The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-31


vived, the play-going public. after two
years of scant amusement, IL presumed
to be In state Of readiness for now
city and merit In dramatic offerings:
and efforts are being made by the va
rious managers, local and itinerant, to
supply the demand. So far, at least.
as Scrantonians are concerned. there
In abundant reason for the belief that
the public will be treated to as liberal
a programme an It will support. Busl-
ness rivalry. II nothing else. Will In
duce the presentation here OF plays
that are financially proftable: while
as Il donation to the better element.
who do not as rule muster a suffic-
lent number. II seems, to constitute
paying audiences when II alone Is ap-
pealed to. both theaters will. from time
to time. book superior attractions upon
which they will expect to lose money.
Therefore, all tastes will be duly recog-
nized. and none ought to complain. for
II stands to reason that the shrewd
business men who conduct theatrical
enterprises will gladly respond to any
public demand of sufficient magnitude
to insure them a reasonable margin or
financial profit.
One of the plays to be seen here this
season IL Danial s. Hart's reconstruct
ed "O'Neill, Washington" which Dan.
Sully and a company of associate In
capables effectively butchered Rst
year. II has not. so far as known.
been rechrlstened yet. although 1t viii
be before Stuart Robson puts 1t on the
boards: but a number of changes have
been made In It's texture. notably
Frightening OF the originally prolonged
and mOnOtOnous first act, and those
who have read its amended lines say 1t
will probably settle in the affirmative
the question of Mr.. Harts rank as
rising playwright with great possibili-
ties. Robson himself Is reported to be
enraptured with the part assigned
him; and Is 80 appreciative or Mr..
Hart's capabilities as an author that
ne Is already looking ahead to future
manuscripts. All OF which will be well
come news to local friends OF the
Wilkes Barre writer who have had
confidence in him when his success
seemed, to many, a distant ana du-
bious contingency.
Of course, mol ody can tell now HartS q
Dlay will take" until II Is tried on
tt, dog. Just as Lyman Glover writes
in the Times Herald concerning az
other venture, a new play Is lottery.
and the money risked by theatrical
managers is the most uncertain OF all
Investments. No one connected with
the theatrical business can predict the
result. Critics may condemn a play,
and yet it sometimes runs for months.
On the other hand the theatrical eX-
retts may see every evidence Of sue
cess in n drama and 1t may fall flat.
The producing of plays is by no means
an exact science, 1t IL rather game or
cnance. FIRST night audiences never
stop u think what their verdict means
to the managers whose judgment they
are to indorse or condemn. They
think only OF the prices they have paid
for their tickets: they are looking for
their moneys worth. And why not?
There is no reason why theater-goers
shouldn't get an equivalent for their
dollars from theatrical managers the
same as patrons do from a furniture
dealer or a dry goods merchant. They
have q right to be critical and exacting
and to say in whatsoever manner
pleases them whether the play and the
performance are worth the money they
paid or not. Sensible managers under
stand this, and accept the verdict"
-:--:-
The play that Mr. Glover had refer.
ence to when writing the foregoing was
Charles -Frohman's New York produc-
ton of Harry Arthur Jones strong ef-
fort, 1.-The Masqueraders." Mr.. Glover
had the pleasure of being In company
with Mr. Frohman that night on the
stage of the Empire theater, and he
says of the circumstances: when at
the end OF the third act of the play the
big fashionable audience was lifted to
such heights of enthusiasm that after
calling the players before the curtain a
number of times 1t kept on applauding
and cheering until Manager Charles
Frohman came from behind the scenes
and bowed his acknowledgements, lit
tie did 1t think that upon this verdict
depended the winning back or losing of
| $40, 900, which the manager had invested
in the production. Until that series of
| plaudits began Mr. Frohman was fac
inG a perplexing problem. When the
! tKunders of appreciation commenced to
roll In over the footlights he knew he
was safe and the strain and suspense
slipped from him as lightly as lady's
| opera wrap falls from her shoulders
| when she loosens It, and before the
| audience got over its excitement the
manager, who Is always on the stage on
first nights had settled down to busi-
| ness again and was calmly directing
| scene shifters and stage hands in their
preparations for the next act"
81
or course, Robson isn't risking any
such sum as $40, 900 on Dan Hart's play:
but he Is risking, in addition to the
actual expenses of its production. a
large part of the seasons capabilities of
profit: for II Hart's play Is frost"
Robson will have to take some other
manuscript. put In rehearsal. advertise
1t and get In readiness to produce that,
instead, all of which will take time and
money, and cut correspOndlngly into
his seasons balance. Hence, to risk all
this on play that. under Sully. failed
to draw. Robson must have confidence
An Hart's piece, and confidence also In
his ability to improve on Sully's prece-
dent. Anyhow. well soon know the
issue. for the play Is to be staged with
In three weeks.
There Is a good story. swept across
the ocean, about Nat c. Goodwin. who
lish comedian. who was a super when
Goodwin was already a star. Is not un-
like the American actor In appearance
and methods of acting. Roberts con-
descends now and then to patronlZe
MAT" and recently at a supper at the
Greenroom club, at which Irving. Hare
and Tree were present. he said during a
lull In the conversation. while he pat
ted the American star on the back
Gentlemen, let me present you to the
er-American Arthur Roberts" "Not at
all, not at all" retorted Goodwin. al
low me to present the English Nat
Goodwin"
-.---:-
"A World of Trouble" the comedy
Thomas q. Seabrooke Is to produce at
the Park theater. Boston, on Sept. 8, Is
to be staged at the same time at the
Strand theater, London. by Harry Paul
ton. Paulton will play the role In
which Seabrooke will be seen here.
-.-.-
Among the many theatrical compa-
nies now In New York that are active
ly preparing for the coming season Is
the organization Of Alexander Salvini.