The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-10
TOPICS OF THE. THEATRE.
,,,,uoP POTTER TO LEAD THk Al
D,I,yCE or CHURCH AND STAGE.

,,.,oP Points Hearing on tho Relative VAL
a., Of New Plays and Old Actors
New. Of Foreign Dramas and Authors.
p,,hop Potter means evidently to stick by
A.. Actors Alliance Of Church and Stage. az
81, T., preside ut the first public meeting.
Ma than 100 actora have Joined. and more
..r maid their dues. So the society starts
y,,h the proof that at least that many PLAYERS
',n ne grateful for the opportunity to get
',.r,yn,n whom, they feel the need OF him. OF
ea,,r,o the number enrolled 10 Insignificant
.Sh.r ono remembers tho army Of men and
a,,cp ,,uuscted with the theatre in this coun-
400 Tho directors OF the Actors Fund are
controlled to appeal frequently and emphati-
oo,y Tor recruits. The profession Is slow In
u. ,uupDrt CT its temporal charities. 1t 10 not
sroh,h,. that It's response to an offer of spirit
r.I advice and social com fort attentions will
n. e.Der.l The Rev. Walter Bentley. In his
,ree,h at the FIRST meeting. said he labored
,s,rs 10 form this new alliance. lie had been
pr1rpt,d BY tho experiences OF his own stage
nar.sr He said that he had known many act
ora who were Ion RinG Just A. he was. for the
,uprort and sympathy OF the Church. 1t may
hs fairly asserted that such feeling IL not
common among the people OF the stage.
church alliances have been attempted before.
and they have usually dropped out Of sight
when the promoters realized that the effort Is
us.less because those OF the theatrical pro-
las. ion who wish to go 10 Chu rch can find their
Tay ,herc without tho need OF guides Linda
iIet2 was at ono limo earnest here in a simi-
lar .gi,atton. which had begun In. England.
'thufrh and stage" was phrase frequently
b.,rl in the early eighties. although IL Is not
remembered that many moro actors went to
KID in that cause. Mr.. Bentley. the prime
mover in The present movement, is clergy
IL. 1alA n m rAG n
Tor the alliance when one OF its Bishops was
made President. The Board Of Governors in.
Ty.rs,ia.l' rs and none is supposed TO be more
intsrs-'ed in it than another, 1t came into
S.nr. San Mr. n0i Bsnt. The AStnrs
lance OF America 10 a trade organization
Similar - any other union Of men formed to
Improving the Condition OF Labor has inter
esied i,..N IN all phases OF the labor question.
t aHT 5ranch Of tho Episcopal Church's aco
tyi.v Nj. Bentley speaks like an enthusiast.
and ha, 2ca enough to:look aiter:the Church's
lint they have secured eminent rspresenta-
tho iommttee are not nearly 40 impressive.
Bishop Potter is a figure Of sufficient emf
neuc- to rrepordera AZ the clergymen
the actors
The question Of the relative importance OF
the play and the star actor Is connected essen
tally with the use OF what 10 known as the old
repertoire. Few players are sure enough Of
their places In the affections OF the public to
appear In old pieces. however anxious they
may he to test their powers in them. This
dNlierce does not arise from public familiar
tty with the dramas. "Frou-Frou.' to take
orc example. would be strange 10 nine in ton
auditors to-day. THERE'S no actress on the
American stage. however who could draw the
public TO it. The popularity OF the actor may
be great but il II put TO risky test in an old
work revived. Tho proof of that is the email
number Of stars willing to do it. Richard
Mansfield has repertoire so distinctly his own
that his case is scarcely typical. His plays
ate .nhiuly Old. but his reputation alone has
%nd ~ T ekY and Mr. nre
not at all the same as Camille or 'Divor-
CONS lie never falls back on the old works
Satisfactorily, Olga Nethersole has had but
one new pay suited to her purposes. or her re-
turns to older roles would probably have been
rare. Modleska is scarcely to be included In
the list Of tho active stars as she has returned
to the stage with the prestige Of great name
ton that had heard Of her but never seen her.
In the time of regular tours she made various
.sw oay sse ad ongd none
based on he ne Of Marie An telnst e. Mrs:
Love Finds the Way" was not squa! to re-
yivlng Interest in "Frou-Frou and 'Magda."
lar actress Oh he American stage; Her en-
gasgnrf.m, IN Eomeo and juliet was un,
pltzed is risks, She ought to DO an ideal ijH-
bert, but tits doubtful Il even she could pros
perou-ly revivify the Meilhac- HalGvy heroine.
Ju.a Marowe has abandoned, at least for
New York use, the old pieces with which her
s s.reT ,ehnation was made II became evi-
ter Ju.ia Arthur set out to indulge her am
biton IN the stan iald repertoire with unsatis-
before she was one Of the most popular ac-
tresses OF the year. Ada Hehan even in the
r5Ies chiefly Identified with her fame. could
not TX public attention on the standard ra-
vyas at Days. lhe repertoire is an impos-
I!h!.itY in this country.
alone When Sir Henry Irving finds a suc-
csr'nl pnv he does not use old ones. He does
that only when the public rejects his modern
efforts. Wnsn Paris theatre gets a play that
quits It's audiences it is kent on view az long as
lays. Ia the subsidized theatres there are
'eu nights devoted to the classics. but as
man reriorT auces as possible are given Of
the new work. whether or not it Is likely to
TAX" permanent place in the repertoire:
by the terms Of their organiZation.to give a
certain mum er OF rcpettions, OF old plays But
snany nights as NAV be are devoted to the sue
cess'n. novelties. The difference between the
American ana tho foreign systems seems TO be
tries can make tho old classics profitable. In
London the demand for ne ~Eess Is as pressing
a. Is here and the publ has little more lik-
lnE i)r REVEALS. In London. as in New York,
and 'rsry other city in the world. 1t Is the new
pay nat IS necessary for the prosperity Of the
Nir9r the manager Foss bly, the demand is
eItte more eytgent here than anywhere else.
Pt nat J. the only reepect in which New
lcfa'' audiences are different from others.
John P.Hohey. who used to carol on the bow
OF ''r.s'' pier Co''umh"S's boat hero in 1902 "
aims 90 follow AuGuste Van Bieue's plan and
u''2" his musical talents with melodrama