How many people shall I have in my playlet? ought to be one of the very first questions the writer asks, for enough has been said in the earlier chapters, it would seem, to establish the fact that vaudeville is first of all a commercial pursuit and after that an artistic profession.  While there can be no hard and fast rule as to the number of persons there may be in a playlet, business economy dictates that there shall be no more than the action of the playlet positively demands.  But before I say a short word about this general “rule,” permit me to state another that comes fast upon its heels:  A really big playlet—­big in theme, in grip of action, and in artistic effect—­may have even thrice the number of characters a “little” playlet may possess.  Merit determines the number.

Let us find the reasons for these two general statements in this way: 

In “The Lollard” there are four persons, while in “The System " there are thirteen speaking parts and a number of “supers.”  Would it then be correct to suppose that “The System” is a “bigger” playlet than “The Lollard”?  It would not be safe to assume any such judgment, for the circuit that booked “The System” may have been in need of a playlet using a large number of persons to make what is known as a “flash,” therefore the booking manager may have given orders that this playlet be built to make that flash, and the total return to the producer might not have been any greater proportionally than the return to the producer of the numerically smaller “The Lollard.”  Therefore of two playlets whose total effects are equal, the one having the lesser number of persons is the better producing gamble, and for this reason is more likely to be accepted when offered for sale.

If you will constantly bear in mind that you are telling a story of action and not of character, you will find very little difficulty in reducing the number of players from what you first supposed absolutely necessary.  As just one suggestion:  If your whole playlet hangs on an important message to be delivered, the property man, dressed as a messenger boy, may hand in the message without a word.  I have chosen this one monotonously often-seen example because it is suggestive of the crux of the problem—­the final force of a playlet is affected little by what the character says when he delivers a vital message.  All that matters is the message itself.  The one thing to remember in reducing the number of characters to the lowest possible number is—­plot.

Four Persons the Average.  While there are playlets ranging in number of characters from the two-person “The Village Lawyer,” through “The Lollard’s” four, to “The System’s” thirteen speaking parts, and even more in rare instances, the average vaudeville playlet employs four people.  But it is a fact of importance to note that a three-person playlet can be sold more easily—­I am assuming an equal standard of merit—­than a four-person