Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-12-12
HOW WRITE PLAYS
MRS. LorTIE BLAZE PARKED
TELLS HOW SHE WORKS.
The AuthoreEs az "Way Down East
Soon Will Have -Four Plays on
New York Stage.


New York letter: Any one who ic
ar all observant or human cannot Tai
tc have been struck by the fact that
every human mind is possessed to a
marked degree of the dramatic instinct.
II is the appeal to this instinct which
makes our greatest successes in liter
allure, sculpture painting and music.
|. is the appeal to this instinct which
makes the great mind impression in
the various forms Of religious services.
in all great public celebrations and
pageants, in the retailing OF news in
the public press and the happenings I'm
the lives OF those about us Even in
I the creation of a dress or bonnet this
instinct Is appealed to by the effective
/ or unusual adjustment Of a bow. a
/ flower or a plume-anything which is
SO produced that it creates AN effect
will meet a ready response from the
dramatic instinct which exists in the
mind OF the beholder
] IL is this dramatic instinct developed
/ to It's fullest extent, which sends peo-
lpe to our theaters, for there they find
the most complete qualification tn at
can be gained. The eye, the ear and all
/ the emotions of the mind and heart are
appealed to by every device known to
stagecraft. Those engaged directly in
| the theatrical business have perhaps
more reason for being impressed by this
remarkable and almost universal ap-
probation of the dramatic than others.
and have perhaps been led think of
ii by the great number of people who
are led by it TO approach the stage di-
! : ,,agtl IN Qnr,Ia no Eco t1,af
could only have a chance to voice the
dramatic fire within them woI,d as
tCnish the world. There is probably
not an actor or actress 'in the bust
ness who is not frequently approached
| by young people who have decided that
they were born to go upon the stage
and who are quite convinced that they
have only to be seen and heard to be-
ccIne speedily famous 1t is not so
surprising perhaps to meet young peo-
pie who have dramatic aspirations. but
! | have often had ladies of staid mien
ana settled years informe me in burst
OF confidence that when they were
young they had longings to go upon
the stage, longings which were nipped
IN the bud by Directing parents. The
vicissitudes of all the years had dim
med but not obliterated the dramatic
ycarning, and the confession was al
ways rounded by a sigh of regret.
Possibly the next most widespread
aspiration induced by the dramatic in
stinct is the play writing aspiration
1t is quite incredible-tbe number of
people who are writing plays. and the
range of their ages. know some chill
d. en- of the advanced ages of and 10
VINO produce plays with great conf
dence and weekly regularity. and a
courteous and portly gentleman verg-
ing upon 80 who sought my colabora-
/ ton. He had. as he said. the picture
and the title, but he found himself at a
/ loss for the rest of it," Between
these two extremes all sorts and con-
dltlons of people appeal to me in re-
gard to their play writing ambitions
! Needless to say, the less they know the
greater is their confidence And it all
looks so easy. / wrote my first play.
White Roses" while ION the road .
] ana employed a typewriter in a West
ern city to make two copies for me
She returned them, with a bill of S12
for two copies of a one-act play num-
herring not more than 30 pages. When
eNorbitant. she cried and said 81
shouldn't think you'd try to beat down
a poor typewriter when you make your
money so fast, All you heve to do is
! to sit down and write that out of your
head, and | had to sit up till O'Clock
last night to get it copied on the type
writer"
Il is a curious fact that many people
1 OF fairly intelligent mind, quite alive
/ to the fact that they would be obliged
to serve an apprenticeship in order to
perform the most ordinary sort of work
under the sun, imagine that they might
slip upon the stage and play a part. or
write play. without any previous
/ preparation or training.
I Many of these instances have come
under my observation. some Of them
amusing, others pathetic, AS an in
stence--I received a letter from board
/ ing school miss who had attended a
performance of WAY Down East" She
expressed her delight in glowing
/ terms and said that she thought she
could write a play just as good sh G
was sure she could do 1t. because il
/ didn't look as If it would be hard at
all and would please tell her what she
would have to do, and how she would
have to begin. Furthermore she asked
as special favor if | would talk &c
MIR Brady and get him to have it put
on the stage.
Again | was approached one evening
while sitting behind the scenes OF q
theater in far city by a thin and
nervous woman of about so years. dc
sou know any manager in New York I"
she asked in a strong nasal drawl
why. yes" | answered in surprise
III know one or two. why do you ask''
Well she replied. me an my dartei
has writ a play Me an ny darter an
luy husband an my son is going Il
play it and we've got most all GU
verses learned
"Oh." | Easped have you had an!
experience" oh yes" me an m,
darter has" Indeed what have yol
done" oh extrys. extrys' was he
. proud response.
She went on: They was a man her
; WAS going to put II on the stage for {
week and we was going 10 take it on
IN, tho road with The u1Onpy we'd make