Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-01-14

tnlhg tnat was not Inspired. that none
but the highest grade and strictly legit-
innate attractions would be permitted 10
appear at the new house.
MIR. Abbey has more at stake than
any theatrical manager IN America, not
even excepting Charles Frohman. What
with the big opera company, with heav-
Ter expenses per night than almost any
other attraction In town has per week,
to say nothing OF his own theatre, the
metropolitan Opera House, the tours or
the irving-Terry and COnquclin- n al ing
companies in ;his country and sara
Bernhardt In Europe. together with his
mammoth spectacle, America" which,
by the way, is not doing nearly So we'll
a. 1t might, Henry T.. Abbey rs indeed
busy man aud is entitled TO the DIS
tinction of being referred TO as 1.-THE
theatrical Napoleon"
Miss Mabel Eaton, the remarkably
clever young emotional actress who
will star in David Belasco's strong play,
LA Belle Russo" is very ambitious,
and the fact that she is also beautiful
will not tend to impede her upward
progress on the stage. She IL not quite
Il years old. and went on the stage but
little more than two years ago rs a
member OF Augustin Days company,
In which she was intrusted
with only small parts. In the
latter part of the season OF 1912
Miss Eaton Joined Annie Pixley.
Her work was so good that she attracted
the attention OF Rose Cognlau, who en-
gagged her 20 play Mion in diplomacy.
Later on she was given a batter OPP
portunity to demonstrate her ability
when she appeared as Lady Henry Fair
fax In the same play. Miss Eaton's eX-
perience is rather immature, perhaps,
for the trying position Of star, but
one must make 4 beginning, and she
has pluck and good many other points
IN her favor, so IL would not be surpris-
ing IL she should succeed. unless, in
deed, the present unparalleled depres-
sion in theatrical circles should continue
througe another season.
Talk IA we please, theorize rs we will,
, there is no gainsayiug the fact that the
American dramatiSt is not given a fair
opportunity bv native managers. Take
q play to the average member OF this
charmed and very small circle OF re-
sponsible men, aud lac is apt 70 tell you
that your work IS excellent, perfect in
Construction, interesting I'm the eX-
treme and we'll written generally, but
aud the but always appears promi-
] Ioubi1 wv SUI - NbANtuLIOhdl, anu
tho situations are hackneyed."
You perhaps are ambitious. You
have an excellent idea for play stored
away in the recesses OF your brain and
demanding to be heard You recoV-
nize that there is much force IN the
managerial criticism OF your previous
effort, aud you go TO work with a will.
Your play finished, you present it with
consciousness that you have avoided
the pitfalls previously pointed out and
you are met with about this statement:
Good play-very good play. But
and there comes that but" again
lyon do not follow the conventions OF
the stage sufficiently. They must be
regarded, you know. The people like
them. Personally l don't like them
have the greatest contempt for them,
in fact-but | serve the people. and /
must give them what they want"
And in most cases that IS just what
he doesn't do. lie buys something In
Eng land because IL was comparatively
successful there. He tries to force it