The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1895-12-25
WORK THAT PAYS.
Two Women Drawing Handsome In
comes From Successful Plays

Two Women Drawing Handsome In
comes From Successful Plays.
Play-writing is a profits Bile profession and
one in the benefits OF which women are
coming to take their share. Ii requires un-
swerving effort and II large allowance OF
patience to win success in writing for the
stage. but the artistic>and financial returns
are well worth waiting aud striving for.
This is the unanimous verdict Of the women
who recently have made admira BILE addi-
tons To dramatic literature.
One must hope and study and never cease
from endcavoring, avs Miss Mary Stone.
whose dramatization off, Social Highway
man. has given her a familiar name with
the theater-going public.
To write a good play You must have a
professional knowledge OF the stage. adds
Mrs. Madeline Lucette Ryley. author of
thai phenomenal lii tlecomedy, Christ opher,
Jr." These Two clever peD-women agree
on another important point, namely, that
twelve months hard work is not bit too
much effort To put into play, whether it
be tragedy or comedy, and quite as em-
phatically do both ar them declare that the
production OF Il play need not be the result
of inspiration.
Every morning. whether moved by the
desire or no, Mrs. Kyley goes lik. we'll
regulated business woman TO the desk and
there, for so many hours, she painstaklngly
and persistently composes, until stern
discipline prevails over rebeilious brains
that settle AT last to the task in hand and
the happy facility and interest is gained.
My own method" explains Miss Stone,
lis simple enough After II O'Clock in
the evening get at my desk and from then
until 3 in the morning / am busy getting
up what may be called inspiration and
writing steadily. l never set pen 10 paper
however, until act, scenes and the major
portion OF the dialogue is mapped out
clearly in my mind, and though I've not
had any personal connection with the
theater, l have always, since my earliest
youth, studied plays and stage methods as
faithfully as an actress, from my orchestra
chair.
THAT knowledge" continued Miss Stone,
lis simply Indispensable and practiced
first at dramitizing the stories / found i'll
books, which is al once very difficult and
seemingly easy work. After abundant and
fruitless writing | Jailed To hit the mark
until with play made from Stanley Wey-
mans House of The Wolf earned the
notice OF weli-known actor and "A Social
Highwayman" was put into my hand for
adaptation.
NOW | am at work on a comedy OF
American life in plot and treatment all
my own, and though il has taken years of
course, to work up this far in the profession,
once the successful vein is reached, tine re-
can earn. Once on the stage and attracting
good audiences, ones PLAY literally becomes
a little automatic money machine, earning
its authors income weekly, at the rate OF 3
per cent on the receipts in way the most
popular book can never do"
1t required five years of waiting, re-
writing disappointment and renewed hopes
for Mrs. Ryley TO persuade her
manager that christopher. Dr." was at
.ength worth public approval. Theriveyears
had been preceded by many others of rather
pen work and by all the la VS. govern
ing human nature this seemingly would-be
dranlatist ought long ago to have rclin-
quislied her ambitions, but since the pla cling
of christopher, Jr.," have come flatlering
offers from actors and managers To contract
for plays.
Already an elaborate historical drama of
Richard Savage slife, and comedy of Amer
lean society have been arranged for produce
ton by Mr.. Goodwin, and Mrs. Ryley agrees
again with Miss Stone that the woman is yet
to appear who will write a great tragedy,
though the highest fame and a olden fortune
awaits her arrival