The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-24
Nancy Drown
Za1ayekke.
The Star System
Manager of a New York
Theater Declares 1t to Be
One of the Greatest Evils
AffliCting the American
Stage.

In recent interview with one of the
dramatic critics of New York. Walter
N. Lawrence. one of the younger man
ayers of the metropolis. arraigns the
star system as one of the greatest
evils the American stage of today has
to contend with. Mr.. Lawrence speaks
with some authority, albeit he is, COM
paratively speaking. raw recruit in
the managerial ranks. for by taking
an opposite tack in his management of
the Madison Square Theater. he has
shown the faith that is in him. and
has proved that the public is quite will
ing to patronize productions evenly bal
anced IN all essentials. and, all other
things being equal, will ungrudgingly
dispense with the presence of a -"star-"
Mr.. Lawrence declares that the ouly
thing the average manager now thinks
and cares about in judging a play is
whether or not it will fit this or that
especial star under his management if
il does. it will get some consideration;
if not, then away with it, Owing to
this fact. he says. the best of modern
plays remain Enacted. and he has taken
advantage OF this circumstance to make
up the repertory at his theater.
Coed Plays Sighted.
In conversation with one of the lead
ing New York critics Mr.: Lawrence re-
Gently said:
with the managers now controlling
the American stage, il is the star or
nothing. Plays, irrespective OF their
quality, are rejected should the leading
roles be untitled to their pet stars
/ have known some OF the most prom
intent actresses in the country to fling
back plays at managers because the
parts in view for them would not give
them the center of the stage in every
act. There are many good plays being
written, but the public never hears of
them The value of the play itself is no
longer of ruling Importance
Even the dramatists are the servants
Or the stars To see that one has only
10 follow from day TO day the announce
ments of the promoters Take the two
most important openings OF the last cou-
pie of weeks. What was said of them
IN the advance notices? Clyde Fitch
has written a play for Maxine Elliott
and Augustin Thomas has written a
play for John Drew Now, I am not
passing judgment on either De Lancey'
or Her Great Match 1 am simply
using two prominent playsmiths to IL
lu5trate the point at issue"
Another Evil.
II is not the star mania alone tina;
Mr.. Lawrence holds responsible for the
ills that aff1ict the modern stage. An
other. according to his Judgment. is the
utter disregard of nearly all managers
for unknown playwrights no matter how
creditabie the work OF the latter may
be. He declares IL TO be next TO ,m,
possible for such even 20 get a patient
hearing.
In spite of the continual protestation,
OF American managers that they are
eager TO produce the works OF Amer.
lean authors. they are thus shown to b.
entirely indifferent to the merits o.
those that have not the stamp OF
name already become famous. One ma,
well ask what would have become O
all the great poets and playvrights o.
England. Germany. and France. IL sucl
a rule had been rigidly applied to- them
True. they. too, had TO SUITE
chicanery. and the antagonism OF fav
oritisrn. but objection to them wa
not, In the majority of cases, base'
upon the fact that their fame had 10
yet been trumpeted forth Besides. soc
fal and commercial conditions are s
entirely different in the United State
from those then obtaining that ther
is no excuse for the American manage
when he cond smns the work OF a
American playwright TO obscurfty sim
ply because its author is still struggling
and has not yet achieved recognition.
The stand taken by Mr.. Lawrenc
should meet with the fullest epproba
ton at the hands of the public, in OIL
der that other managers may not he's
tate to follow in his footsteps.