The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-02
OUR LATEST FREE THEATRE.
H. rs OF THE PROGRESSIIE
STAGE SOCIETY,".
Mrs, Richard HOyey Expects II To Fro.
duce It's First Play In So,cnbrr-The
idea a Success In BerliT-TO Give
Plays Ordinary Managers Couldn't


Plays Ordinary Managers Couldn't.
'We haven't any intention of trying to
elevate the stage said Mrs. Richard
Hovey.
Mrs. Hovey Is carrying the artistic end
OF the New Progressive Stage Society,
which proposes to produce number OF
advanced plays in New York this winter.
AS she talked she sat surrounded by plays
end rumors Of plays
"We realize the fact that the stage is
alwaye just as elevated as the public will
allow il to be" she went on. Theatres
are run, like everything else, to make money,
and managers who have large amounts of
capital invested cannot afford 10 expert
ment with the popular taste They must
put on what they are reasonably sure the
general public will support
mo one dares to experiment unless it
u some very great star who can produce
a play with very expensive accessories.
This makes the price high.
Now, our idea is to get together enough
people in the Progressive Stage Society
who are interested in advanced plays,
the problem plays, the plays which would
be too experimental for the managers,
to enable us to produce these plays. The
element Of profit will be eliminated. We
shall only have to pay expenses.
One Of, our plays can be produced for
one performance for $500. This necessi-
tates 900 members who will pay 80 Ger to
for each performance.
we have now between 200 and 300 mem
bers This. you'may say, without an ef-
fort. as our first meeting was held in the
middle of summer, and New YORK. has
not fairly settled yet to its winter work
By the middle of November We expect
to have 900 members and to produce our
first play.
This play is already under rehearsal
IT is the second part Of Bjornson's Beyond
Human Power The first part was played
here by Mrs. Patrick Campbell. That had
a phase OF Christian Science. or mind cure,
for It's motive. A man tried to cure his
wife by mental hea'i-g ard she dropped
dead at the climax.
in the second part, a portion Of the
same characters turn from mysticism to
economics for a solution Of the sociological
problems they see surrounding them.
There Is a strike in it, and the ethics of the
strike are presented. There il opportunity
for great dramatic action in il.
1T has been translated especially for us
by Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford. 1t has
never before been translated into English,
and OF course has not appeared on the Eng
lish speaking stage.
1T was tirs played br the Freia Noks-
buehne. the Free Peoples heatre of Berlin.
the society upon which ours ia modelled.
The police tried 10 stop it. but since then
II has been played 400 times by the Freie
Volksbuohno and lost winter it WAS put on
bv one of the regular convent ioral thea
tres OF Berlin.
THAT is the trend which the Free Peoples
Theatre has had in Berlin. II has POPULAR
lied the advanced plays until tho regular
theatres felt that the1 would not LOSE money
by putting them on. | think We may rea-
sonably hope that the Progressive Stage
Society will do the same here.
"A friend of mine told me of attending
the Free Peoples Theatre on recent Sun
day, afternoon in Berlin. He, said the
setting and costumes We're nothing worth
mentioning, but that the acting was splendid,
and he never enjoyed "A play better
Now we are quite Used in New York to
seeing handsome scenery and good clothes
on the stage. We shall not for a moment
In that respect But the acting will be
good enough to satisfy intelligent and
critical people.
Perhaps this would not be possible in
any other city in America. But in New
York, every year there is a considerable
number OF unemployed actors, who for one
reason or another have not made engage
ments. Among them are many who are
just as good as many who are booked.
There are many others who are studying
for the stage, and would welcome this OPP
portunity for experience. All these people
are interested In this movement, 30 much
so that they are willing to play for us for
money when we have it and without it
when we haven't II.
we shall not start with any great stars in |