The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-09-17
THE NEW THEATER."

abili, IN representation to WIN the
apI iause cf barren SPECTATORS" who
welcome him annually in any play
that may be written AROUND that per
s0nality by the facile vender of what
the public wants. or what the man
ager. ind the actor who realizes the
narrow scope Of his talents, unitedly
want
The career of the New Theater"
should be valuable to the whole coun-
try as a test of taste. The political
axiom -as goes New York goes the
country should hold good in matters
theatrical The theater-going public
in the metropolis is made up of. to
a considerable extent. of persons
from the various States spending a
little time, and a great deal of money.
in New York.
Hot denurciation of the degrade
ton of the American stage by mer-
cenary managers, and its prostitu
ton by dollar-hunting dramatists,
comes from quarters where it is in
sisted that the public would readily
give substantial patronage to the
better things if it were offered the
opportunity. The managers, candid
ly, and in the opinion of their critics,
sordidly, take the opposite view from
that of Swift, who declared poetry,
meat drink, washing and lodging"
AS enterprising business men, seek
ing these necessities and a reason
able share of the Injuries as well,
they put upon the market that which
they believe will best attract the dol
lars of the multitude to the ticket
sellers window They get results
and stand pat upon their contention
that the public is getting what it
wants These gentlemen are impair
tial critics of the drama. They would
be jsut as glad to sell tickets to
Shakespearean productions as to
plays by the dramatists who debauch
the stage for pecuniary profit. 1t
may be that they are guided by their
own tastes, and err in imputing SINH
lar tastes to the people. A cynical,
and unprintable, formula for making
successful "show" is current in
theatrical circles and credited to a
we'll known New York manager. The
enormous popularity of the Barrie
plays, for illustration, goes far towerd
of an enterprise devoted to the sys-
tematic production of none but plays
of unQuestionable responsibility and
real merit might go much further.
Moreover, continued presentation of
plays that constitute an important
part of literature of the drama might
stimulate public interest in reading
, such plays.
1t is the public that does not read
that makes the market for the medic
ere and the smutty more brisk than
that for the merritorious. Reading
good literature Is a cultivated taste in
the sense that it is taste of cultured
persons. For that reason 1t is regard
ed by the uncultured as an affectation.
Only a small proportion of Americans
are sufficiently cultured when they
, leave school to have a genuine inter-
est in the classics, or in good music.
: Where opportunities for improvement
o exist there results higher percentage
y of development and lower percent
v age of mental atrophy. An ideal
I stage might go far toward creating
cultivated tastes. 1t might introduce
large numbers of persons to the pleas
o ures of forms of entertainment more
I satisfying than slapstick comedy and
( trashy music
4 A really cultured public would de-
v mand an elevated stage. But 1t is
o vain to expect managers who are
h neither artists nor educators, preach
4 ers or philanthropists, but hard-head-
t ed business men, to set about cultivat-
O ing the public mind instead of contin-
y uing to make money. The establish
Q ment of the New Theater" may
T. have the effect of providing the exist
!. ence of substantial patronage for
:. good plays and good light opera. II
J. that patronage shows a tendency to-
ward steady growth similar theaters
It NAV ultimately be established in 9th
Il er American cities. Eventually we
# may have a better market for the bet
s ter things-possiby market which
q will enlist the lively interest OF the
o "mercenaries." Such a result would
D. be highly pleasing to the promoters
" highly creditable to the contributors
C of the funds for the New Theater,
h and highly gratifying to tens of thou
sands of Americans scattered between
Is the coasts. who like the worthier