Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-10
CHlLDREN's THEATER
PROMISES HAPPY HOURS

N intellectual and general advance
uA ment of the children of this
country are doing all that is possible
to establish a theater for children
here in Los Angeles. This idea has
been tried in some continental cities
with great success In New York IS
now in the experimental stage, and
the New York Tribune writes as fol-
lows about the children's theater IN
Paris: H.
"Opinions may be divided as to the
wisdom Of having children take part
in plays, but only the sternest puritan
doubts that it is good for child to
see - pretty, innocent play or papto-
mime. The trouble in most cities Is
that there are so few plays to when
children can be taken, or which they
would enjoy. 1t isn't every day that
a peter Pam is put on the boards.
Lucky, therefore, are the children
of Paris, for whose special beneht
theater has been constructed. Here
twice a week. on the French school
holidays, are given matinees for the
benefit of the boys and girls. Some
times there are plays-fairy plays,
short comedies, anything that Will ap-
peal to children. Then there are songs,
monologues shadow pictures and the
omnipresent cinematographs. Clowns
and trained animals and magiclans
are to be seen there, too.
1.-THE idea is a new one, and the
theater is an experiment as yet, but II
seems to work well. Every peri u M
ance sees the 800 seats or so of the
theater Illled, every one with a de-
lighted audience of youngsters and
their chaperons. The grown-ups who
accompany the children appear to en-
joy the thing as much as their charges
do. and really it is pretty sight; and
the prettiest part of it, perhaps, is the
audience.
1.-THE theater is owned and managed
by the publishers of a large magazine
for women. By an ingenious use OF
space, it is situated in the publishing
house of the magazine, and that with
out sacrificing a single lighted room.
The parquet floor is underground and
the gallery on the street level. Private
dramatic clubs are constantly rentlnS
the theater on the days when 1t is not
used for the children's matinees, which,
of course, helps to make it a paying
investment Never was there pay
house with an atmosphere so gay, 50
free and happy as this theater is on
two afternoons a week The walls,
prettily decorated in soft gray and
dull gold, ring with bursts of childish
laughter. Now an excited boy jumps
from his seat as the magician changes
MS HdnukeICIliGl llllO d NillNN AeAbNAN'
Now his little sister gives soft shrieks
of delight to see that the magician's
hat has mysteriously turned into
little pig. Or perhaps the story Of
Aladdin is dramatically told by
clever reciter, while the incidents are
pictured by means of the magic Ian
terms and animated shadows behind a
screen.
Occasionally in the afternoon comes
a recess of ten minutes, during which
the children walk about to stretch
their limbs or gather in gay groups TO
talk about the wonders they nave
seen. Trim maids in black gowns trip
up and down the aisleS with baskets OF
cake and candy to sell, and the chill
dren MUNICH and chatter, While bealnd
the curtain the stage hands dart to
and fro, rearranging the scene for
another little play. This time perhaps
it is what the French call CON
cours," a kind of guessing contest. A
little play is put on, in which the chlet
character is a sick child. The doctor,
after much puzzling, confesses that
he does not know what medicine TO
give the patient. He asks the audience
to help him with suggestions AMI
writes on a piece of paper each one
that is offered. Then he asks the chill
dren TO guess which of the remedies
will cure the invalid. The answers,
written down by the guessers, are
gathered up and placed in hat, and
the doctor draws them out one by
one. announcing that the last one
will be the proper remedy. A chocolate
bonbon is the last guess, and the chill
dren who have declared for that giggle
happily when the doctor tells them
that all who guessed chocolate Don
bon" will receive a surprise on the
morrow Sure enough, on the morrow
a box of candy. or perhaps book, is
sent to the address of each fortunate
guesser-name and address having been
r,r,.ittn,n HIrith each PueSS hV reNueSt."