The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-25
Theatres and stars"

Theatres and stars
The most casual observer of theatrical
doings cannot fail to note the significant
features Of the opening of the season.
The most successful entertainments from
the point Of view of the box office are
those of the lightest and most humorous
sort, while attempts at serious drama
are encouraged by select few" OF
course the theatrical managers will not
admit this, because that compels con-
fession of failure somewhere We do not
expect them to admit it.
Furthermore, the most successful en-
tertainments are those in which the
play is offered for public consideration
az secondary to the principal actor en-
gagged in its performance. In other
words. theatregoers in these days are
not invited to go to see play, but to see
some particular actor in part The
play has become in many cases simply
vehicle for the exploitation of the indi-
viduality of the actor
That amusement seekers do interest
themselves deeply in the personalities
of performers cannot be denied They
have always done so. In earlier times
the star used to go about the country
and appear in the plays Of his repertory
with the stock companies of the theatres
which he visited The stock actors were
overworked. and performances never
acquired the finish and infinitely detailed
stage business of to-day. But the per-
sonal element was just as much in evil
denCe.
Then came the period of the great stock
companies in the large cities and the pro-
duCton of new plays. For time the
play was actually the thing, and we re-
member the old Union Square Theatre by
THE Two Orphans" The Danicheffs"
and similar plays, rather than by CHARLES
THORNE and SARA JEwETT The COM
pany in that house was all stars. Was
ii the long runs or some other cause that
subsequently, stole from the stage the
splendid force, the infinite variety Of ex-
preston of the actors trained in the old
school! Or was it the introduction of
the gentle society play of the Belasco-
DeNlille type? Whatever il was, the stock
company soon degenerated into an or
ganization containing one or two actors
who lowered. over the others, and when
| the speculative managers, who control
the theatre of to-day fully appreciated
the importance Of this fact they set
about working it.
| They began to take the most potent
personalities out of their companies and
send them out as stars surrounded by
! lroupes of actors much inferior to those
| in which these same personalities were
originally displayed SO the potent per-
sonnliles seemed to grow in strength.
! Then new personalities had to be pushed
| forward in the companies which were left
! behind, and so the managers raised UP
/ for us II second crop of stars, just about
! MS rich and nutritious as second crops
usually are.
! Then they began TO separate these
seconds from the companies and send
]
, Nothing but starr. Every little actor is
twinkling away in play Of his own. and
the play has to be a mighty thin one so as
| not to obscure his radiance. The stock
company has sunk to II level of sleek med-
| ocrity, and playwrights ladle out sweet
,entimentaiities or polite badinage
! OF course this state of affairs is not
going to last. Nothing ever does in the
| theatre. The wheels will revolve and
something new will come to the top. But
| in he meantime the theatre in general is
educating the public to make big to-do
over some very little people, who are
entertainers rather than actors, and to
forget that there is such thing as great
dramatic art.