Arizona republican., 1907-06-29
HOW TO WRITE A PLAY. I.

The average business man surveys ey. Yet the ubiquitous playwright is cften absolutely ignorant of theatri- cal conditions, writes George Middle ton in the Reader for July. What, then, are these conditions? And what should the unproduced playwright do to avoid unnecessary friction? In the first place the manager is a business man; he is looking for the play that will make money. Whether this is art or not is from the point. Facts, not criticisms. illuminate conditions. The manager generally takes all the risks in producing a play; he pays for the scenery. the advertising. the travelling expenses, the theaterS and the salar- ies. The playwright does not invest money: he only contributes the play. So, it is natural the manager should seek an adequate financial return Should the author succeed in placing a play with the manager. he. too. will generally. share in the profits. Conse- quently. the beginner must bear this commercial aspect in mind, for if he wants to interest a manager his play
 
 success. A play from an unknown pen. requiring a lavish outlay, will seldom be considered. since the manager can not afford to risk of so great a failure A simple play with simple settings. without costumes. will appeal more strongly for it must be emphasized that a manager invests his money in a play before he knows anything about its prospects. No one can tell what they are till an audience sees it acted And 1t is this final test, rather than the mere outlay of money. that is most to be considered: for the audience is the real autocrat that makes or breaks. As a result. the manager strives to discover what the average theater- goer wants. and fro..l experience, the producer has made several deductions which though subject to countless ex- captions. have become settled convic- tions. It Is these convictions the be- ginner must consider. for. while the audience might ultimately sustain him if he violates them he will not get to an audience unless the manager first believes in his play.
 Though one story may be pleasing
 
 thetic one. a play that is badly con- strueted has naturally little to recom- mend it to a manager. Again there are exceptions. but 1t is wise for the unknown dramatist to build well. We must assume some technical knowledge or playwriting is hopeless at the start If one is lacking in the scenic sense that is. in the ability to put a scene together so that an audience will see its cardinal points-or if one has no intuitive feeling for what is "of the theater" he is no more prepared to write play. let alone sell it. than an architect is tO build a house without plans. If he has this knowledge. real izing that play Is a struggle. he will unfold his story clearly through a ser ies of cumulative scenes. properly cli- maxed. and containing the scene a fare the scene in which the inevitable and final explanation must occur. Each scene of a play must be a loss if omitted. All sub-plots should contri- bute to the main plot and it's denoue- ment.
 Of course too conscious loyalty to technic often kills ease and spontane- ity: episode and color relieve the ri- gidity of the scheme, provided they are not too important in themselves. It is here also that dialogue plays its important part; for if free. and imme- diately appealing. it gives grace and naturalness to the we'll planned play. Then. too. the dialogue should be in character. should advance the story, and. above all, should be interesting