New-York tribune., 1903-04-12
APPROVAL AT YALE.
Professor Phelps Sees in the Plan Remedy
for Some Evils.

| To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There is certainly every good reason why an
academy Of dramatic art should be founded and
maintained in the United States. 1 am not pessi-
misc regarding the present condition of the stage;
l believe many good plays being produced
in New-York and that better ones will be warmly
welcomed. Audiences good natured and pa
tent, but they do not desire silly vulgar theat
rcai productions they capable of approaching,
IL not comprehending the best that pIaywrghts
can make and artists act. But the apparent
necessity of judging the success of a play by the
box Office receipts makes managers exceedingly
wary and averse to experiments. Now 1t is only
by willingness to experiment that can hope
for a genuine improvement In the drama-a drama
that people will go hear, rather than to see.
Only through the elevation of the dalogue-sure1y
not through the scenery-can the drama Of the
twentieth century make actual progress.
Frequent changes of production necessary,
so that constant variety of the best plays in
Europe and America can be produced ard au-
dences have opportunity to judge and to dis
crminate A more critical audience is needed; and
a variety of really good plays with the intelligent
discussion that they are sure to arouse. would
greatly assist toward this desired end. Plays that
run for entire year at the same theatre are apt
to depend for their financial success on some
feature that makes the Judlclous grleVe ana the
constant activity of the press agent becomes
nauseatirg
stars and too little intelligent acting. Companies
should be drilled not with the exclusive idea Of
feeding individuals ambition and the managers
pocket, but with the purpose of eliminating weak
spots in the production and strengthening the
company a whole, that harmoniously artis-
performance may result. Training In express
sion in Interpretation and in Intelligent reading
OF the lines is absolutely necessary; the reading
of Shakespearian blank verse has come TO be al
most a lost art. Great genuseS are not essential,
but Intelligence and sound culture are. and actors
class just to be deficient in these
respects. An academy would go far toward rem
edying evils of this nature. Franklin Sargent has
accomplished a great deal in the right direction,
but a well endowed academy could make its work
really national Importance the benefits of which
would be felt for generations.
Professional dramatic criticism would also gain.
Theatrical critics class are rule. splen-
didly trained highly cultivated and q thoroughly
believe) absolutely honest; wish that they had
dramas worthy Of their powers Possibly, in
the elevation of general intelligence brought about
by endowed national theatre. we shall no longer
insist the absurd custom of compelling dra-
matte critic to write in forty minutes criticism
of play that has cost the author a year of labor
Criticism, after all. is not news" and there is
reason why 1t should not be delayed day or two
after the first nights performance. Who can feel
much confidence in the criticism of play like
'Cyrano.' when the critic writes the elevated
train that carries him from the theatre to the
newspaper Office. and at the same speed?
An academy will surely not be panacea for all
theatrical ills. but 1t will be a wholesome remedy
for of them. WILLIAM LYON PHELPS.
Yale University, April z, 1903.