New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-06
NEW PHYS BY TIE HUNDRED.

THE SOURCES FROM WHICH POUR STREAMS OF
THEM TO THE MADISON SQUARE THEATRE
"No receive on an average thirty-hve or forty
PLAYS q week throughout the entire year. SAID
Charles Frohman. of the alison Square Theatre
to a TRIBUXE reporter ave received one play of
seven acts containing sixty-eight acting parts. 1t
would have taken about week to play 1t. Another
author sent play on the Life and Times of Abra-
ham Lincoln 1t contained or eight acts
each of which was long enough for play. Just
imagine the effect of that on an audience. or the
large number that have been sent to us in this way
by inexperienced writers, have accepted on
two, and have not played these yet. About 20 per
cent of the PLAYS submitted are by ladies', and OF
course most of thch are of the society ORDER and
the woman always comes out triumphant. She sue
goods in proving the man villain, herself an angel
in Disguise and then maIrics him. large number
of the PLAYS come from college students, who put in
sound good ideas. but their lack of experience with
the world makes their efforts failure.
A great many plays come from the Wcst-cvcn
from tho military posts in the far West, from
soldiers as we'll rs citizens They deal mainly with
love- marriage and separation We get a few light
comedies aud occasional play in blank verse
Those written by ladies are the most sentimental
and, strange to say. have the weakest plots, aud
sometimes no plot Mt all. The men are more piac-
teal and mfuse more substance and strength into
their writings lady will allow her sympathcs to
control her. even in imagination. They will be half
an hon, leading MP to climax. II seems they are
guided hv intuition. rather than bv jul gmeht .
"lhc reason there SO few successful dramatists'
continued Mr. Eruhman. ~ IL that they are not suil
GENTLY ohSrrvHnt. The successful dianatSt must
watch the effect OF n play upon an huurhor' HtudN
the heart and know how TO sway ts PASSIONS az
will he must bc ahic ~ chase away tears with
laughter aud drown mhth IN aorinw, We tnd u
great deal of literary merit. on an ACREAGE, ~ thcao
playa, but the work " not ciirttNc mere "
popularity about dramatic writing which very lew
hroin to undrtstind IA the percentages "i tWu'tod
mhnuHcrpp 90 rather accepted ohra, VIII hhnW,
tntil recently, when Wn returned u manuscript, W.
ekpinHHnd opiunua ~ 10 weak points, hhd hhHtr7'rl
where improvements could ho mHd" III hnhtlt
every instance lirau suEgcslonH were not tooriNod
IN a kindN spirit aud they invariably lel W u cor
fespondenco, asking our reasons, ana maxi
numerous inquiries, In addition % tho nnpfollhblh
work of giving ideas To aspiring drhwalHts Ihls lo.
qulrcd Il great deal OF llne, ana we louhu tbat u
would require an extra clerk 10 do nothing nut an
swer such letters SO We now return manuscripts
without reasons or suggestions. We have, on the
either hand, lost several good plays because the
authors would not submit TO changes which we
thought would he for the hest.
sour dramatic bureau consists of Professor DE
Male and his assistant. believe tins Is IN" only
theatre i'll this city III the United States that has
such bureau. Thesa two gentlemen do nothing
but read submitted manuscripts. and can assure
You they are kept duitc busy. In the early days
plays submitted TO the stage manager; and
ours is the first and about the only distinct deParc
ture from that system. We have u large tirepr0of
safe in which we keep plays, and take great care
even of the most worthless MANUSCRIPTS because in
case OF loss the author may MINK ne mas loSI Il
fortune. We never rehearse play unless we have
decided to put 1t on. That IL an English custom.
and think il is good one. Among the profession
in England there is more cOrdlalty than here.
There a playwright is given the free use of theatre
AMI sufficient number of professional volnL tcers
to produce play at matinee other professionals
attend a. auditors. They point out the good aud
bad points of the piece and while liberal otherwise,
they are severe critics. Were this system IN vogue
in this country there would not be so many failures
damaging the theatrical business and making audi
enceS distrusttul of new plays"