The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-01-16
THE AMERICAN THEATRE.
Extract from Discussions at a Meeting
Ofthe Twice Five Club.

Extract from Discussions at Meeting |
ofthc Twice Five Club.
America, as a theatre sustaining |
people, rank first among the ma
tions of the world, but as a theatre |
producing people we fall back into
obscurity. From the patriots point
Of view, the American theatre offers
cold comfort indeed. Few really
notable plays, actors, actresses or
singers have sprung for many years
from the brains or rank of Ameri-
cas- sixty-five millions of people;
yet on the other hand we are will
ing to pay out our two-hundred-
thousands of dollars each night in
the United States for the privilege
Of sitting in theatres and gazing
from box, orchestra or gallery at
the efforts, and mere "efforts" pre-
vail, of foreign play actors, TRAGIC
and comic, good and bad, in their
mostly vain endeavor to mimic
life. 1t is perhaps low estimate
to say that 50,OO0,OOO of dollars
have been spent in Americas late
year for the preparation to enter
tain our theatre loving people, in
their wild demand to gulp in the
efforts of foreign artists.
In former years, the theatre was
the educator. The learned of the
nations graced the circles of the
the theatre halls, to have more WV
idly pictured to them in drama, the
topics of the day; the perhaps great
question upon which hinged ma
tion's fate, were pictured in hu man
figures thus softening destinations
and instilling hope into the minds
of the fearful. Then 1t was that
the peasant sought the theatre for
knowledge. Books were inaccessa-
BILE, printing presses easily num-
bered, cold black type bespoke
nothing, and the lowly had but to
seek the theatre that he might
learn of living character, the possi-
bilities of a future. The theatre
reached him through the eye, that
knew how to observe, and the ear,
that knew how to compare, even to
the criticism of false quantity.
But, alas, for Americas theatre.
Few lessons have been taught from
her stages; the portrait Of few vital
questions have destined her ship
of state. To man on an elevation
looking out upon the vast Ameri-
can theatrical landscape,> says an
author, it would doubtless have tho
appearance of low-lying morass en-
veloped in thick cloud of fog.
The observer might fancy that
here and there he saw luminous
point or a bright area, but further
thought would convince him that
his eyes were indeed deceiving
him.
The American theatre is not an
educational medium, for the reason
that its patronage will not permit
it thus to be. We seek the thea
ire for amusement, for recreation,
for diversion from business cares,
rathes than for the teachings that
might be inculcated there. The
more sedate of people content
themselves with cleaning the
minds of others through the medi-
UNI of the press, while the great
mass are want to be amused, and
thus patronage has moulded the
American theatre into the present
sociological problem. Mr.. Crane,
the lifetime theatre manager, of
New York, the amusement barom-
eter of America, was want, not
many years since, to introduce on
the American stage a season of
more serious plays, and his first at
tempt, the scenical, artistic and ex-
cellent drama, "Merry Wives of
Windsor" fell fiat financially, and
becoming more serious with him.
self than the public, he was COM
PEELED to abandon his ideas, and
produce "The Gaity Girl" "On the
Bowry," and others of like charac-
ter, which copiously replenished
his Golfers. Said he, "There is no
financial profit In giving this pub
lie anything except that which will
easily stir an emotion, easily create
a sensation, or easily produce a
laugh. Anything which requires
more than superficial knowledge,
more than a moments thought,
more than apretense of culture, in
short, anything that cannot be In
stantan eously absorbed, as 1t were,
through the pores, without any re-
sort to the understanding, has be.
come too laborious for the Ameri.
can public, and will not receive
financial reward.
| Ithas come to pass in America
that the legitimate or serious dra-