Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-03
BILL NfE WRITES
CONCERNING THE PRACTICAL ANr
THEORETICAL DRAMA.
His Great scheme for WAY Company
The Catchiness of Sn all PoS on the
Stage introducing Hell
Gate-niet, Etc.

Boston GIob,'I
The following letter was written recently
in reply 10 Mr.. Scott Marble, author Of
"State'> ATTORNEY "Black Diamond Over
the Garden Wall etc, ate who proposed
the matter Of writing play jointly:
HUDSON, Wis, Oct. lS. 1855 -SCor-
MARBLE, Esq, DEAR SIR: have
just received your favor OF yester-
day. in which you ask me to unite with YOU
IN the construction of a new play. This
idea has been suggested to me before but
not in such a way as to Inaugurate the seri-
Gus thought which your letter has stirred
up in my seething mas Of mind | would
like very much to unite with you in the
erection Of such.a dramatic structure that
people would cheerfully come Ia this coun-
try from Europe anl board with Us for
months IN order to this play every
night
SHOULD BE DONE, RUT HOW!
You will surely agree with me that SOM
hoiy ought TO write a play. Why it hf,,
not been done long ago cannot under,tanl.
well-knowu comedian told me a year ago
that he hadn't been able to Look into u
paper for sixteen months He could not
even read over the proof of his own press
the printer had >et them up as he wrote
them or not, simply because it took all his
spare time off the stage 70 examine the
manuscripts of plays that had been sub
mItted to him.
But | think we could arrange it SO that
we might together construct something in
attention of our families. Wouli you mind
t'lling me, for instance. how TO write a playt
You have been in the bu,iness before. and you
could tell ME. Of cour-e, some of the salient
points about it Do you write it with a type
writer, or do you dictate your thoughts TO
some one who does not resent being die
tated tot
Do you write play and then dramatize
it. or do you write the drama and then
play ON it, Would it not be a good idea to
secure plot that would cost very little and
then put the knbOsh ON it, or would would
put up the lines first and then hang the plot
or drama, or whatever it is, on the line Ii
It absolutely necessary TO have a prolOguei
If So what is a prolOgue' Is it like a cata-
loguel
GOOD IDEAS, BIT CRUDE.
have a great many crude ideas, but
you see | am not practical. One of my
artists studio This would not cust much.
for we could borrow the studio evenings
and allow the artist to use II daytireS
Then would introduce into the studio
scene the artists living model Every hdy
would be Mortified. but they would go. They
would walk over each other - attend the
drama. and We uld do we'll Our living
model in the studio act would be made Of
common wax, and If it worked well We
would discharge our members Of the com
pany and substitute wax Gradually
We could get it down 10 where the
company would be wax, with the
exception Of a janitOr with feather
duster. Think that over. But seri.
ou>ly, a play, it seems TO ma, should en-
body an idea Am | correct in that theory
or noti 1t ought 70 convey some great
thought, some maxim or aphori>m. or some |
such a thing as that How would it do to |
arrany ye a play with the idea of impressing
upon the audience that the fool and his |
money are soon parteir Are you using e
bsrO and heroine in your plays nowl II !
10 wOull you mind writing their lines for |
them while | arrange the details and re- /
marks for the young man who /. discovered |
asleep on divan when the curtain rise, |
and Sho sleeps on through the play With |
his mouth slightly ajar, till the cIose-thp |
close Of the play, not the close Of his mouth |
when it is discovered that he is dead II, |
then plays the cold remains in the clo>in
and fills a made grave at - .
per week.
A CENTRAL CHARACTER.
l could also write the lines, think, for
the young man who comes in wearing a
light summer cane and a seersucker coat So
tight that you can count his vertebrR !
could write what he would say without
great mental strain, | think. must avoid
mental strain or my intellect might split
down the back, as 1 would be a mental
wreck, good for nothing but t. strew the
shores Of time with myself. Various other
crude ideas present themselves tn my mind.
but they need TO be clothed. You will say
that this is unnecessary. | know you will
at once reply that for the stage the les
you cloth an idea the more popular it will
be, but | could not consent to have even a
bare thought of mine make an appearance
night after night before a cultivated
audience.
What do you think OF introducing a gen
uine Gaze Of small pox on the stagei You
say in your letter that what the American
people clamor for is something catchy
That would be catchy, and it would also In.
troduce itself.
WHAT KIND OF DIET.
| wish you would also tell me what kind
of diet you confne yourself TO while writing
a play, and how you go 10 work TO procure
it Do you live on q mixed diet or on your
relativssl Would you soak your head while
writing play, or would you soak your
overcoatl desire to know all these thing.
because, Mr. Mar bic, to tell you the truth.
| am rs ignorant about this matter as the
babe unborn. In fact posterity would
have to get up early in the morning to
know les, about play writing than have
succeeded in knowing
II we are 10 make kind of comedy, nv
idea would be TO introduce something face.
tiouS into the middle Of the comedy. Nc
one will expect it, you see and it will tickle
the audience almost 10 death. A friend OF
mine suggests that it would be great hit
10 introduce. or rather to reproduce, the
He'll Gate explosion. Many were not able
TO be there at the time, and would willingly
go long distance TO witness the reproIuc-
ton
wish that you would reply to this letter
at an early date, telling ME what you think
Of the scheme suggested. Feel perfectly
free TO express yourself fully. am not to-
proud to receive Your suggestions Yours
truly BILL NYE