The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-09
now BIG CITIES TAKE PLAYS.
NEW IORK'S FIRST NIGHT VER-
DICT 4 FINALITY.

nerIIn IL serious; Paris IrrPsPOnsIbIe.
london CuIIiV al ed, Chicago FAddlsh
~--ChannIng POIIOck's Talk 10 Play.
virgins The Criminal Hero Evil
An open meeting Of the Playwrights'
League was held last night in the Berkeley
Lyceum. Il was described a. the first
meeting OF play writer's in America to
which women had been admitted. About
sin women took advantage of the privilege.
A few minutes after 0 O'Clock Edwin
HOPKINS, president Of the league, and him
aeif u writer Of m~elodrama, mounted he
STAGE. He explained TO the visitors that
the league aimed 10 he "A help to its members
by mutual discussion and criticism Of one
another's ideas and manuscripts and TO
become recognized in time by managers,
and so bring TO public notice meritorious
plays because they were meritorious and
not because the author was a prize fighter
or had in some other way gained notoristy.
The purpose was, in short, to bring budding
genius into flower.
Mr.. Hopkins said further hat the league
hoped to have the present copyright laws
revised in a way to give more protection
to play writers. He urged all in the audi
enoe who knew men in Congress to write
letters to them urging that they take notice
Of the copyright revision bill when il came up
A member of the league then sounded
a warning note from the rear Of the house.
saying that he understood that there were
great lobbying interests in Washington
opposed TO this bill. and that these lobby
lists We're backed by the publishers and
photograph makers.
Ernest >. JarOs, a member OF the eXecu-
tive committee, explained some OF the
practical workings of the league. The
most practical of these workings, he
seemed 10 think was the creation OF u
composite play by the league. At a pre-
vious meeting the rough draft Of this child
OF Joint genius had been drawn; it was
20 deal with graft. the hero was to be IA
man, not a woman. several other de-
tails, MIR. Jaros said, had been decided
upon and the work would be carried to
completion at subsequent meetings of the
playwrights.
President Hopkins then introduced Cham
ming Pollock, who talked On the reception
OF plays in different cities. Mr.. Pollock said:
@In Germany the serious play fiouTishes.
i don't know whether this il altogether be-
cause the Germans think or because Of some
other of their national characteristics s; in
fact, ! have thought of preparing a paper on
'The Influence Of Beer on the Drama
Elm Raris the author il free. He can
have his heroine do other things besides
get married. The drama in Paris is UNI
tramelled by morals Ths En- < lish audi
encs il perhaps the most sch olarly and
refined OF any nation. Good pla ys and good
acting are appreciated there
Turning To the cities of America the
speaker said:
Chicago, recently benighted, now
Struggling with some light, seeks after
q fad. There IL an intense passion TO seem
Intellectual in that city and the people will
flock to see any intellectual stunt.
- New York is unique in its first right
audiences. These are made mp Of book
makers, wine merchants, the family and
personal friends OF the manager and news
paper men. The verdict of a first night
audience is absolutely final with New York
playgoers. II is impossible TO ~foretell
the verdict of this all influential body.
You can never tell how a play il going till
il has gone. II the first nighters say the
play is good then its success is assured;
II they say the play il bad there are positive
riots to keep away from the theatre in
which 10 il playing.
sThere is an element in American audi
noes, largely seen in the cheaper theatres.
that Is positively criminal. 1t Is com-
posed OF that class, typihed in a person now
so dramatically prominent in politics, \
who have a hatred for all the things that
are. This is the element that misses when
ever a polioeman's uniform In seen, who
tolerate as hero no one but a convict, or on
rare occasions a gambler.
There is one class of t~heatregoers who, |
II il is possible, will save the American
drama. That is the newspaper men-the
dramatic critics. These men are 80 con-
stitUted by nature that they cannot he
Ratisd ed with what IL presente to them.
They are constantly clamoring for some
thing bett er, and In this oiamor there IL
the brighte ut hope for The American drama. y