Evening star., 1901-03-02
DRAMA

shoulders. Sir Henry Irving, George Alex
ander, Beerbohm Tree. yours truly, and
others manage their own theaters In Lon
don. To us, monetary consideration Is not
everything. We have the actors love of
his art and keen rivalry exists between
US as to the sterling quality of the com
panes we gather the quality of the plays
give and the artistic method or thelr
mounting. The actor manager is an artist
first, a money maker later.
But 1 can't understand why your phi
lanthropists and millionares gives to every
thing but the stage They endow the opera
houses and give tremendous sums to the
furthering of music, but the theater goes
a-begging. Is 1t because one is an art. the
other a diversion? At the opera you Will
often find a music-lover, score in hand,
studying each note the artist sings. But
the play-wel, who goes to the play think
ing Of the art side of the play house? All
the theatergoer thinks OF is the three
hours amusement to be received It's SO,
isn't 1t?
''All the more reason then, say I, why
the millionaires of America should endow
theaters and by educating the benighted
prove to them that there is an art side to
the stage, that the mission of the theater
isn't solely to amuse, but to educate. broad
en- and so manifest the artistic that 1t Is
understandable
Putting aside the fact that Mr.. Hare's
love for the pure, the good and the beauti-
full does not prevent his artistic aff1liation
with 1.-The Gay Lord Quex," his comments
on what the American millionaire ought to
| do are interesting.
Richard Mansfield expressed himself some
time ago as being favorable to the endowed
| theater-in fact, most theatrical people are
| favorable to any enterprise which guaran-
| tees the player against loss in new ven
| lures.
| James X. Hackett takes more practical,
| If less fiattering, view of the American
stages immediate needs. my college he
/ explains. would be a place where persons
who had proved their right to become act
b1a In,
| art and literature which would be useful
| to them when they reached the stage. No
attempt would be made to teach them act
| ing itself If that were done the university
| would be worse than the present schools of
elocution. Instead. they would have to
| pass an examination before they would be
| enrolled as students. When they had dis
| played crude ability they would be admit
| ted subject to an easier mental test.
| common school education would be suff-
cient for the scholastic entrance passport.
1.-The tuition would be without expense
| and when high enough talent was shown
| the candidates whole expenses would be
| paid through the course. The length OF the
| course should be two or three years. The
| curriculum would look peculiar alongside
| of that of the regular universities. The
| physical side of the training would include
| rigorous instruction In dancing and fencing.
| The former exercise gives grace and the
| latter Is both useful to the same end and
| necessary for itself on the stage. Latin and
| Greek would not be taught, but French and
| German would be given unusual emphasis.
| A knowledge Of French Is indispensable to
| the present-day player. and the dramatic
! literature Of both countries should be ia
| miiar to him.
| "Along with these languages the student
| would be studying the English language
| and the English literature, dramatic and
| general. He would gain a wide knowledge
| Of history, and would also be instructed In
architecture, in drawing and In painting, so
| far as 1t has to do with the effects Of col
| ors and their blending. Then he would be
| taught how to use his voice. This does not
mean elocution, but few physiological
| facts, a few rules and large amount OF
| applicat ation. singer has to learn how to
! conserve her voice; ought player.
"These are the advantages a graduate Of
my pet institution would have. I haven't
| had them all myself, but l wish I had In
| fact, I envy my graduate. The endowed
| theater would be good thing. but 1 be-
leve more in my endowed university, for
! think the endowed theater would be the
| outcome of the founding of it,
| However desirable might be an ar
| rangement by which the actor managers
| fortunate enough to get into governmental
| or financial good graces can be relieved Of
| the ordinary risks of business, there seems
| to be no present prospect Of a change. The
| Commissioners Of the District would hard
| ly care to undertake the guidance Of mu-
nicipal theater. They will be entirely con-
l
ance of Congress. to suppress the impious
| antics of 1.-The Girl in Blue" and ask to
| go no further into the mysteries beyond the
| proscenium.
So long as the theater does not bother
the government the government will let the
| theater alone. But If the theater ever as
| serts itself with any vigor as critic Of
| eminent personages and censor of pub
lie affairs. as it did in the days Of Aristo-
| phanes it will probably secure immediate
| recognition An endowed theater to set the
| fashion in plays and create an impression
that no actor is genuine unless he bears
the government stamp would find hearty
support. The affectionate interest of the
| government in dramatic art would even ex-
tend itself to the censorship of plays, as 1t
does in England, where the influence which
might be exerted through the stage Is far
better understood and therefore more seri-
ously feared than In this country. The
British play censor will let the indecent
"Gay Lord Quex' go to the public without
a blush. But a joke at the expense Of the
royal family would never get past him.
AS there is SO little prospect of govern
ment theater, 1t may be as we'll to take an
optimistic view Of the future and hope that
the American stage will develop more
wholesomely and sturdily by not being
subjected to artificial restraint. Its growth
may be slower. but 1t will be normal.
Whenever isis Hopkins comes to town
she stirs up certain amount Of resentment
on the assumption that she guarantees to
typify the manners and culture Of that part
of the United States. "Sis'' has called forth
the following communication:
"Quite amusing to the average 'hoosier'
at the national capital Is the display of
misinformation regarding a certain portion
Of Indiana on the part Of the newspaper
fraternity In general. In the dramatic
notes of last Saturdays Star find the fol-
lowing: The scenes of Isis Hopkins are
| laid in Posey county, in central Indiana.
| Among a people who simple in every
| thing and unique in their methods of life.'
Now, to the majority of people (to whom
. | this portion Of Indiana is q terra incognita)
! the above sounds all right, but to the resi-
| dent of Indiana 1t invariably provokes q
smile.
In the first place. Posey county Is not in
! or even near the central portion of the
! state. but is located In the extreme south
! western part, forming the lower portion of
what is known as the Pocket Of Indiana.
1t Is a gently undulating region. with q
| soil as rich as cream. and has q river
frontage of more than 100 miles, including
: the ramifications of the Ohio and Wabash
: rivers, which water 1t on the southern and
; western sides. AS to the people being Sim
| pie in everything and unique in their me4h-
ods of Ufe.' Investigation will show fhaf 4