writing a popular song is also discussed, including the musical elements and the lyrical elements, and the book provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion. Finally, the book explains the business side of songwriting, including the process of finding a publisher and the importance of copyrighting one's work, and provides a list of prominent play brokers, vaudeville producers, and theatrical papers. Overall, the book provides a detailed understanding of the vaudeville stage and its components, which is essential for writing effective vaudeville material, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the history and evolution of vaudeville, a type of entertainment that originated in France and developed in the United States. Vaudeville was introduced to the US before 1820, but it didn't become a popular form of entertainment until the late 19th century. The chapter highlights the key figures and events that contributed to the development of vaudeville, including Tony Pastor, who opened the first vaudeville theater in New York City in 1865. The chapter also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which usually consisted of a series of acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama. The author emphasizes the importance of variety and novelty in vaudeville, as well as the need for acts to be carefully selected and arranged to create a cohesive and entertaining show. The chapter also touches on the role of the writer in vaudeville, highlighting the challenges of writing for this type of entertainment and the need for writers to be able to think in terms of drama and plot.
The chapter discusses the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas such as One, Two, Three, and Full Stage. It also explains the working departments of the stage, including the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. The chapter describes the scenery commonly found in vaudeville theatres, including the Olio, open sets, box sets, and properties. Additionally, it touches on the lighting of the vaudeville stage, including spot-lights, footlights, border-lights, and special light-effects. The chapter provides a detailed understanding of the vaudeville stage and its components, which is essential for writing effective vaudeville material.
The chapter discusses the history and evolution of vaudeville, a type of entertainment that originated in France and developed in the United States. It highlights key figures and events that contributed to the development of vaudeville, including Tony Pastor, who opened the first vaudeville theater in New York City in 1865. The chapter also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which usually consisted of a series of acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama. Additionally, it touches on the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the challenges of writing for this type of entertainment and the need for writers to think in terms of drama and plot. The chapter also provides an overview of the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas. Furthermore, it discusses the importance of variety and novelty in vaudeville, as well as the need for acts to be carefully selected and arranged to create a cohesive and entertaining show.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville and its current state, highlighting the importance of variety and novelty in the performances. It also explains how a vaudeville show is structured, with a manager selecting acts that complement each other and create a cohesive program. The chapter emphasizes the role of the writer in vaudeville, who must think in terms of drama and plot, and provides guidance on how to write for vaudeville, including the importance of brevity, vividness, and smoothness in writing. Additionally, it touches on the different forms of vaudeville performances, such as monologues, two-acts, and playlets, and provides examples of successful vaudeville acts, including "The German Senator" and "The Art of Flirtation". The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. It highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. The chapter also touches on the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. Additionally, it explains the scenery commonly found in vaudeville theatres, including the Olio, open sets, box sets, and properties, and the lighting of the vaudeville stage, including spot-lights, footlights, border-lights, and special light-effects. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowing the mechanical aids peculiar to the craft and the need for a familiar knowledge of vaudeville and its special stage.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. It highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. The chapter also touches on the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. Additionally, it explains the scenery commonly found in vaudeville theatres, including the Olio, open sets, box sets, and properties, and the lighting of the vaudeville stage, including spot-lights, footlights, border-lights, and special light-effects. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowing the mechanical aids peculiar to the craft and the need for a familiar knowledge of vaudeville and its special stage.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. It highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. The chapter also touches on the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. Additionally, it explains the scenery commonly found in vaudeville theatres, including the Olio, open sets, box sets, and properties, and the lighting of the vaudeville stage, including spot-lights, footlights, border-lights, and special light-effects. The chapter provides a detailed understanding of the vaudeville stage and its components, which is essential for writing effective vaudeville material.
The chapter discusses the history and evolution of vaudeville, emphasizing its development from a French entertainment form to a popular American amusement. It highlights key figures such as Tony Pastor, who introduced clean vaudeville, and B.F. Keith, who popularized continuous vaudeville. The chapter also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which consists of various acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama, and how a manager selects and arranges these acts to create a cohesive and entertaining program. Additionally, it touches on the role of the writer in vaudeville, who must think in terms of drama and plot, and provides guidance on how to write for vaudeville, including the importance of brevity, vividness, and smoothness in writing. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. It highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. The chapter also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which consists of various acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama, and how a manager selects and arranges these acts to create a cohesive and entertaining program. Additionally, it touches on the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. The chapter provides a detailed understanding of the vaudeville stage and its components, which is essential for writing effective vaudeville material.
The chapter discusses the evolution of vaudeville, its current state, and the importance of variety and novelty in performances. It highlights the role of the writer in vaudeville, emphasizing the need for originality, creativity, and a deep understanding of the audience's desires. The chapter also explains the structure of a typical vaudeville show, which consists of various acts, including music, dance, comedy, and drama, and how a manager selects and arranges these acts to create a cohesive and entertaining program. Additionally, it touches on the physical proportions of the vaudeville stage, including the proscenium arch, footlights, and various acting areas, as well as the working departments of the stage, such as the stage-manager, stage-carpenter, property-man, and electrician. The chapter provides a detailed understanding of the vaudeville stage and its components, which is essential for writing effective vaudeville material.
The chapter discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. It also explains that drama is a series of revealing flashes that show character, and that the dramatic method is the way of telling the story with economy of attention, using illuminating flashes to reveal character and show what led up to the crisis and what will follow. The chapter emphasizes that the essence of drama is conflict, a clash of wills and its outcome, and that the dramatic lies not in what happens but in what the happening means. It also discusses the importance of surprise in a vaudeville finish, which must be fitting, logical, vitally important, and revealingly dramatic.
The chapter discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. It also explains that drama is a series of revealing flashes that show character, and that the dramatic method is the way of telling the story with economy of attention, using illuminating flashes to reveal character and show what led up to the crisis and what will follow. The chapter emphasizes that the essence of drama is conflict, a clash of wills and its outcome, and that the dramatic lies not in what happens but in what the happening means. It provides examples of how drama can be achieved without words or action, and how the dramatic can be revealed through facial expressions, gestures, and movements. The chapter also discusses the importance of surprise in a vaudeville finish and how it can be used to add punch to a playlet.
The chapter discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. It emphasizes that drama is a series of revealing flashes that show character, and that the dramatic method is the way of telling the story with economy of attention. The chapter also explains that the essence of drama is conflict, a clash of wills and its outcome, and that the dramatic lies not in what happens but in what the happening means. It provides examples of how drama can be achieved without words or action, and how the dramatic can be revealed through facial expressions, gestures, and movements. Additionally, the chapter discusses the importance of surprise in a vaudeville finish and how it can be used to add punch to a playlet.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a playlet, from developing the germ idea to selecting a proper title. It emphasizes the importance of considering the vaudeville stage of the present time and writing a comedy playlet, as it is more likely to be successful. The chapter also provides suggestions for writing a playlet, including expressing the theme in a single short sentence, creating a scenario, and developing the story while concealing and disclosing information to create suspense. Additionally, it discusses the importance of cutting and polishing the playlet to eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, and making improvements during the "breaking in" period to ensure the playlet is a flawless gem.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a playlet, from developing the germ idea to selecting a proper title. It emphasizes the importance of considering the vaudeville stage of the present time and writing a comedy playlet, as it is more likely to be successful. The chapter also provides suggestions for writing a playlet, including expressing the theme in a single short sentence, creating a scenario, and developing the story while concealing and disclosing information to create suspense. Additionally, it discusses the importance of cutting and polishing the playlet to eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, and making improvements during the "breaking in" period to ensure the playlet is a flawless gem. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a playlet, from developing the germ idea to selecting a proper title. It emphasizes the importance of considering the vaudeville stage of the present time and writing a comedy playlet, as it is more likely to be successful. The chapter also provides suggestions for writing a playlet, including expressing the theme in a single short sentence, creating a scenario, and developing the story while concealing and disclosing information to create suspense. Additionally, it discusses the importance of cutting and polishing the playlet to eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, and making improvements during the "breaking in" period to ensure the playlet is a flawless gem. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. It emphasizes that drama is a series of revealing flashes that show character and that the dramatic method is the way of telling the story with economy of attention. The chapter also explores the concept of dramatic instinct, what it is, and how it is essential for a playwright to possess it in order to create successful plays. Additionally, it discusses how to recognize a playlet idea, how much of the playlet is achieved with the idea, and how to develop the idea into a complete playlet. The chapter also touches on the law of the drama, which states that drama is a struggle of wills and its outcome, and how this law applies to playlets. Furthermore, it discusses the importance of surprise in a vaudeville finish and how it can be used to add punch to a playlet.
The chapter discusses the importance of dramatic instinct in writing a playlet, which is the ability to recognize and grasp the dramatic moments in real life and to lift them out and set them in a story that seems truer than life itself. It emphasizes that drama is a series of revealing flashes that show character and that the dramatic method is the way of telling the story with economy of attention. The chapter also explores the concept of dramatic instinct, what it is, and how it is essential for a playwright to possess it in order to create successful plays. Additionally, it discusses how to recognize a playlet idea, how much of the playlet is achieved when the germ idea is found and recognized, and how to develop the idea into a complete playlet. The chapter also touches on the law of the drama, which states that drama is a struggle of wills and its outcome, and how this law applies to playlets. Furthermore, it discusses the importance of surprise in a vaudeville finish and how it can be used to add punch to a playlet.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a playlet, from developing the germ idea to selecting a proper title. It emphasizes the importance of considering the vaudeville stage of the present time and writing a comedy playlet, as it is more likely to be successful. The chapter also provides suggestions for writing a playlet, including expressing the theme in a single short sentence, creating a scenario, and developing the story while concealing and disclosing information to create suspense. Additionally, it discusses the importance of cutting and polishing the playlet to eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, and making improvements during the "breaking in" period to ensure the playlet is a flawless gem. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the elements of a successful one-act musical comedy, including the musical elements, scenery and costumes, plot, and comedy. It also provides guidance on how to write a one-act musical comedy, including tips on timing the costume changes and creating a production song. Additionally, the chapter touches on the topic of burlesque tabs, which are longer than one-act musical comedies and rely on older and more crude humor. The chapter concludes with an example of a one-act musical comedy, "A Persian Garden," which is considered one of the best examples of a well-balanced musical comedy plot.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a one-act musical comedy, with hints on making a burlesque tab. It emphasizes the importance of having a great idea and building it up with musical elements carefully spaced to allow for costume changes. The chapter provides a hypothetical example of a musical comedy recipe, including timing the costume changes and creating a production song. It also touches on the topic of burlesque tabs, which are longer than one-act musical comedies and rely on older and more crude humor. The chapter notes that the writing of a burlesque tab is not "writing" at all, but rather stage managing, and that the novice had better not devote their thoughts to writing burlesque.
The chapter discusses the art of writing a popular song, with a focus on the musical elements and the lyrical elements. It explains that a popular song is a combination of music and words, and that the words and music must fit together perfectly. The chapter also provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion. It highlights the need for a catchy melody and lyrics that convey a sense of storytelling, and provides examples of successful popular songs to illustrate these points. Additionally, the chapter touches on the business side of songwriting, including the process of finding a publisher and the importance of copyrighting one's work.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a one-act musical comedy, including tips on making a burlesque tab. It highlights the importance of having a great idea and building it up with musical elements carefully spaced to allow for costume changes. The chapter also provides a hypothetical example of a musical comedy recipe and explains the concept of a "production song" and how it can be used to make a song more attractive. Additionally, it touches on the topic of burlesque tabs, which are longer than one-act musical comedies and rely on older and more crude humor. The chapter also provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion, and offers tips on how to combine the elements of a popular song, such as music and lyrics, to create a successful song. Furthermore, the chapter discusses the process of seeking a publisher for a song and the importance of copyrighting a song. It also provides a list of prominent play brokers, vaudeville producers, and theatrical papers. Finally, the chapter explains how a vaudeville act is booked, from the author's hands to the producer's, through a booking office, to success, and provides an example of a vaudeville act, "Success," to illustrate the process.
The chapter discusses the art of writing a popular song, including the musical elements and the lyrical elements. It explains that a popular song is a combination of music and words, and that the words and music must fit together perfectly. The chapter provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion. It highlights the need for a catchy melody and lyrics that convey a sense of storytelling, and provides examples of successful popular songs to illustrate these points. Additionally, the chapter touches on the business side of songwriting, including the process of finding a publisher and the importance of copyrighting one's work.
The chapter discusses the process of writing a one-act musical comedy, including tips on making a burlesque tab. It emphasizes the importance of having a great idea and building it up with musical elements carefully spaced to allow for costume changes. The chapter also provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion. Additionally, it touches on the business side of songwriting, including the process of finding a publisher and the importance of copyrighting one's work. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for originality and creativity in vaudeville writing, and encourages writers to find new and innovative ways to entertain audiences.
The chapter discusses the elements of a successful one-act musical comedy, including the musical elements, scenery and costumes, plot, and comedy. It explains how to write a one-act musical comedy, including tips on making a burlesque tab, and provides guidance on how to write a popular song, including the importance of simplicity, rhythm, and emotion. The chapter also touches on the business side of songwriting, including the process of finding a publisher and the importance of copyrighting one's work. Additionally, it provides a list of prominent play brokers, vaudeville producers, and theatrical papers, and explains how a vaudeville act is booked, from the author's hands to the producer's, through a booking office, to success.