The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-24
BLANCHE WALSH TO WOMEN.
"NO STARS" THE FIRST STEP FOR
A NATIONAL THEATRE.

Keep Down the Actors Personality, she
Tells the Women Workers for the
Endowed Drama-PrOtect Home Pay.
wriShts, Mrs. sydney Rosenfeld Says.
Blanche Walsh addressed a public meet
ing Of the Woman's Auxiliary Of Educational
Art Theatre Society in College Hall In East
Ftfty-eighth street last evening, and told
the public how nice it would be for art
when the actors should consent to leave
their names of the bills OF the play or even
cease to crave to be top-liners.
Miss Walsh disclalmed any credit for the
inception Of the National Art Theatre
movement Of 1893, then called the National
liberal Theatre movement. Il was but
the puppet OF ADLER minds, said she, when
the National Liberal Theatre idea was
put forward That idea was put forth
by three men, humanitarians, whose motto
Is: TO work for self is to work for failure,
and who do not wish to be known. or
would tell their names. l was merely
asked to mother their idea and conse nted.
We must first reform ourselves II this
National Art Theatre idea Is to succeed
conquer tho common Unsuitable desire to
shine as the one particular star. The star
system is vicious and pernicious, and We
shall not have the high-class play for which
We are all looking so long as 1t continues. =.
Our task lies wholly In the direction of
lessened personality, and If we will oon-
sent to this predict that in less than foe
years We shall have national art theatre
In America"
Miss Walsh had one supporter in her
position. Mrs. Sol Smith said: II We
could all fell that We could bury ourselves,
and would, for the general good. this great
work would be accomplished.
eumi nsa s9sAo of personality. Ms Walsh
was asked from the audience il she thought
that the stars would consent to set, and she
would only reply that she hoped 80. We
must be willing to play for art and art
tion to whether players names are on the
programme
The only man playwright who went upon
the stage to talk spoke OF the vague, un-
defined something which we call an audi
ence," and fell back for support upon the
for dramatists or actors that was wanted
but kindergarten for audiences.
He wanted the national art theatre
90 that the vague, underlined somethtn -
need not 60 to the same theatre for high
go the Katsenj TANNER Brother. suocsed
BY the Dachshund Brothers, not because
the brothers were not all right, but be-
cause O hardware shop was not tho piAco
to hunt for nighteown.
Mrs Sydney Rosenfeld the wife Of the
playwright, who presided. said that there
was no dearth Of dramatic material among
us, II we would only encourage home In
dustrief Mrs. Rosenfeld cited our pro-
for unprotected art, and yearned for q
National Art Theatre As q market place
where native managers could come and
see what the country h:a produced at a
lees cost than they could search Europe
for importations.
ganda and wishes the watering places
stirred up in behalf Of the movement. but
no woman OF the membership is to be per-
mitted to make a speech at any Of these
summer resort demonstrations for fear
The speakers must be outsiders authorized
by the regular society; that is to say. the
mems body.