New-York tribune., 1903-04-20
FOR ENDOWED THEATRE.
Conried Says He Took Opera as Step
an That Direction.


at Deimoncos. with Heinrich Conried as it's guest
of honor. The guest and the club were met to
further the movement for American endowed
theatre, and to give body to the movement per
society. pledged to work for the esta blish-
ment of the so-caIed National Art Theatre of New
York. organized by the passage of resolution
enrolling all present at the dinner members
Of more ephemeraI interest. at least, than this
action the speech of Mr. Conried. for he de-
clared that his assumption of the Metropolitan
Opera House management was only the first step
in his campaign for an American national theatre.
Those who behind him, his board of directors
I'm the opera, he affirmed, have promised to
build national theatre If he makes success Of
the Metropolitan. Whether this means that they
Will build 1t only condition that Mr. Conried be
the director. he did not more explicitly state.
j. / c. Clarke in the absence of Bronson How
ard presided. They met, he said, to raise
give body to a movement that only waited for
such body TO forward to success. He read
note from Bronson Howard IN favor of the plan
and then introduced the guest.
Mr. COnried has been sick, and indeed. could
come TO the dinner only condition that his
nurse accompany him, to remain close at hand
without the door. But he sturdily, his
fingers, Belasco-like, through his hair, knit his
Olympic brow, and spoke with the voice of
who knew not weakness. His speech was con-
stantly interrupted with applause.
Mr. Conried said that he began preaching
uonal theatre in America twenty years ago. and
uonal theatre here? Ana he found the answer in
the fact that In America the stage has never been
considered educational factor The stage in
America he said is looked upon a degraded
thing Of low standing. compared to churches of
schools That it is at times degraded he admitted
But. said he 1T is liza bic depreciation
than other ethical influences. The difference be-
tween Desdemona and Zaza is greater than that
between Bishop Potter and Mother Eddy
Mr. Conried here interrupted by applause
from all sects and sections in the room.
But. ne continued. there can be no education
without public attention. and education from
the stage without changing repertoire There
should be a national endowed theatre. that shall
furnish the changing repertoire, the standard of
acting of pronunciation of taste, and a thousand
other things for which to-day the American stage
has no standard-the stage the public. either
can oramatists would take their plays to managers
who would win for them money than
tional theatre could do by affirming that it would
become a matter of pride for drama lists 10 have
their plays first presented at this theatre. matter
of pride well advertisement of merit. He
also declared that ii would be matter OF pride for
actors TO play in its company. And then the
impresario took the meeting by surprise by stat
ing that he had the assurance of wealthy that
they would forward when the time ripe
and build house and furnish equipment for the
National Theatre.
What led me- after long consideration. to
cept the position of impresario.' said he, was
the feeling that It was the first step toward the
erection Of a national theatre in America. 1 told
my directors at the first meeting of my ideals of
artistic productions of the equipment necessary to
give such performances as shall be really educa-
tive. and they said, Show you do what
you dream, and Will build that national theatre
for you They rich men, well able to do it,
too"
Mr. Conried then outlined a plan which he
thought would without question succeed, and
which involved, If successful, only the cost to the
hackers Of the erection and first equipment of the
theatre. According TO this plan, the first year.
during of thirty weeks. only ten plays
would be produced, and $500 subscribers for the
season, that is, to ten performances. could, he
thought be secured at $40 a subscription. This
would cover the running expenses. The next year
the number of plays would be increased. would
the subscribers the easily the theatre
woul1 have become fashionable and then year
by year the increase would go until the plays
were changed nightly and the theatre would be
firm paying basis Mr.. Conried, VINO was
most enthusiastic this plan said that he re
Gently addressed q club of women in Brookline.
Mass who promised 10 take all the subscriptions
for the first year! He also said the Radcliffe Club
in Boston was all ready start National The
atre there October, 1904 and had written to ask
him If s1200o fair yearly salary for q stage
manager!
Augustus Thomas was the next speaker. In
truth he said he wished TO admi: that TO his Say
of thinking the theatre not essential TO
mankind as an ethical influence, religion, nor
not spare his plays, which Mr. COnred had en-
Enthusiastically referred part of the repertoire
OF national theatre, from the American stage
for a while What Mr.. Thomas wanted to see
was a national theatre that should preserve the
national traditions of this country. He was a
little vexed with ShreyvogeI because in his
picture General Custer treating with the Indians
he had, Mr.. Thomas said. put boots Custer
that were not issued the cavalry till years
after his death; because of the Indians wore
case for six shooter, which a weapon not
then. invented, and because all the horses were
clipped like Fifth-ave, coach horses, though the
that would repeat often enough TO preserve the
real historical facts such plays reflected Amer
lean life-"The Henrietta Secret Service and
the like
And this theatre must be hospital for re-
jected MSS he continued. We not suffer
ing from lack of appreciation, dramatists.
Charles Frohman may not Daniel Frchman
does, either =. l.. Erlanger' great ap-
plause and aughter which caused Mr.. Thomas TO
add that he meant no personal refecton( but
scme manager or other Will see the pla! II II IS
worth seeing. What Is needed IS not educdtoA
fer the American dra amatist. but for the American
people. And TO that end national endowed the
atre would be a good thing. and should be fur
De Wolf Hopper, six feet two and weighing 80
pounds. Go ahead and play Falstaf and to VIII |
You may faI. but have ding at Macbeth and
Miss Marowe, We need Shakespeare; save |
yourself from the dramat!zed novel:
on the motion or F. F Mackey. the resolution was
10 work for the establishment of The National |
No announcements of gifts from Mr. Carnegie |
or other sources were made, nor were any such !
gifts referred 10 definitely In prospect