The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-11
SEATTLE. SUNDAY. DEC. II.
THE NEW THEATER AND THE
DRAMA.

Seattle Is to be congratulated on her
possession of new, very handsome,
comfortable and well-appointed theater.
The decent theatric and operate stage
furnishes human society with the finest
form of public recreation and entertain
ment. The dramatic stage is Older than
any Of the worlds permanent literature,
although it Is its glory that it has i'm
pressed the nobest minds of literature
into its service. Next to Homer the Greek
drama stands for the most splendid poetry
of antiquity. The supreme and universal
excellence OF Shakespeare found expression
in the drama. and he was himself both
actor and manager. Goethe, Schiller,
the greatest poets of Germany, Hugo.
the greatest literary figure of France.
cast some of their nobest work in the
dramatic form. Byron, Goldsmith, john
son, Gay. Coleridge, Tennyson. Bulwer.
Charles Reade. Douglas Jerroid, Sheri-
dan, Dickens attempted with various de-
grees of success and failure the writing of
dramas. Some of the plays of these great
men failed upon the stage, but remain
valuable additions to what are termed
plays for the closet. The operate stage
has impressed into its service the greatest
of all musical composers, who have made
the grandest historic episodes and heroes
eloquent TO us in the melody and harmony
of magnificent music.
The stage. in its artistic expression of
the various shapes and voices of human
nature, whether permanent or transient,
is. we repeat, in its decent form land true
art, while it may be sometimes nude, is
never indecent or obscene) the noblest
most elevating form of public recreation
and entertainment; it is more than this;
IT Is humane culture. for it helps to stimu-
late the heart, enlarge the understanding
and quicken the Imagination. 1t has al
ways been with US; it is sure always to be
with US, and it needs no more apology or
defense because it has sometimes been de-
graded and prostiiuted to base and indie
cent performances than poetry, sculpture,
song. fiction need apology or defense be-
cause sometimes lascivious poetry has
been written, obscene statues carved. vul-
gar songs sung and vile novels printed
John Wesley uttered wise thing when
in explaining why he set his hymns to
popular airs. he said: eve must no: give
the devil the monopoly of all the good
tunes" So it is with the theatric and
operate stage; we must not leave it in the
ditch, where it does not belong, but where
it is sometimes taken by those who de-
light to drag the best angels of human
nature down. Man is by the very consti-
tuition of his nature gregarious creature:
he needs recreation; he will have il. and
his best teachers are not those who under
take to subdue his social thirst for public
recreation and entertainment, bat those
who wisely seek to educate. lift and direct
Ii into the best channels.
Measured by its capacity for humane
culture of the minds and manners of men
the stage has no popular rival that begins
10 be its peer. There is no comparison be-
tween the excellence of the influence of the
stage, theatric and operate. and any other
form of popular amusement. The con-
tests of the turf, the spectacle of public
athletics. even when separated from gam
bling and brutality, are but narrow in their
educating influence for good compared
with the decent stage. Public athletics
harden the muscles. but extravagant de-
votion to them har,iens the hearts and do
not brighten. if they do not always duh.
the brains Of both actors and spectators:
bat the decent theater and opera is more
than recreation, il is positive culture.
humane culture, of the mind and heart of
the audience.
Ii was good sign last week TO see good
audiences rawsrd fhs e ,As
legitimate drama a. presented in two fine
Ehakesperean comedies. Much Ado
About Nothing" and Twelfth Night"
The presentation of the legitimate drama
stands for the needed popular education
of higher dramatic taste that seemed AZ
one time in danger of decay and death
before the increasing rage for roaring
farce and insne burlesque.
The American stage IS fss. losing by
death or retirement ils most famous rem
resentstivsS of the legitimate drama.
Whether In trsgedy or comedy. there are
not many men in the young and rising
generation of actors being educated 10
take the places of such artists as Warren.
Gilbert. Brougham, Holland. Hackett.
Lester Wsllack. Davenport. Mary Cannon,
Charlotte Cushman, Charles Thorne, Ed
yin Adams. Z. 4. Sothern, Charles
Matthews, Charles Fisher, Dion Bouc!-
csuit, Laura keene and John E. Owens.
who were III the flush of their fame twenty
five years ago, but are all today numbered
with the dead. Among the famous living
representatives o. the legitimate drama.
easily first - Joe Jefferson, who is
90 years Of age. and Will probably
this year play his farewell engagements
Edwin Booth is IN failing health. and is
not likely TO return 10 active service
Compared With the stage of twenty-five
years ago the outlook Of the legitimate
American drama, whether IA tragedy or
comedy. IS net very encouraging. Taere
- salent enough. but The taste Of tie
country has become 80 corrupted that men