The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-30
HOW TO WRITE A PLAY.
Points from Veteran Theatrical Man.
ager.

EOulb5 IrOu NOLeFhu In0dLTlCdl hdhus
ager.
New YoRK, June 20-We hear Of the
successful playrights, because their works
are produced. But thare is great army
of play-writers whose works are never pro-
duced, and who are Conaoquently unknown
outside Of their social circles. Any
manager will tell you he receives more
Ms. plays than he has the time TO read and
examine He will also tell you that the
novice acts on the assumption that mere
cleverncss IN writing bright dialogue, or
skill in celebrating a plot, suilices in the
production of dramatic work. Every play
has 10 suit the stage carr enter as well as the
manager, and no must never be lost sight
Of in the course of the play. Probably
there Is never play produced that is not
altered and rearranged by the experienced
actor or stage manager at rehearsals or
after the first night. Some Of the best busi-
ness is arranged after the rehearsals have
commenced There are certain effects that
can only be obtained by watching the re-
hearsals. IL is impossible to time" tbs
dialogue for entrances and exits until re-
hearsals, OF this the embryro dramatist 10
blissfully ignorant Taking the old plays as
models he writes long speeches that modern
audiences would not tolerate. He does not
remember that there are certain mechanical
impossibilities, and consequently has a 'fun
set follow another, when front scene
enabling a change is necessary for the pur-
p1se.
AS a rule the best acting plays do not
read well, and vice versa. Manager
Palmer Of the Madison Square theater,
initiated his series o ( authors matinees for
the purpose Of testing the works Of embryo
dramatists, though these productions have
only been mado after the play has been
carefully read aud rehearsed. The few thae
have lived beyond the experimental per-
formance shows how difficult 10 Is 30 judge
of dramatic work until II is acted.
There IL a prominent editor, whose short
stories iD character dialogue have made
him fame and fortune. He devoted va ua-
bic time TO composing domestic drama,
which he finally submitted TO a manager.
After waiting several months, he received
the Ms. with the stereotyped note that the
manager regretted his arrangements would
| not permit the production, though he had
read the play with much interest. On open
| ing the Ms. roll the author found that sew.
eral pages he had deftly glued together had
| not been touched, conclusive evidence thai
| the play had not been read.
Another had three full acts in succession
| ia one act, and the manager, glancing oven
| the scenes, did not waste time TO read the
bulky MS, but summarily returned II with
| the Iaconic commeutary, Impossible" A
novelist found that his tbree-ect comedy OF
contemporaneous life would take three
nights to play as written.
Great skill Ia the deft dovetailing Of thu
business and incidents is required in com
pressing the episode into All act without any
! changes of scene. The front scene is gen
orally known as carpenter" scene. from
the fact that 1t is generally made 10 enable
! the scene-shifters TO change the full set be-
hind. The modern tendency Is decidedly
toward the one scene to the act, though In
melodramas, with many changes Of scene,
tho drops and front scene are necessary.
There is future for the dramatist In
this country, but the details of the stage
must be understood; and IL the embryo dra-
matte author cannot master such any other
way, advise him 10 seek the counsel Of
stage manager or actor. IL Is because OF
the actors practical knowledge OF the
technique Of the stage. that as rule plays
written by actors are invariably successful
even il Indifferent literary compositions.
CHAHDos FULTON.