The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-04-24
THOMAS E. SHEA DISCUSSES
PLAYS, ACTORS AND. ACTING

Thomas e. Shea, who is one of the
most noted Shakespearian students
this country has produced and &C.
knoWledged to be one of the greatest
actors on the American stage. is a
most delightful gentleman to meet, and
last evening after his performance OF
The. Counsel for the Defense he
made himself comfortable in his little
dressing room back of the Grand stage
and talked entertainingly of many
things. pertaining to the stage.
THE best dramatic training for the
young actor is the modern DRAMA" he
said. Even Shakespeare should be
read in the modern way. The sense of
his lines and not the tones are what
should be sent over the footlights, In
spite of the really great actors who
maintain otherwise all ld-fashioned
methods are bad, very bad. I am q
strong supporter of the modern as
against the old-fashioned methods as
applied to dramatic art.
This does not mean that think the
new plays are in any way the equal
of the old. There is no author of the
present day who: can write play that
deals with mans conscience that will
equal Othello. The new plays are very
pat, very artistic, very human-some
OF them-but they are not great in the
sense that the old plays are great We
want the new things but the old things
are great enough to outlive them. You
will find this out. The test of a plays
greatness is it's length of life"
Mr.. Shea, who was born in Cam
bridge, Mass, and knows Boston as
most men know favorite book, i'm
presses the casual visitor to his dress
ing room as man of rare mental
qualities, high ideals in all departments
of human life. But he is especially
fond of the plays that deal with the
psychic, intangible things of life. His
standard of art is truth: Because he
is Of that make he is fond of PLAYING
The Bells" and "Othello,' and "Dr.
Jekyll and Mr.. HYDE" Because of the
same reason he has always refused to
play "shylock." ...
Going back to the subject Of the
young actor, Mr.. Shea said:
Most young actors lack imagina-
ton. This is because they lack knowl-
edge of the world and of the other
arts. The study Of any department of
life and learning will quicken the i'm
agination and without highly de-
veloped imagination no actor can hope
to become great. It is the soul of
acting. .. "a
THE greatest actor on the American
stage today is Henry Miller. He in
great because. he never loses sight of
the very highest ideals of dramatic art.
He is ever working along lines of ar
tistic progress; is always spreading out
along new lines. He is the pioneer of
the American stage. Always ready to
put on new play if it has artistic
merit, he never allows commercialism
to dim his faith. He is the only man
ager in the country who would put
on "The Servant in the House. H..
Another great actor is Otis Skinner.
He has worked hard and seriously and
has true conception of his art. His
plays have not always been good PLAYS.
have not always shown progress, but
Z this is, perhaps, not his fault.
Sothern is also another great actor:
man of the highest ideals and stand
ards and an artist in every way. He
has done much for the American
STAGE
Mr.. Shea talked delightfully."- of many
things; of old Boston and of new Bos-
ton; Of the London stage of Shake
speare's day and of the present day:
Of the classical drama Of present dav
actors The little clock on the dress
ing room table pointed past midnight
When the visitor took his leave of the
delightful gentleman who talked
Shakespeare and the Greek drama and
modern actors while the stage door
keeper walked up and down outside
and wondered if he would catch the
next owl car.