The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12

accepted a play from me. and she, alas. has
never produced 1t. GOne'week In st. Louis,
several years ago. the celebrated English
beauty was bored to death and happened to
remark to me one night that h hkedt9read
new plays. J. OF course. mentioned that
had eight OF them / would be. pleased to
submit. The Jersey Lily graoiously prom
ised to read every one Of them, but the next
day. seeing things differently in the morning
light. sent her only two. She atteryard
told me she read one OF them before arising
| that morning and that it made her laugh. II
was a comedy intended to make people laugh,
but il was such q novelty for her to discover
| aplay at which she could laugh that she pur-
chased it on the spot. The matter was set
tied that afternoon and ] sold her the play
outright. That was three years age but
the play has not yet been produced. When
/ saw her last winter, she said;
You know, your play made me laugh,
but l haven't yet been able to getfa man
ager who thinks il Is funny. Naturally
none OF them will produce it simply be-
cause l say it's funny, and 30 have the
play on my hands yet. really. wish l
could sell il TO some one else, and then IL
might get produced ,
AFTER one has unsuccessfully endeavored
TO convince people that ones plays are
good there comes a time when the argu-
ments Of the Professional Play Producers
become invincible. The Professional Play
Producer is usually an inexperienced gem
IleDlHu WHO NdH IOTIlcTly a bJ1kc mlhlldROI
and is now convinced that he can instantly
detect the faults OF all new plays. He is
the individual for whom a manager sends
when he thinks a play isof doubtful quality
and needs to be whipped into shape
When such an individual is ~intrusted with
the manuscript and told that he will have
the supervision OF the production he be-
gins TO make queer marks in pencil on the
manuscript and suggests various altera-
tions. II the author Is helpless and Is un-
known these alterations are very likely
TO be made by the Professional Play Pro-
Queer. Before doing 30, however, the
p. p. p. will try TO convince the manage
that he has a play Of his own which is In
fnitely superior TO the new play Of the
unknown playwright and that his own
play ought to be produced instead Of tho
untried effort Of an amateur.
we will suppose however. that the
manager really intends to produce an
amateurs play He therefore directs the
P. p. ?. to prepare the manuscript OF the
script ~viciously. and when he finishes
with the alterations the play has been COM
pletely transformed. Then the play goes
Into rehearsal, more changes are made.
and when the opening night comes the
of the mutilated play. with his own name
In very small type on the programme n
the words Produced Under the Stage Dr.
reotion Of p. p. p in large capital letters.
An unknown playwright wishing 70 get
his plays produced must surrender a half
interest to the p. p. p. II he wishes 10 have
that individual make IA favorable report
70 a mana ger or star j have had n Of
theae gentlemen, for instance, tell me that
n certain play had a splendid idea, though
II was crudely written and ought to be
worked over by some one familiar with
stage requirements. l quite agree that
many new plays should be worked over
in this way by an experienced stage man,
aRer, but In this particular case l resented
the advice. People. who have never been
behind the scenes OF a theatre need advice
and assistance, but those to whom the
mechanism OF the stage is familiar should
not intrust their plays to a p. PIP.
But perhaps some amateur playwrghts
would Ike a little information as 10 the best
mode Of procedure 70 get play produced.
II your play IL In readable form, typewriter
in three or four acts, with only one scene TO
zach act, and Is not written In blank verse.
the task OF having II read Is nmpllhed. Most
managers have play readers, men who are
employed 20 read rev manuscripts and
report upon their merits. But here again