Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

VILLA AS Is "a EtanCl
believer In the value Of stool
companies. He himself is al
- example Of what they can do
for he was a member of tn,
~ famous Lyceum company. IN
der the management of Daniel Frohrar
as well as Of the Empire company. the or.
ganisation fathered by Charles Frohman
thtse famous organizations occupied
UNIQUE positions in the scheme Of thing,
theatrical in this country and the fact tbat
IL mas been lately rumored that a company
punt along their lines was again IN he
rounded revives interest In the project.
Ihe old Lyceum days win never be for.
gotten by any Of us who were associated
win that company" said Mr.. Williams one
heht last week While waiting In his dress.
ing room Tor Emma Brooks 10 make her
bargain with Captain Williams In the third
act OF me play Naturally whatever I say
IN taVor or stock companies and their vaIus
might be regarded as slightly preJudiced
because l was so closely Identified with
Tue Lyceum company, and also played part
OF the time with the Charles Frohman com.
pany at the Empire.
"Ihere are two distinct advantages Of n
STOCK company founded on the high lines
OF these two organizations. First. there ,s
every opportunity for better team work
or 10 use a technical phrase. ensemble
once the company Is founded the nIovars
usually remain together for several seasons
Such changes as are made from TINA ~
Time arc comparatively few, and hence ths
snuire company becomes more thoroueblv
acquainted with one another. This permlts
OF a smoother working together than ,s
possible under any other circumstance
ana especially aids in the proper balances
peing preserved and the play given its due
atmosphere. W
Then the actor is much better schooIed
In a company Of this kind than In an or
ganization whore he is called upon 10 NAV
one part probably all season. and even par,
OF a second A man or woman may thus
have been on the stage five years ana bad
the experience Of only three or four narts
IN a company like the old Lyceum we
usually put on four plays a season. They
were all very carefully rehearsed and pro-
duced with every attention 10 detail. Thus
you see, in the same five years a member.
OF such a company would have gained the
knowledge OF anywhere from fifteen TO
twenty roles.
IN a less effective way the popular stock
companies which are found In almost every
large city are also serving as excellent
places for the development OF actors and
actresses. The only drawback to such in
Stitutions Is the necessary haste OF produc-
ton following a change Of bill each week.
and the consequent limit placed on the in
diyidual for study and preparation.
With the Lyeeum and Empire companies
this was different. We had weeks to re-
hearse a new play, and we were given
every opportunity 10 properly prepare cur
selves. The season never brought more
than -four new productions and generally
three. In all my time with the Lyeeum /
remember only one play which ran all sea-
son, and that was The Charity Ball. We
fret produced. this celebrated Belasco and
DeMilie piece In November, 1880, about the
middle OF the month, and Il ran until the
following June "a That was the longest
run OF any production made az the Lyeeum
In my time. The WIFE Pinero's Lady
Boundfui.' The Idlsr,' Nerves and
the others We brought out all were limited
IN their New York runs. and were then
taken annually on tour through the eoun-