Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11
ps.AyINs. .AND DPI.AY-MAKING
Some Facts About American Dramatic
literature. as Related by ~ Stage-Man-
agcr.

A recent conversation between Mr..
Willium seymour and representative of
the New York Dramatic NcWs con-
ceruing would-bc play-wrights and
their productions is reported i'll
iauihat way in the paper
mentioned. Mr.. Seymour is stage-mana-
ger of the Boston Museum and the Madi-
son-square Theatre in New York. The
following Is condensed from the interview
us reported: Mr. Seymour opened II
drawer which was filled with MSS. of
every description. There were neatly
written pages of legal cap tied together
with blue ribbon after the style of II girls
graduating essay, bundles Of paper COW
cred with different colored inks, letter
paper written on both sides, in short
every imaginable description of chiro-
graphy and all sorts Of stationery.
Rather forbidding pile, isn't it?"
asked Seymour "Wcll, I've waded
through it ali and great deal more be-
sides, for | have returned great number
of plays to their authors. And yet l
have on hand now several plays which !
have not read, aud still they come. But
to show you that there are worse plays
written than You ever saw produced, |
will cite You n few instances: Here is n
play i'll seven acts, which opens in Ameri-
ca at some seaport town, the author isn't
particular where, and an embarkation
scene ends the first act. In the second
the ship has made its way toward the
Arctic regious and is wrecked by an ice
berg The hero bravely cuts down n
spar, lashes himself to it and jumps over
board. In the third act he is discovered
upon an iceberg beyond the Arctic circle,
starving and almost dead. while i'll the
distance battle is in progress between a
pirate ship and Chinese junk. The
Cinnamon are destroyed, and i'll the fourth
act the hero is rescued from the iceberg.
marine encounter between Cinnamon
and pirates in the Arctic ocean is bad
enough. but even this is outdone i'll the
fifth act, where the hero is discovered up
on tropical island with his feet frost
bitten. The remaining two acts are used
to get him back to America, which is done
in full accordance with the rest of the
play. And yet the author sends his MS
here in the null expectation not only OF
its being accepted but also of realizing
large income from it.
II have many others inst as bad
Here is one with fifty-two speaking
characters, and here is another in fou
acts which would require but twenty-nin'
minutes to play the whole thing through
But strange and curious as the plays are
/ think that the letters receive from thu
authors are still greater curiosities. Oc
casionally some of them are modes
enough to admit the possibility of fail
ure, but as general thing they do no
hesitate to dwell upon the beauties o
their productions and the certainties o
success. Moreover, they are alway
ready to make terms, and some Of thei
offers are very amusing. Here is one tina
will serve as a sample =
Dear Sir the undersigned is the An
thor of new three act Drama it is 70
mantle Dramatic and Scenic and has
good plot The Story is interesting
1.-THE dialogue is bright and Witty, til
unites Of the plot are preserved, and tn
situations Are Picturesque and effective
have had it nicely copyed.
And wish to sell it to you, If you wis
to become the Proprietor of my play.
Terms. will sell you Hy cOpyrigl
and Manuscript And Give you 100 Prin
ed copies, for the use Of actors, for Sl0(
dolls.
The name OF My Play is
Charles Ryan.
The Scenes are in Italy, Time 1868.
Yours Very Respectfully, etc. etc
etc.