New-York tribune., 1909-12-20

EDWARD SHELDEN.
expect it at all You know wasn't even
dressed for the evening"
The audience seemed 10 like the play"
said the reporter.
Yes. rather more than the critics, I
understand"
Did you read the reviews?''
''No-that is TO say. only one. The Trib-
une's; that was lying on Mr.. Ames's desk
and I read it"
Why didn't you read the others
My agent called me up on Sunday
morning and told me not TO read them.
She said that the critics. with one excep-
ton, had failed TO understand the play"
The title OF your play has been criti-
cized by negro clergymen AMI others?
Yes. before they had seen the play
I think that was not fair. 1 wrote that
play because of my sympathy for the
negro"
Isn't the very problem suggested in the
title?''
Yes. that was my idea. When the
black man is known as the negro there
is no problem. In the South, where he
is The Niger there is the problem
You know how it is sometimes-One is alb
solutely certain that one wants thing
certain way Well. that was the way l
thought a good deal about the title 1
couldn't call it The Negro Finally l hit
upon The Niger and I never wavered
after that. Nothing could have changed
It."
The light Of seriousness, of ambition. OF
high ideals. was shining in the young
mans eyes.
PLAY WAS QUICKLY WRITTEN
Il wrote the play in a comparatively
short period of time l seemed 20 know
exactly what l wanted 10 say, and it all
came easily"
Why did you have the girl come back
TO the man against whom she had revolted
because of the negro blood in his veins2'
The answer was very simple and con-
vincing: Because she loved him"
rs it not true that the average Southern
girl would not have done as she did?'
Yes, but I didn't intend Georgiana Byrd
to be an average woman. l intended my
characters to be of the very highest type.
I wanted to introduce the element of the
ideal into my play
Your ending has been criticised Some
say that as your race riot and your lynch
ing had taken place of the stage the speech
Of the Governor at the end should not have
been left 10 the imagination Of the audi
ence."
4 don't agree. The audience knew what
the Governor was going to say because
they had heard him say it,"
is IL not one OF the first principles OF
play writing that a dramatic situation
should come at the end? Could YOU not
have introduced sonic of the crowd on to
stage in the last moment of the fnal
scene, some revolving against the Governor
anC others approving OF his courage"
Yes but that was all TO be taken for
granted. I considered the best ending
what yOu in the plly-the Governor
about To make his speech from the balcony
10 the crowd below while the band outside
PLAYS America and the orchestra takes up
the strain In that very song lies the solu-
tion of the probem-it appeals to the pa
triotism OF the people. Ii gives US hope
rather than despair"
This is a great American problem, Mr.
sheldon. Arthur b WaIkley, of The
London Times says that it is upon the
development OF native playwrights who
shall be able TO handle seriously these
distinctively American problems that she
success of The New Theatre will depend"
FUTURE OF NEW THEATRE
IHere Is uluGn lEuLH IN lHdI state
ment." said Mr.. Sheldon. The New The
stre has a great future before IT, 1t will
undoubtedly encourage plays on American
themes. American playwrghts are just
beginning TO see dramatic possibilities in
this country 1t IS new soil for US 1
am particularly interested in these Amer
lean themes l like the modern school
the Ibsen plays. the Intimate problems OF
the family and the like-but I am partic-
uIarIy interested in the big things"
Have you any other plays ready for
production"
Yes. but ! am not at liberty TO speak
of them now.
Salvation Nelr? Yes, that is the only
other play Of mine that has been pro-
duced l wrote it during my senior year
in college. and that is not very good
time to write plays"
when did you first become interested
in writing plays"
When l was a boy l used 10 have a
little theatre with candles for footlights.
and wings and drops and grooves along
which l could slide the characters. I
would go 10 a play and then come home
ana produce il before my family and
friends | would stand behind the scenes
and take all the parts. sliding the char
acters forward al the proper time. speak
their lines. and then slide them off the
stage used TO do this by the hour until
my family would fall asleep-then / knew
II was time TO drop the curtain. My par
ticular favorite. I remember. was Tess OF
the d'Urbervilles
You were interested in the founding of
the Harvard Dramatic club. we're you
not?'
Yes. one of the innovations which l