Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-07

ality is yelled behind the firm name of
Liebler & Co. AS q matter Of fact, Mr..
Liebler's share in the huge theatrical en-
terprises conducted in his name consists
largely in signing checks for expenditures
for which Mr., Tyler has contracted Only
recently an old and wise theatrical man
was asked who, in his opinion, was the
best American judge OF the possibilities
Of ar Enacted dramatic manuscript. with
out hesitation he named Mr.. Tyler. Now,
this is no slight praise, for IL there is a
p~erilous undertaking OF an intellectual
nature it is prophecy in the field Of
plays. Compared to It, next weeks
weather is a simple thing to foretell. Even
the whlms Of an operate prima donna are
easier to forecast than the future Of an un-
acted dramatic manuscript. even though
Oscar Hammersteln may not think so.
Perhaps the one quality that above all
others makes Mr.. Tyler the excellent Judge
that he is, is the quality Of Imagination
the ability to visualize a character or a
scene, to see what the actor will look like.
how he will be dressed, how his voice will
sound, to assemble intellectually all the
various elements Of a anna entity until
there is preconstructed the total impress
sion that will be made upon an audience
by the completed work of dramatist, scene
painter, actor and stage manag combined.
In the last theatrical season Mr.. Tyler
supervised the production OF something
like twenty-five new plays, 90 per cent Of
which were by American authors. The
percentsEe of success was very high. II
was net however. invariable. Failure was
the initial portion OF Cameo Kirby,
though success was ultimately dragEed out
Of the defeat. The chief character, than OF
an old-tme Mississippi river steamboat
gambler, was first impersonated by Nat
Goodwin Disaster, prompt and unmls-
taxable. greeted the first performance of
the play. In this case Mr.. Tyler had failed
In Visualizing one OF the elements OF the
completed whole. Mr.. Goodwin's person
ality was not adapted TO the part. Mr..
Tyler quickly recognized the fact, another
actor was engaged for the character, the
play was altered in some particulars, and
its subsequent Chicago production was
highly successful.
Plays for the Stars.
Even when one knows little of the
myriad difficulties and subtle obstacles OF
the theatrical managers business, the an
nual task that confronts a man IKE Mr..
Tyler appears huge The more one knows
about 1t, the larger looms the task. The
development OF the star system, be It for
good or for evil, has forced upon him the
acquisition OF a number Of stars, or prin-
cipal players. These, from whose success
full exploitation most OF his profits arise.
must be provided every year or, at best,
every two years, with new plays which
must not only be well made but whose
chief characters must also be we'll adapted
to the personal characteristics and pecu-
liariues which constitute the professional
equipments Of this stars in question. The
perplexed manage may not say to any
member of his constellation: You've
worked hard for several years and you've
made money. Go take a rest-and give
me one II he does. the star does not &c
take a rest. He goes to some other man
sgeT, and his former employer is thus de.
prived OF the profitable personality upon
the development and advertising Of which
he has expended years OF labor and all hii
brains. No. the stars must have plays
How do they set them7
Once In a blue moon the managers play
reader finds a real play among the mass o
rubbish that comes unsolicited from un
known and unskiled writer's But N N,
manager depended upon this source Of sup
ply most Of his actors would be idle most o
the time. And there is little use looking 4
the foreign field unless you are Mr.. Froh
man. And II you are Mr.. Tyler. Their
are Miss Viola Allen, Miss Eleanor Robson
Wilton Lackaye and the rest OF your star
all TO be fitted, and promptly. with al
traetive and becoming theatrical garment
There's nothing for Il but continual husI
ling. Eternal vigilance, everlastin
watch for plays or IDEAS that can |