The Washington times., 1909-12-06
Arrives in Capital, Showing
No Sign of Recent
Illness.
TELLS OF POLICY
OF THEATER HERE
Says Stock Organization Idea
Found Inception in Old
Days Out West.

Fully recovered from an illness that
threatened to rob the American stage Of
one Of its greatest figures. David Be
lasco IS In Washington rehearsing his
company for his new play. The Lily"
at the Belasco Theaters where it vii.
have its premiere tonight.
Mr.. BeIasco saw a Times representa-
tive IN his room at the Shoreham Hotel,
His illness has not enfeebled him 70 all
appearances. He talked OF his new play,
OF his new company. and OF the expert
ences that gave him the idea for such
an organization.
Mr.. Belasco forsook the artistic long
enough TO assure the reporter that his
interest in the Belasco Theater Of
Washington had not been acquired by
the so-calhd theatrical syndicate.
thereby setting at rest a ruInor that
would not Gown among the theatrical
wise folk here.
Tells of Theater Here
Il shall retain in my own name my
interest In the BelascO Theater" Mr..
Belasco declared. with more vigor than
he had displayed at any point IN the
interview. The lease held by the Shu-
berts was made for 80 years and it was
signed not very many years ago. The
Belasco and the Shubert attractions
win continue 20 play at the BelascO
Theater for this season ana, so far as
We can see ahead. for many seasons TO
come"
Another point made clear during Mr.
Belasco's talk was his attitude toward
the so-called theatrical syndicate. He
emphasized that he did not consider his
severing of connections with the Shu-
berts by any means an overture to the
syndicate forces.
I am more nearly Independent now"
he asserted. And Mrs. Fiske and /
are about the only producers of mo-
ment who have attained that indepen-
Inception of Idea.
Another point Mr.. Belasco cleared up
this. morning was the inception Of his
idea Of organizing a permanent stock
company.
My organization is not an attempt 10
coalesce the European idea Of repertoire
theaters with the American touring ar
rangennent," he declared 1T may re-
semble the continental system, but
that is accidental IL is the direct out
growth of my experience in the san
Francisco fifteen or twenty years ago.
There 7 was associated with stock COM
panies from which came a large ma
iority Of the stars Of today.
out OF that school came John Nc
Cullough. Lawrence Barret, Frank
Mayo. Edwin Booth. James A. Hearn
9. a. Bishops. and the rest would read
Ike a who's who OF the stage.
Now II stock company can produce
such stars a stock company is worth
while, isn't it2''
Recalls California Days.
Mr.. Belasco has been accused OF be-
ing q poor conversationaIst. But about
here he closed his eyes. lapsed into
more than the usual Bclasco dreamiEess
and made good as a raconteur.
de told of the Gays when the famous
Baldwin organization acted such class
les as Romeo and Juliet" Hamlet %
Tine Robbers of the Pyrenees," and
"The Bandits Of the West AL in The
same week
Then on Saturday" unused BelascO,
would come the grand triple bin with
classic, ShalesE earlan most likely 4
melbdrama. and Durlesque. We liked
all the emotions we could get for our
money IN those days.
The producer paid high tribute 70
his company. and mis- estimate of Miss
Julia Dean. who is better known here
than any Of the other members. wa
particularly interesting.
ct watched Miss Deans acting for
several years and determined 10 engage
her for one Of nay productions when the
chance came. She has been compared
10 Frances Starr. She IS Ike Miss Starr.
perhaps, but even more like Blanche
Batcs- That is-nIy opinion and that of
others who have seen her. Miss Dean
has keen appreciation of emotions, can
throw her conceptions across the foot
IZhts ms few of our younger actresses
can. and her methods are original and
effective"
Thourh not more ,han thirty persons
are engaged in the cast OF The Lily,
Mr.. BelascO has brought with him 10
Washington nearly double that number.
Idea -Timey."
THE California idea Of stock is not
like that Of today. we were old-umey
We had our first man and our second
man: our FIRST low comedian and our
second and third comedians: our first
character actor and our second char
acter actor
ITO the grave digging scene in Ham
let we would assign tire first and the
second low comedians ia the order OF
their standing with the company. The
next week they might 400 assigned O.,
a melOdrama- And they had TO have
the technique and the ability 90 PLAY
any role ever written for "a low come
dian. ancient OF modern They were
actors.
It is very much this idea that Mr.