The Washington times., 1901-11-17

| the privilege of coming to this city and
| playing at the National Neither did
| Messrs. Fisher & Ryley. the propre-
tors of "F1orodora2' have to pay over a
certain per cent of their gross takings to
! trohman. klaw e Erlanger ct al, for the
/ rlGht to'appear in the Columbia. another
| local syndicate house And Mr.. jefferson
! VINO was here last week did not have to
| forward to the syndicate headquarters
| any portion of his $4,000 receipts. Lulu
GIaser Is new star practically, and her
| offering, Dolly Warden" was much in
| the nature of an unknown quantity be-
! fore IT came to the Columbia week before
last but Miss CHASER was given the op-
| portunity to play here in a syndicate
theatre, Mrs. Fiskes remarkable state
mcht 70 the contrary, notwithstand-
ing Frank Daniels, Anna Held
Amelia Al Bingham. Elsie de Wolfe
Lovers Lane THE Christian" or any
ot the numerous other stars and plays
| that have already appealed for Washing
! ton patronage did not have to submit to
the awful graft of the syndicate.
A young manager, Henry Harris. deter
mined to branch out this season as pro-
ducing manager and brought a new play,
THE Last Appeal" to Washington. Lo-
| cal theatregoers did not like the piece
and remained away, but the syndicate did
not order Mr.. Harris to Immediately HE
contrary. they gave him the opportunity
of testing the merits of his property in
Philadelphia, Washington. Chicago, and
Boston before even he himself decided
the public did not care for THE Last
Appeal"
Only two weeks ago new star Charles
Dalton, produced in Washington. for the
frst time on any stage, THE Helmet of
Navarro" 1t was a most imposing pro-
duction, but it is not believed Mr.. Greet,
the London promoter of the venture, paid
for the privilege of pres>lting his star in
the syndicate theatres 9. the country.
Mrs. F1ske evidently did not weigh her
remarks very carefully or she would not
have said that sucN enterprisirg and in
dependent managers as Liebler & Co,
VIM A. Brady, Kirk La Shelle, Jacob
kit, and Mr. Mansfield. stuart Robson,
N. c. Goodwin. Jefferson de Angels,
James X Hackett, May Irwin, Amelia
bingham, Otis Skinner. and any number
OF other stars and attractions beyond
the immediate direction of Frohman-
hlaw d. Erlanger-Nixon & Zimmerman
Rich * Harris combination are COM
PEELED to pay for the right of playing in
the syndicate houses.
Mrs. Fiske then proceeded to go after
the syndicate members for importing
their productions. She said:
He Imeaning Charles Frohmanl and his iel-
low-operators do not experiment with the Ameri-
author unless driven to II by a lack OF
goods with fixed values in the foreign market.
They have options on every play of note pro-
duced abroad that has possibilities for money
making in this country. And as long as these
foreign possibilities exist they will take risks
in native ventures. Almost invariably they i'm
port the production duplicate it from the
original models This, of course, is mere COM
mercial enterprise. calling for greater intel
ligence than is required in signing a check for
the cost OF the material Thus the American
dramatist suffers, for his yrportunities are very
few. Yet the American dranitist gives Us reason
to he proud OF him.
There is bountiful a supply of talent in
the theatre today there has been at any
previous time. But talent does not find
genial atmosphere in proximity 10 the Theat-
rical Trust. Having desire to develop talent
for its own sake. and having use for talent,
except in its mediocre state a part Of the
general scheme to obtain the money OF the pub
lie with as little substantial return as possible,
talent consequently has little excuse for i'm
prov ement. To begin with, the practice OF max
ing -eplicas Of foreign productions in itself has
a deadening influence upon the actors No in
dividuality, no originality Of thought Is pos
sible in these circumstances. and naturally no
stage direction of the sort that furnishes the
managers Of the trust, like scene painters Of the
trust, simply study the foreign models and copy
them as nearly as they can. Under these condi-
tions Of slavish imitation is it strange that
mediocrity prevails? There Is no lack of men
aud women capable Of writing PLAYS and acting
plays in this country. but paywrights and actors
require encouragement well : criticism The
influence Of sordid and commercial control that
seeks only the easiest method Of securing the
dollar and that has no aspiration and no con-
science with respect 10 the advancement Of
American dramatic art, is neiarlous.
Once again does Mrs Fiske miss the
bullseye of verify. Charles Frohman pro-
duces more plays during the course of a
theatrical season than does any other
manager or combination of managers,
perhaps. This season he directs the tours
Of Julia Marlowe-even If the announce
ments do credit Charles Dillingham;. Mr.
Frohman's right-band man, with the hon
or-Maude Adams, Annie Russell, Vir-
ginia Harmed, Mrs. Carter, and Blanche |
Bates. in conjunction with David Belas-
CO. Ethel Barrymore, John Drew William
II. Crane, William Gillette. William Fav-
ersham, "Eben Holden" and will shortly
present another play, Colorado"
OF this bakers dozen of attractions,
only two are. as Mrs. Fiske puts it, for
eign possibilities; Julia Marlowes
er saw the Atlantic: Maude Adams new
piece, while il is by Barrie, an English
man, first saw the footlights in AL !
hany a few weeks ago; Annie Russell !
will soon produce a new play by CLYDE
Fitch; Virginia Harmed. in Alice of old |
Nincennes, had no model to copy after; |
Mrs. Carter is getting ready her new
play, La du Barry" by Belasco, and
Blanche Bates role of Cigarette in I'm
der Two Flags Is entirely original in
conception and Interpretation; Ethel Bar
rymores Captain Jinks of the Horse |
Marines" was initially played by Miss |
Barrymore in this country last season, in |
Philadelphia; Mr.. Cranes idea of David |
Harum" is wholly his own. and he would |
be naturally grieved were Mrs Fiske or |
any other person to suggest otherwise;
Mr.. Gillette is now showing Londoners !
his original character of Sherlock Holmes
has a new character study; Colorado"
soon to be brought out by Mr.. Frohman,
is by an American author, Augustus |
Thomas. and will be performed for the !
first time in this country. Only John
Drew and William Faversham, Of all /
Charles Frohmans stars, are using plays |
of foreign make.
Klaw & Erlanger, the other end Of |
the terrible combination against art man |
age Zen Hur." 'The Sleeping Beauty |
and the Beast" THE liberty Bellies"
Foxy Quiller," the Bnstonians. the Rog- |
crs brothers. and own an interest in |
the tour of Mary Mannering. OF the en- |
tire Klaw e. Erlanger list but one at
traction. The Sleeping Reauty and the |
Beast" is a foreign possibility. and this |
was the greatest gamble ever |
been made by any AmTican managers, |
as IT was the first OF 5the big London |
Christmas .antOmimeS 70 be brought to |
this country. Klaw & IErlaHgcr had a |
pretty good idea otsswhat their receipts; |
would he from the Rogers brothers but |
the English piece was an entirely new |
propustiC for this country. and there is |
m lar,.y h.