Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-06
LeanderRich0rdS0n' Letter
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Special Correspondence.
NEW YORK, Feb 3.-What is the
IN country in general going to do for
| j stage entertainment next season?
This is a question that Is begin
ming to loom up with considerable mag
nitude at the present time, and unless
the wholly unexpected happens the size
and Importance OF II will keep on In
creasIng at an exceedingly rapid rate.
Last winter at this time New York
was manufacturing great deal OF ma
terlal for this seasons entertainment
OF the other cities. "Tke Prince of Pill
SEN, THE Wizard Of o." "The Sill
yer Slipper" "The Darling Of the
Gods" Pretty Peggy" 1.-THE Earl Of
Pawtucket" and quite numerous other
works were earning In New York a de-
gree OF fame sufficiently wide to insure
profitable careers elsewhere. This sea-
son thus far hasn't been productive Of
many great hits in the metropolis or
anywhere else. so that It begins 60
look as though managers and the pub
lie alike would have to rely mainly up
on the next autumn crop Of entertain
ments to fill the bill for the succeeding
winter. Said Charles Frohman the
other day In making a mental survey
OF the situatlon Managers have been
unusually unlucky this year in securing
good material IN the way Of plays. l
think II we had been as fortunate as
heretofore In this respect the season
wouldn't have turned out the cause Of
any special hardship TO the gentlemen
In my line Of business. Somehow or
other the supply Of meritorious plays
seems TO run out once In awhile. as In
the present instance, All We can do Is
TO keep on producing to the best Of our
judgment and ability and hope for a
fair average In the way Of results
Last week there were five or six new
plays offered IN New York while this
week there are none at Alleging 10
show how little effort Is made in the
first instance to avoid the splitting up
Of public interest through conflict and
In the second to provide fresh stage
matter when there is an opportunity to
concentrate upon II the undivided at
tentlon OF the entire community. IL Is
a feast or u famine. even In this enor-
nous city with It's great number of
playhouses. Next week we shall have
competition once again, with Wilton
Lackaye in THE Pit" at the Lyric,
Viola Allen in Twelfth Night at the
KnickerbOcker and one or two minor
attractions at other theaters. THE
Pit comes In with exceedingly strong
endorsements from the west and Man
agpr William A. Brady has conferred
interest In II here by plastering the city
with bills calling for the services of
800 men Of good appearance TO take
part In the wheat pit scene.
Sydney Rosenfelds Century theater
scheme is being pushed ahead with an
energy both characteristic of the man
and bordering upon recklessness, on
Sunday Mr. Rosenfeld made his formal
announcement, naming a company in
Guiding more than 40 persons, quite q
number OF whom are mcrltorlous actors
and actresses, II these players are paid
as we'll by their new manager as they
have been by others, the Century thea
ter viii have n salary list OF extremely
formidable proportions. Several pro-
ductions are announced to follow one
another I'm rapid succession including
Much Ado About Nothing" ours"
and "Othello,' sandwiched I'm with orig.
inal plays by American authors, the
general understanding being that no
work VIII be put on for an extended
run, Just how so costly company.
with the added expense OF frequent and
elaborate productions, can be supported
even by fun houses IN theater OF the
sayOys limitations, Il isn't easy 10 see
at this time. But II Mr.. Rosenfeld's
hackers continue IN the spirit OF liber-
alty that has characterized their first
plunge 20 the rescue Of our stage.
which they insist Is IN the final gasps
Of drownlng-the mere matter OF losing
money WIN cut no figure, ART Is the
real thing,
Mrs. Madgc Carr Cook who Is the
mother of Eleanor Robson, and who
has been playing the title rolo In
Mrs, Wigs OF the Cabbage Patch.
had q Saturday on when her supporting
company was going into Philadelphia,
and took advantage Of the opportunity
~ run over 10 New York and see
her daughters wholly charming
portrayal of Mr.. Zangwllrs heroine In
Merely Mary Ann nc the Garden
Theatcr Mrs Cook was already pur-
suing her own tour when Miss Rob.
sons season opened ana this was her
first chance 10 witness the entertain
ment After Mrs. Cook had left town.
Miss Robson, beamlng with wholly Jus
tiiiable pleasure, exclaimed Mother
has always been my seycrest critic ana
she has made me supremely happy BY
praislng my work In this instance"
Mrs Cooks own engagement in Phil
adelphh, by the way Is for three
weeks only and Is successful upon am
Unexpectedly largo scale AT present
70 Is not intended To bring "Mrs.
Wigs 90 New York until next fall.
AL L. UH L. ID