The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-29
The Dull Season.
What Is the Future Going to
Be? Why the American
DTamatist Should Be En-
Couraged.

ped out of view so suddenly and so
effectively. has been the worst, all
things considered, that New York has
ever known.
While other sections Of the country have
not suffered quite so badly as New York,
which positively refused to accept a
thing that was not startlingly novel,
nevertheless the season has been bad
everywhere, compared with the phe-
nomenal ones of the past three or four
years.
The wiseacres advance all sorts Of
reasons for the phenomenon. usually
falling back on the Iroquois Theater fire
as the one definite thing on which to pin
an opinion. But in so doing. they for
get that the Iroquois did not burn until
the season had pretty thoroughly mani
Tested its pessimism. The FIRE helped
10 make things worse, but il by no
means started the ruination Of specula-
tive managers.
The Boom.
No. one must dig deeper than that.
and perhaps little analogy drawn
from conditions that have sometimes
prevailed in the West may help.
Out there they have curious con-
dition known a boom. Somebody
builds a house on the omen prairie
Somebody else builds another. Rail-
road surveyors poke pegs into the
ground, and forthwith in some unac-
countable fashion a fever seizes the
section
People drop In from all points Of the
compass like mosquitoes driven before
high wind They grab everything in
sight. Other folks come and nav
enormous prices FOR what the day be-
fore was practically worthless. The
boom is on. A metropolis is develop
Ing. Millionaires are as thick as apple
blossoms on an or year
When the Test Comes.
But one definite thing is bound to han
pen sooner or later. The bottom Is
sure to drop out of the boom, and then
comes the real test Of the actual value
Of the town. II there IS some reason
for its being. the depression is lived
through. and a substantial growth Is
started. slow as death itself conpared
with the inflated conditions Of the boom
but solid and substantial and trust
worthy
II, on the other hand. the town has
been merely built on wind and a vivid
imagination. the depression becomes
chronic The metropolis fades into
nothingness. until all that is left Of
fond hopes are the sad memories OF
those who have gone broke.
In the theatrical World
During the last few years the expau-
sion OF theatrical business has been e1
traordinary- The boom was on. New
theatsrs seemed 70 be built almost over
night. and SIN there was not room
enough IN many places TO accommodate
a thezter-mad public. Scarcely a city
Of any size IN the whole country that
old not boast Of a new theateT. while
Important theatrical centers like New
YORK Chicago. and Boston. got so many
that folks did net know where half OF
them were
Being a theatrical manager seemed
almost too good 70 be true. Any old
thing IN the way OF a show went. and
the result was that every old thing got
on the road that the rapacity Of the
man after the dollars could think OF.
The Natural Result.
In view Of these extraordinary condi-
tions. We regard the experience OF the
past season as both inevitable and gen
timely valuable to the theater. It has
brought matters down 20 a normal lev
81. and II has also cleaned out OF the
rubbish which sooner or later the pub
lie was bound 70 get Next fan viii
see fresh slate all around. though
whether the lesson from the futures of
the past season has been thoroughly
conned Is another question.
Nhat does the American public want ?
All. II we could but answer that. some
body else would be pounding this tvne-
writer. while we calloused our fingers
clipping coupons.
novelty and American Plays.
One thing we are fairly certain of
II wants novelties. and IT also wants
Them OF home manufacture Managers
as rule do not believe this. They
would rather chance a foreign failure
than back their own judgment with an
nntried American play that looks good
They viii tell you that this is not 40.
tnat there are no American plavs tina.
look good except those OF CLYDE Fitct,
Augustus Thomas. and two or tbree
others; but the facts speak plainly. The
American dramatist may need a LITTLE
nurturing. but he IS there in embryo
all the same
1t Is not natural for Americans N
hke Englisn plays, any more than Il Is
natural FOR Engishmen TO like French
plays, or for Frenchmen 20 like German
plays. The theater is most en4ovabie
when It reflects conditions with which
each person in the audience f. thor
oughly familiar. Witness the success NJ
The popular melodrama as proof.
The American Dramatist.
Therefore. the American play tz I'M
auestionably the play for Americans.
only Il must be just as good an Amer.
lean play as an English play IS English
or French play is French. Not even the
native product can win out on a lower
standard than the foreign product.
The chief handicap Of the American
dramatist at present Is his total lack Of
opportunity to learn LIS trade He looks
In vain for encouragement anywhere
or from anybody. He finds his ability
deprecated. even his right to exist de-
MED. Is there any wonder that Amer
ican dramatists are scarcer than hens
teeth7 Wouldn't cotton cloth be mighty
scarce II no one was taught how 10
make it2
Meeting Mark Twain.