New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-13
WOMEN as PLAYWRIGHTS.
MISS MARTHA MORTON SPEAKS OF HER
OWN AND OTHERS EXPERIENCES.
DIFFICULTIES OF DETAIL WHICH DASH THE An

! DIFFICULTIES OF DETAIL WHICH DASH THE AM
bITIoN OF MANY-sOME OF HER METHODS
Miss Martha Morton. whose new play "A Fool Of
ror'uhe' mas Just me; with such fattering success
al the Fifth Avenue Theatre told Tribune reporter
many interesting things the other day about her
work as dramats;
me way in which came to write a Fool OF Fort
une WAS rather odd, she said in reply TO a question
regarding her Idea in creating rs chief character
MI Crane, you know, had been the star IN two pre-
Nous plays OF mine. Brother John and His Wife's
rather. They were successful-yes but came 10
'he conclusion that perhaps II would be better for
ooth MI Crane and myself TO have at least a tenn
porary change. So went to see him about IL; and
TOD him TO get h.s play from some other author
After the public had had one season of Mr. Crane
In something not by Martha Morton | would write
Tor MIN again II he wished It, He agreed this idea
OF varying matters. and said he would look around
FOR new play at once. Some months passed-you
know plays are not selected In hurry-and then one
day Mr.. Crane came TO me.
| Martha, ne said there's no use talking You've
! got to write me a pay. I've read dozens and dozens
Of them In the last few weeks and I'm sick OF the
work that won't read another one. haven't found
anything to suit me. Every think TIA
the only thing necessary please is to copy the
ideas and treatment of some previous success O:
mine Too many imitation 'Henr!ettas.' Senators.
Brother Johns and that sort of thing. You know
Now. don't you you'n have to write me one?
so saw that my proposed change for the benefit
OF the public. Mr. Crane and myself was not likely
10 take place In few days gave Mr. crane an
idea of the story intended TO treat in the new play
He had already suggested TO that he thought peo-
! pie would welcome a good Wa-st.' theme. He liked
| the points was 10 emphasize. and told me 10 60
ahead. Tha, the las, conversation we nad re-
| gardng the play for over a year told MN al
the time that going to give him part entirely
| different from, anything he had done before
| he IN
not however Just II Is at present, for nave re-
visei and quite torn 1t TO pieces since them read
| it TO Mr. Crane. When we came TO the death scene
| he exclaimed in a startled way: Why. Martha can t;
, die Dear me. no, You'll have 10 fix II some otheT
way But persuaded him that that was the only
| logical and legitimate ending which the story couid
| have: that without 1t the play would he apsou'e'Y
| unconylncing He finally yielded, but II took good
| deal OF urging on my part. for you Kho" " J. no
easy for an actor Of long experience IN certain lines
| 70 rake I'D something which has always lain quite
outside them
Il have worked harder A Fool OF Fortune
than ever did before any other play thinK'
| continued Miss Morton For that very reason al
though Of course | am greatly pleased Win the way
! in which /, has been received. | can't look upon IL
| quite so cheerfully can some OF my other plays
| 1t represents tome such vast and wearsome amount
of labor IA in al plays dealing with American me-
where audiences quite able 70 draw eXactihe COM
parsons between the stage hgures ana those IN f'"
| life which they meant 10 portray. ths one W.
manded the most faithful adherence 10 nature That
meant minute and painstakng study OF All 'he DUST
ness details of the play the Wall-s scenes etc The
| character of Elisha Cunningham. which MT crane
takes was really the work OF two or three years Win
me had conceived the possibilities OF such cen RAJ
figure even before ! thought OF the present play !
wish peop.e would understand and believe that every
character In a Fool II Fortune was drawn from NE
and is iusi the bare truth Itself invented no;aing
RI, the constan. observation and subsequent h'ing
together Of my separate impressions make the pay
| to me a kind OF mosaic
"People have said" remarked Miss Morton re-
nectIyey that / mus, be particularly fond OF
business because | have introduced that element
TO a greater or less degree In ali my plays But II
is not true: am not a business woman IN" rch-
son for my bringing business upon the stage i
tina, ! have found II entirely inseparablc from
American life and consequently from the American
pay Dramatisis must take conditions hs they ma
them II money and business occupy II conspicuous
share OF the American mind in real NE. then they
mus, do the in the drama II that Is to he the
'Why is IT, do YOU think Miss Morton tina, we
have not more successful women dramatis'sf
probably because most OF them who n'iemp; the
work are appalled,. when they have proceede,i =
little way by the difficulties which II presents
don't blame them, indeed. II / had even fam,
idea when chose my profession; OF IN" "inou ah
and variety Of labor which II would entail. hardE
think should have had courage enough 10 20 on
1t was my ignorance that hellcd me- A.o"t u" annl
rsSp, ~ ~ nIsv Is MOI sufficient No dramatisi
can succeed who does not understand an ,he len
meal points Of stage setting. costuTHlns IN" NOS
erer,iye entrances and exits. and thousand anu
one details which seem uining. but which are
for a woman acquir" this practical kno",ht'
as IL f. for a man. and suppose many women nav
what is technically known as the az; H. W d o
Nevertheless IL Is entirely possible Tor ei 10 40 -
win the right sort Of spirit A. FOR h sGi h'r
ability TO write and create. nave no houp' OF hh
success that line They are more emo'ona, ana n"
more Instructive than men, ana can pe'nr 'ach ,on
force OF many strong situations IN my OPINION,
their powcr in dramatic writing WI IN max" ms.n
fe before many years 20 by, ana think the pio't
r.ss ~ 'bev have already made Is remarkably rapid
considering the comparatively few vars OF literary
ed,cation which they have behind them
H. NAV he interesting 10 those who do not KNOW no"
euch hing: are arranged to learn tina, Miss Morton
dnds The Use Of a chessboard and set OF chessih'n az
has before her a ground plan Of the Stikr on WIFI
he play IL to lie produced with the fIrmtui'' o.
o,berr artIcles set in the order In winch they arr
o OF sppar rhe chessboard corresponds TO thit
eyor,nd Man and IS Miss Morton decides upon cet-
go an,r.nce for a character she puts a piece upon
Inc square which approxinates tfe poriooii ~ me
door through "hch ne comes a. nav ne he the chess
niece is also moved in like manner ms irlnod y,
especially useful when there ~ a ster tbsi ,bo
tne 80 ~ The different actors do not conflict
with each other. To the uninitiaed pldy sne, ~,
minute nrearrangenlent as this seems Almost III
Miss Morton Is inveterate first -nighier at nrn
o,n NAV but she hides herself away ID an onscuie
o" n pI -, !, stage box From this retreat she
watches not the play. but the audience: dmtIc,pfT"
ono savs whether the play Is making idVoI .i
impression. Not By the applause she ~ ,hnv
ny y The better like IT, II situation from which
Rad cxpected good deal does not produce sui'icrn
effect know there Is sonr's mno" nne 20 own mis-
only way. after all Is to learn rom ON, Tor ~" drama
takes There is no other training schoo ,o nne
hn, he lessons are worth mastering In the end'
.