New-York tribune., 1909-11-07
THE PLAYG0ER
The NcC Theatre: IFS Promise.
It's Fafwc and Some Les
sons from the Past.


y ho have no interest in other houses: who
nre not actors. OF. II they are. have no am
btion 80 10 sters who are not dramatists.
a.. II fhcy arc. are net consumed with
Iassion Tor monopolizing the royalties Of a
ss'sson playgoers who care foT good plav=.
sood acting: who think ''the art Of the
rtsafre~ is not an empty phrase. and who
arc willing 10 support an unusual endeavor
- srstifv thcir taste i'm This art. welcome
rhc now enterprise which starts under cir
crHnsisnces 81 striking but not unexpected
and not unusual difficulty.
An abundance OF money docs not remove
these dificulties: the absence ~ a necessity
soi earning dividends does not tighten them;
FOR II sone NeNing problems of manage
rnent arc unable 10 settle on The New Thea
arc. there arc other problems which will h
REgrsvstea by tho nature of things. and
lrrselv by The nature of theatre folks. The
Esncral public. when recovered from its
FIRST suspicion that This is a theatre of fad
siists. that superior minds deien to dis
rensc ''iIish art" for the enlightenment
a. inferior persons. viii discoVer the facts
81 tho case and VIII not he ovcTlong IN de-
r,dinE whether or not Tho New Theatre is
worthy ~ its liberal patronage. Even this
uncommercisl theatre must Justify itself az
plsygoers. II Is not from tho public that
opposition. or even Indifference. need
De feared. Tie New York stage does not
aopend for sustenance upon the inhabitants
-oi Manhattan alone: its audiences are
drawn from all parts of the nation. The
floating population makes up a large per
rcntage Of the nightly theatre crowds in
this city. as il does in London and Paris.
New York is becoming tsome will say that
q ALREADY Isl a world city. II surely has
she capacity 10 sustain an institution which
should become one OF the leading theatres
a. the world
Some public writers have doubted that
tho American people will respond 10 IAN
cfOrt which seeks TO hand down artistic
sdsals from above" They seem 10 infer
that artistic ideals" have at some time
or place. been handed Up from below
wherever below may be. A great many
things are frequently predicted Of 'the
q American people" and the prophets com
nonly have their pains Tor their trouble.
The American people" are not much con
cerned about dramatic art. although they
are effective actors at times. and some Of
rhem all the time. when reference is
made 20 public taste" IL is made TO some
thing that does not exist. There IS no
public is never OF one mind about any
thing. and reasonable beings should he
happy on that account There is a por-
zion of the public that has good taste a
larger portion which has had taste. and a
portion. numerically mightier. which has
no taste AZ all. Upon the public of good
faste which g. sufficiently large for the
purpose. The New Theatre viii rely. IN
VII even draw upon the public Of bad
taste which is always accessible 20 hope.
But upon the public OF no taste i will, II
wise. waste no thought. For that public
thcre are inuumerable markets.
As for responding 10. or resenting. the
efforts ~ IAN institutional theatre" what
ground is there for assuming that that
portion ~ the American public" say the
public OF good taste, % which THE New
Theatre makes its appeal, win fail 20 re-
spond II the appeal is justified by the
worthy presentation OF good playse What
reason Is there for sUppOsing that this
public viii resent the work OF this theatre
because the theatre IS institutional? Mr.
Henry l.. Higginson's Boston Symphony
Orchestra is institutional" but ''the lnu-
sical public" has never resented that fact.
on the contrary. the public for the per
formances Of this orchestra has been
greater than the seating capacity Of the
halls In all the large cities for upward
~ quarter OF a century, Theodore
Thomas's orchestra was and is 'institu-
tional." and Chicago has housed il and
now handsomely supports II. "Institu-
sional" opera does not suffer from public
resentment or Indifference i'm New York.
'>lor dOes the institutional" Museum Of
Arts in Central Park. an undertaking
which certainly owes no less 20 private
Jnuuihcenoe than 10 public generosity.
why. then. should an INSTITUTIONAL the
sfre have anything 20 fear from public
which. more than any other. delights in
.anc,ing itself enlightenede
on that score The New Theatre people
can sleep We'll o. nights. II is from within.
is,ot from without tho theatrical world that
tho chief troubles Of their playhouse will
come The responsible heads of the enter
rris. need no reminders Of this truth. which
hz. left its mark on every theatre that
anybody ever attempted 20 conduct with
more regard for what are called artistic
PRINCIPLES" than for those of commerce, or
even with equal regard for each II
rhere arc too many cooks Al 4 broth more
shan the broth is spoiled. There must be
one having authority. Responsibility is all
very well. but responsibility without su-
-hority is as useful as an engine without
steam. And n much ia left 20 votes. YOU
have merely an artistic Tammany.
Nowadays mRnasess take stars from the
cradle. with more stars IN the theatres
than there are I'm the armament. he must
be a heavenly genius in directorate who
can quench the passion Tor personal pub
Iicity. spotlight, large print and the centre
OF the stage The thOusand-pointed sensi-
siveness OF the actor. and modern methods
Of management, have not taught the petted
darlings of a casa TO subordinate them
selves 20 any great extent There are
1ealousies enough behind any curtain.
institutional" theatre gives them fertile
soil Cliques. cabals. the designs Of per-
sons with influence. OF folks with crOtchets.
Of personal sntagonisms. Of envy. spiteful-
ness malice: the uncharitableness that
Nllirls as fast as this spinning planet
how shall a manager manage theseg The
wisdom OF Solomon. the patience Of Job
and the authority OF Napoleon would find
employment enough Were they embodied in
one man in such a galley. Still. approxi-
snstely, the thing can be done in spite Of
the croaszers
What Authority did for the Theatre
Francsis is well known. But the man
ayers OF that renowned playhouse have
never discovered that IL left them a led
saily streNn with fresh rose leaves. Goethe