Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-23

and e Strategists, " and all that class of plays
to be numbered by the hundred, forcing
then selves so much on the attention of the
people, how can the stage do much Of work
How can it, when ell the effort is IS hinder
its efforts and clog its advance? Now, there
are about a dozen leading people playing the
legitimate prominently In all Ametici, but
| there are probably 500 others claiming TO be
prominent, playing the opposite. So you see
the legitimate can have little influence on such
a situation. OF course, sir, the legitimate
drama has helped the world lately some, ia q
small way, and its impressions are not lost.
Now You must understand tne. 90 net ad-
nat any iGc8pacity in the drama of the day
to help the world advance, Sut to set that
capacity IN motion there must be dramatic
reform, and that raust begin by leading men
coming 20 the front and giving artists new
| text II the Old is behind the times ard then
| we must have managers who viii no. prosti-
tute art. Now there IS Mr.. Steele Mackaye
| OF New York; be has sntered on AN effort of
| reform. His idea is to establish theater
aud company the principle of the Comeiis
| Francois. The artists are to be selected for
| ability, personal worth and character. and
retained as members OF an organization in
which they have an interest, both in profits
and triulnphs. Only. the legitimate will be
| given and the dramatic art win be made a
! study, with a view to IT'S highest develop
meut. Il is a splendid scheme, and all good
! people ought to wish it success.
PRICES.
Q-The California public believe tie prices
for admission to theaters here to be displop0r
tionately and unjustly bigh. What do You
think
A.-No, they are not too high not so high
as in some frst-class theaters at the East,
and not higher than they ought to be, !
think but, then, you ought to have the
graduated price system, ranging from 81 TO
. cents. 4 large, yes, the largest part of
the house ought to be as is the two shilling
pit in England.
Q-Wnat do you think about the prices
paid "stars = are they too high? Has the
system become damaging to the drama and
the public, and is it true thai the prices de.
manded have so grown that managers nc
longer find the business OF managing Drofla-
bic? For instance, | know of one case where
the star demanded so per cent of the gross
receipts, leaving but 20 per cent. for ex-
penses, reward Of capital invested and the
feeling of 3 poorly-paid stock company.
A.-May have demanded" but | reckon
that that star didn't get the eighty per cent.
To 6 certain extent class of stars" are paid
too much. The division ought to be more
equal In very many cases. The fault is chiefly
with the managers named, who bid against each
other, and spend all for the star and don't
care much for the support. So you often get
all star and no stock.
Q.-What place do you think has comic
opsra, now so popular, in the dramatic stu
alton of the period, and what is its tendency
aad its influence On the drama proper?
A.-The same place as the sensational
drama. 1t can do little good and may Go
much harm 1t does not to any notable ex-
tent cultivate the taste for mssic. l don't
think it the friend of art.