New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-19
THE PLAYG0ER
Some Managers, Morals, and 4rt.

ia, sssson would be less salacious than it's prede-
- F9,t the revival is announced of one of the
-, ,,,Irar and immoral plays OF the last wear
~ ~ the worst in those respects OF many years
,for production. with strangely twisted view
= morals n il has any view at ALL has already
-, snatched from the compost heap of last sea-
-, and with fair prospect OF "a rum There il
--rrance that these VIII complete the list There
~ . Indication that sundry persons who present
= attractions of the stage have known a change
hoort II is Vet TOO early in the theatrical wear
= know whether there is a diminution in the num-
-, of those managers who not ashamed TO
.er 10 the tastes of that considerable portion OF
-. ,,r,,ation local and floating, which enriches
-, nlaces Of questionable resort and realizes its
t.bsst CONCEPTIONS OF life in the Gay White Way
o., I. is clear that some managers are ready
.s,nnlv whatever VIII bring them profit as are the
-revors OF pornosraphic prints, the owners OF
t1;,- houses and the despised proprietors OF
,,sos az another sort. There is patronage enough
- e.rnrort all these. OF course, but there Is this
s,e.rence between the owners OF forbidden haunts
80 same Of the theatre managers-they do not pre-
.1 that prosperous business means that they have
..IJc support" that popular opinion" is their
10 they do not conduct their industries with any
rrattle about art
elfrespect proper pride in some quarters OF the
theatrical world. n judgment may be formed on
,o5incss with which some theatre directors en-
vlov their energies TO publicly depict the seamy
side az their own trade. Plays are numerous
,orz1l in which Of the stage. from stars 10
snow girls. arc represented courtesans. There
,,sed 10 be some saving grace of good womanhood
Introduced into these porraitures OF theatrical life
So, now that this concession 10 truth is barred. and
ar stage folk have 10 be shown. on the stage,
Immoral or immoral the managers consenting
n be depicted as panders, ana angels as suosidZ-
and promoters of ndeoency, il seems fair 10 in
ire ,,betber the providers Of such entertainment
have any lingering sense Of shame
since these folk so ready 20 blacSen their
-, calling by providing such pictures OF il. what
justification have they for wrath when chToniclers
- stage doings admonsh them for their low pur
,tS tbeir low estimates OF the public taste and
FOR fouling their own nests?
No censor. no preacher writer stage az
ssirs has done or ever can do. hundredth part
as much 10 lessen public respect for the theatre as
xor1e prosperous directors OF the theatrical world
have done and seem stIll bent doing. II was
had enough when they seemed happiest with sub
shutting carpentry for art and undertook TO reduce
everything, before and behind the footlights 10
terms OF dollars. running a dozen or a hundred
theatres as man or a trust. but merely for bust
ness would run mines or iron mills But. deplora-
bic as was this condition. II has been followed By
one far worse, a condition IN which whatever will
pay viii be produced. and Cor no other reason than
profit at whatever cost 10 decency. at whatever
offence 10 morals
thus fagrantly offend consider themselves moro
bound 10 serve as guardians OF public morals than
they are to serve guardians and patrons OF art
Certainly. they show no more appreciation Of the
one than OF the other. But publishers who should
haunt indecency IN the face OF the public, some
theatre managers do. would find themselves subject
20 processes OF law; dollar grabbers who use the
United mails TO distribute obscene prints arc
brought 20 book BY the government; but theatre
managers who invest IN obscene plays and sell
them TO the public are permitted 10 gather the
profits OF their evil trade II ever, pricked by con-
science or stirred by anger when rebuked for their
courses. they seek 20 justify their traffic they
point TO overlooking audiences and say that the
public approves They affect 70 believe that my
business IS legitimate because II IS profitable. Per
hsps they are sincere and really believe that what
ever pays IS right But on such theory al for
hidden courses. al crimes and misdemeanors are
legitimate so long they pay There is "a public
ready support anything with which II Is the duty
q the police 20 interfere.
Happily there are managers who viii not sell
their souls and degrade their calling But there
are Others who do not care what happens SO long
as II be not financial failure. The country has
been tod time out OF mind IN recent years that
great moral awakening has come over the land II
there has been such awakening IL has not
touched the theatres. The ''uplift" has not been
felt BY that class OF managers always willing 70
produce any play capable OF drawing ooIiats Will
ont starting riot.
II the moral outlook OF too many managers is
hnzy their outlook toward the lesser prophecies
is drenched with fog. They love vulsarity- Ihey
purvey II IN large quantities. They seek IL at every
turn II can be only by accident that they do not
sDse. n into everything they touch. Their plea Is
when they condescend 10 make one. that the stage
must depict LIE. But what 'fife," and 10 what
end? Their suppostiOn must be that all life IS as
vulgar as the phases with which they are BEST
acquainted When they desire 20 be Impressive
they pratte about art instruct their press
agents TO do 50 Art, however. has for them but
one manufacturing power; its symbol is
What have they done for dramatic art? Nothing.
save 70 bleed Il and deprsss IL Al no time IN haIf
q century has dramatic in this country been IN
lower condition than 81 is to-day. Some managers
fond OF telling how they have Increased the
eTnogments OF actors. how they have invested
large sums in the parsphernaiia OF the stage. en-
riched playwrights and made ten theatres flourish
where hourished before their day But what
has all this 70 do with the art" Of which so much
s heard and so little Is seen? There were great
men before these kings OF the box Office strutied
and fretted In the Tenderloin. The great actors
are dead: the plays that VIII live were not pro-
duced by these rulers OF the theatrical hour. the
traditons'' OF the stage were established genera
tons before these men who know them not were
born These men have contributed nothing 10 dra-
matte art: they have merely enlarged the CONNER
cisl operations OF the theatre. a circumstance duo
quite as much 10 the increase OF population and gen
sral wealth as their own energies OF perceptions
They have as little relation art as dealer has
70 the old masters tie ones They are
traders merely. and none too scrupulous IN any
thing that concerns public morals or public taste.
Their motto is-anything goes that pays They
have cheapened taste. Knocked the morals which
form the basis OF social life: they have exalted
mediocT5ty and have done their best TO Danish
Imagination from The stage. Were their influence
supreme and unbroken the drama would perish.
dramatic art disappear and the theatre become
byWord among all the illiterate. They have
this consolation: they know no better. And that
"a why they meet protests with sneers. Now. how
many OF them are in this parlOus condition? The
reason will tell ito tale. As for public sgp-
a. LIN Il