The St. Louis Republic., 1904-09-11

IEe aEtrSiS- actors and managers VIII do
! BE-. ' ' = WI - 'A'' o. '-' ''e 'H
Here are the opinions OF some we'll
known m tnasers in regard to the prcs-
! poets for this season:
ELECTION only . question of men
doe. not affect fheaters."-ChaRles
frohman-
1t Is never anything but a question Of
MATERIAL. 9..d Charie. Frohmsn. speak
!re Of Tho PROSPECTS, Of the opening the
a;ricsi ssas0n- 1t always has been that
ana always Will se- People eo TO the the
s'eE for every reason They stay away
for only one reason and that Is the nom
success of ths attraction offered them
People go 10 The theater when they feel
because ;hey want % and sometimes they
go when they ougttn't to: they go for q
whole variety Of causes and reasons. but
there Is only one thing that can keep them
away. and that Il because they do NOT
want the material offered them
What kind of material do 1 think they
want this season? The kind 1 have got
to Sive them
''As to the presidential contest. every
fo1r years the American public IS called
upon TO assemble together in places and
discuss national candidates and issues:
usually intense excitement marks these
9Ia.lre.nlai discussions and there Is sus-
psnse and apprehension concerning COM
mercLai institutions and business general
ly- This wear there "a neither excitement
nor apprehension There Is nothing 10
diScu.s-no great question TO thrash out
there Is feeling OF security on the part
OF the people as regards both parties
IT ! simply question OF which man
t.r-st- and concerns only the politicsans-
no; tAc pubic. so !: cannot and viii rot
Keep people away from tie theater. ane
therefore cannot in any way affect the
prospects OF the season.
Money Is safe-it will be safer II IT.
comes to the manager
NO national chIlIs after Wall
streets mHlaria-"-Marc klaw.
There is no reason to anticipate any
thing but a good season for lsa-lsO5. al
though the election excitement may mill
tested States" said Marc KIaw. Of KIaw
* Granger. Last season. In spite OF a
great deal OF croaking was not SO bad
- IL was painted. because business was
particularly prosperous in the West and
south. and the indications point TO a rep
etition OF this state of affairs the coming
year.
The country. theatrically speaking. IL
all right We are too apt 10 believe when
things go slightly wrong in New York that
everything has gone TO the 'demnition
bow-wows'
The whole country doe. not have chi!is
Then Wall street gets malaria
LAST s~n>on ba9. hut the coming
will he worsc."-DaVfd Be1RaCO.
Il should Ike TO appear as an optiin,st
N Speaking or the prospects for the COM
ing Theatrical season" said David Belas
co. but the conditions that confront u>
are unfortunately too clear and unmis-
taxable To- permit the belief that the the
atricsl situation In American Is anything
but altogether hopeless
Last season was bad. the coming sea
son will be worse. The depression Of the
drama - thus becoming more and more
marked with each successive year. until
the true art Of the stage will soon be a
dead and forgotten thing. This IS irevita-
be unless conditions change-not partial
j.. merely. but absolutely.
Let n. h. specific. The election will
mi no important figure IN the theatrical
situation Tor the coming season. but busi-
The general run. OF plays for which
heatreSoers throughout The country are
'sked To pay $ per seat is growing steadi-
y poorer while tre public Itself il beccr-
ng as steadily wiser and more diScrimi-
latin=- The trouble Is that certain Of our
aIg-St producers depend too much on
london and Paris have turned out scarce
5 anything but failures FOR the last three
ears These failures have then been
tagged in New York with results even
more disastrous because the American
.ublic has tired OF foreign atmosphere and
ointment. They have then been sent on
he road. and the public has had TO ac-
spt them for want OF something better.
The London failures OF TWO years ago
we're New York failures last wear: yet
heSs are plays that must Ill the stages
throughout the country this season. Last
ear IN London was even worse than any
hat had preceded II: Yet. although there
be English plays produced. practically ev-
~ one of these Mays has been bought
y for the American market. and will be
Hered on the New York stages during the
oIling fall and winter They. will. Of
curse. fall for want Of a sympathetic
ublic. Yet. they will be carried along.
nd later sent on tour.
1t is a pathetic situation in which
here Is perhaps zleam of hope from the
act that the public is TO longer willing
D be forced. and that. because of the in
.rior quality OF plays and productions. IL
J now staying away from the theater,
hereas few years ago all were theafer
lad."