The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-25


j. II. sToDDART.
the most conspicuous frosts over seon in
Now York city, and its SUCCESSOR ut tho
Empire thcatcr, IA Womnn's Reason"
whilo not partaling of that excessively
low temperature, is nevertheless not suffi-
cicntly successful to warrant It's boinp
Kept on for n run. Mr.. Charles Frohmnn
informs mo that his plan is to fill out the
stock company's season at the Empire
with several plays, each of which will DO
given for three weeks or SO. hear from
another source that most of these nre of
foreign origin. 1t was generally under
stood at tho opening Of the season that
now American plays by Bronson Howard
and Charles L. Dazcy would bo produced,
but they have not maternlized. Tho How
ard pioco did not suit Mr.. Frohman after
it had boon completed, and it is stated
that 1t also failed to please oven tho au-
thor. With reference to the Darcy play
tho strictest silence has boon maintained.
So now tho English market has to be
drawn upon once more. II Mr.. Frohmans
experience with English productions this
season had been more profitable, it would
DO easy to understand this, but ono would
naturally suppose Tint no would stoer clenr
of tho Henry Arthur Joneses and others of
that ilk, for some time Mt least.
Two American Successes.
Another fnct which would scom to indi-
cate that that would have been the safer
course is tho enormous SUCCESS OF ''The
Heart of Maryland" the only play which
hos enjoyed long md genuine run on
Broadway this season. This Is an Amer
lean play, by an American author, played
by American actors, In n thcator owned
and conducted by Americans. Tho other
big Broadway SUCCESS is 1.-The Governor of
Kentucky" Mt tho Fifth Avenue, with W.
III. Crano in tho tito role. This play is
also by an American author, and rs its
namo indicates, deals with an American
subject. 1t is, in fact, so much of n hit
that franklin Fylcs tho fortunate creator
Of tho play, has, as result, been commits
stoned by the American Theatrical syndi-
cate to writo q native drama.
With these two big Successes staring
them in tho fncc-both by New York writ
ers, and really the only two exceptional
strikes of tho season among tho myriads
of foreign inanitics-tho conviction is fore
cd upon ono that our managers know full
we'll that tho native dramatists arc capable
of doing as good work rs those abroad,
and that, despite that knowledge they
persist In using imported works simply
because they foolishly and mistakenly i'm
aginc that Americans aro hankcring for
plays connected by foreigners and will sup
port thom. i'll preference TO tho home prod
uct. Tho disastrous experience of tho
present G1iscn cught . pr fnr toward dis
polling that absurd Gclusion.
Capitalization In Thentricals.
A good deal is being printed nowadays
about tho alleged tendency toward central
ization in tho theatrical business. This
statement is vehemcntly denied by those
most interested in corraling everything in
sight, whilo their accusers declare That
this policy Is having tho effect of throttling
tho none oo-robust American drama.
That such tendency docs exist it were
idotic to dony. 1t Is as clear as daylight
to tho most casual observer, but it is also
equally absurd to assert that 1t can have
an injurious effect upon the business. Il
is alleged that those large operators buy al
the now plays of probable worth and be
speak in advance those to DO written b!
nuthoy; Of noto, OF course they do. i
is good business to do SO, but that is
positive benefit to tho American drnmatis
| who has not yot won his spurs. Th(
moro famous writer's having their worl
c-emptcd, SO to speak, tho field is lcf
| comparatively clear TO the beginners ant
| those who, having succeeded In getting
| hearing, hnvo failed to score OH tho frs
| attempt. Capitalization Is necessary 81
| every business nowadays IL success is {
| be won. This is us true of tho theatrica
world as of any other. A production
which Is commonplace cannot now man
ago to mako salt whcro few years ago
fortune might DO picked up In singl
season. Opposition has become so lerc
that community OF interests which d
not conflict Is now q necessity. 0.
Courtaine and stodtlart.
Arthu: Brisbane tells tho followin
story, witch serves to illustrate tho UP
! and downs of tho actors career:
"An old man, over 20, struggled pas
tho Academy OF Music tho other Nigh
about tho hour when tho great thoatcr wa
full to tho doors, and oven tho stage wn
packed with the hundreds of actors VIII
had come to do honor to tho veteran Stot
dart. The mans clothing was shabby nm
his walk unsteady. Years ago, on I'll
Union Square stage, he, too, Ind mad
successes and ranked with Charles i
1 10 .t- IA