New-York tribune., 1907-09-20
NO NEW THEATRE HEAD
None of the SeceraI Candidates for
Director Yet Selected.

| The founders of the New Theatre it was learned
yesterday. had not chosen any man as director OF
general administrator Of the institution. which Will
be opened time in the fall of 1859 for the pro-
duction OF serious drama and operas too light TO
show to their best advantage in great opera
! house
This will : a surprise to those who nave
long thought that Heinrich Conried director Of the
Metropolitan Opera House and former director OF
the German theatre in 9rving Place, TO have
the artistic and technical direction of the enterprise
It is not certain that Mr.. Conried will not be APP
pointed director but developments of the last year
together with the condition of his health make his
appointment entirely improbable. There is no hint
as to who Will ultimately be appointed, although
there numerous candidates. and several of the
founders are believed to favor various rival man
ayers for the place
The discussion plans for A national theatre
has gone on in New York for years Many wealthy
men and many managers have expressed the opln-
ion from time to time that endowed theatre
would furnish the only solution for many OF the
problems of the stage. and Mr.. Conried was always
prominent among those who took part in the dis
cussion- On April 49, 1903. at dinner given ir his
honor by the American Dramatists' Association
Mr.. Conried gave voice to almost the first prac-
tical ideas such a theatre, and all those at the
dinner enrolled in a society to work for the
esta Enlistment of a national art theatre
Mr. Conreds plans then were for theatre 10
start with thirty-siX hundred subscribers ana 10
present ten plays IN the first season lie sald
AZ teI 0nneF ttlal ne accepted me W
the Metropolitan Opera House only as means
to end. and that his real ambition was ana
always had been he the director of an endowed
theatre. The dictatorship of the opera. he SAID
only a step in the direction OF a retllE Nd
tional theatre.
For a time after that dinner matters languished
Mr.. Conried continued to make money at 3Sth street
and Broadway and the American dramatlstS 10
write plays that were produced in ordinary play
houses. But November. 1905, II became ooVl-
that work had been going on, for the 'oiie'-
tion Of a considerable amount of money. the pur-
chase O a block of property in Central Park west
from 62d street to 62d street and the arrange
ment of many details for the New Theatre were
announced.
Thirty founders were named. each having bought
in perpetuty a box at cost of $4,000. Seats III
parts OF the theatre also to he sold out
right. il announced that the theatre would
he roadv for the opening in the fail OF 1875. II
turns out however. that the first performance can
well he given for at least "a year after that
time. Among the founders of the new theatre are
Charles T. Barney. otto II. Kahn. Clarence Mac
kay Henry Morcenthau. James Speyer, Daniel Gug-
cenheirn. John Jacob Astor James Hazen Hyde,
George J. Gould Paul u. Cravath. Henry Rogers
winthrop, Eliot Gregory. James Stillman, August
belmont Edmund L. Baylics. William X Wander
! 1T Cornelius Vanderbilt Harry Payne Whitney
William 3 Osgood Field and Robert Il. Van Cort-
landt. The late James Henry Smith was also in
cluded I'm the list of founders.
There is doubt that Mr.. Conried was consulted
when the plans for the New Theatre were being
discussed and he also had something 10 do with
the acceptance Of the plans OF Carrere & Hast
iuCs for the construction. Consequently there was
little surprise and incredulity when New York
newspaper announced that lie was 10 De tie dlIec-
tor OF the enterprise.
It is Impossible this time TO say whether there
has been a change in the minds Of the founders. !
II may may not have been their intention TO ap-
point Mr. Conricd But II is certain that the ap- |
polntment has not formally been made and Il IS |
regarded az unlikely that 1t viii be made.