The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-08
STAGE NOTES.
The Plays Taken Into Dry Dock for Repairs
Coming Events.
Co. - L. La, ..alsn L..

The Plays Taken Into Dry Dock for Repairs
Coming Events.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journai.
NEW York, Aug. AT this season of the
year, when the theaters are closed, the plays are
hauled up, copper bottomed and caulked, ready
for the fall regatta. Most of the plays that are
now before the American public as money
makers were really built the second or third
year after they were launched.
To follow out the nautical figure, the ship
wright who thinks he is'a playwright launches
his lumber stick by stick, and builds his boat in
the water or let's the tide shake her.
That is the way "The Bunch Of Keys" was
written. That's the way "Josh Whitcombp was
written.
Just now the shipyards are full of craft that
sailed last year and are being overhauled for
next. Some of them are being converted from
sloops to schooners Mackaye, Cazauran and
other master mechanics have their hands full.
There's Mr.. Frederick Brytons play. 1t sailed
originally as 'Jack o Diamonds Then it was
hauled up, a bowsprit putin, and it became ''For-
given" This year it will open in Brooklyn with
centerboard and new crew.
Mr.. Denman Thompson's successful play of
Josh Whitcomb" grew SLOWLY from vulgar va
riety show sketch to New England idyl with
| out being taken off the boards.
Evolution is the law of the popular drama.
Creation is an exploded idea
suppose something of the same process goes
on with actresses Just now there is a good
deal of Lillian Olcott in the wind. 1t is not so
| long ago that she was launched in Brooklyn as
an amateur and fell out of the race. / remem-
Der her as failure Now she reappears and
the papers interview her. She has bought Sar-
dou's Theodore" She will produce it at Niblo's
Garden before Bernhardt gets here with it. She
has hitched on to a circumstance Theodore
being an event. Ocott gets talked about
This is not unlike the man who recently
jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge, and who is
now getting 500 week In Bowery dime
museum. He never in his life did anything, and
had nothing in himself tn exhibit But it oc-
Cured to him one day that gravitation was a
big thing if you could only get it into the mar
ket. Then he took drop. He hitched on to
gravitation
Among the coming events of next season will
be Wilson Barrett. Modjeska, Fortescue. There
isn't much else in the way of names. Among
plays will be 1.-The Martyrs" Theodore" and
Anarchy" Dxey being out of thu country
some of these people will have chance to make
some money.
And speaking of Dixey-there was man who
built his own bridge and then jumped Off Talk
about three hundred feat. He fell three thou
sand miles, and swears that he landed on his
feet. This beats Millions fall of Satan. Against
all the foreign plays will be- one worthy Amer
lean drama l don't know what It's chances are.
| only know what its merits are. I'll bet years
salary against a new hat that there isn't q man
ager in New York will touch it. I'll go further
I'll bet there isn't a manager in New York. with
possibly one exception, that could tell before it
was acted whether it was bad or good.
That's why managers wait to hear from Europe
before they buy. Whenever they buy here they
buy badly. Look at the recent rubbish produced
at the Peoples Theater. Look at the plays Mr..
J. N. Hill has bought Look, look at The
Little Tycoon!"
Our friend Hoyt of Boston. has just finished,
in conjunction with Mr.. Lillian Russell Solo
mon, an American opera called the MAID and
the Moonshners.S Mr. Hoyt is a man who is
travelling on a most inflated reputation. Nearly
every one of the variety farces that bear his
name owe their popularity entirely to the work
Of the stage manager and the comedian. Mr..