The Washington herald., 1909-02-21


the villain so that they ring logically to
the men and women in the orchestra
seats
Every play TO be successful must have
a good, strong roet, and that root must
rest in the healthy. fertile soil Of truth.
There is no cOntesting OF disputing this
assertion OF course. there are plenty OF
dramas Of various kinds which deal with
the superficial. teach nothing, do moth
ing Except furnish an evenings amuse-
-menO. reach no definite argument: but
unless they have imbedded in their heart
something big and fundamental they are
all too soon lost by the wsyside- Some
OF these plays are counted as successes
from the bOx-ofice viewpoint. but they
do not help in the long run. They 90 not
help the dTamatist they do not help the
ambitious manager, they do not help
the playgoer.
Center OF World stage.
America is rapidly becoming the cen
ter Of the worlds stage. We have now
every. possible kind Of dramatic material
and plenty Of young men and young
women vino are capable Of handling that
material and presenting with verify con-
-iAA'AtS " AAAf WIN ~ NTH At4FE CIT -H1AAA-
zant That is z fact which our AmerI-
can managers have been slow TO realize
There vas a time. and that not very
long ago, when our producers purchased
their dramas in the European markets.
TO compete with the French. German.
and British dramatists our writer's have
been forced 10 copy foreign plays-to
copy their style. TO copy their setting. TO
write Of another artificial dsy and world.
IN consequence only those writer's fOrtu-
nate enough 10 grasp American subjects
and write OF them strongly. needless Of
foreign influence, were conspicuOusly
successful America has established her
social independence from Europe. and
with the realization of our national iso-
lation and security has come an awaken
ing in the minds Of our producing class
TO the mechanical. industrial. and art re-
sources which are surely our very own
By every right Of ownership.
As regards dramatiCs we have. be-
iieve. shaken completely aloof from the
threadbare Old sex idea which for gen
erations has been uppermost in the minds
OF European playwrights; that idea is
worn out. The contention that play
cannot succeed unless built over The an
tA1ANl eatl AeAAiltAGE rNElAU444Alk - IL
diculous- We have other truer. finer.
and better motives in America. They are
everywhere The land is fun OF them
and our dramstists are beginning 20 take
advantage Of them.
Social Breach widening.
Society and the constantly widening
social breach offer a fresh and untram-
pied field to the ambitious playwright
When boiled down to its very essence.
the social struggle. about which we hear
so much and which we know Is the
greatest force IN the land to-day. resolves
itself 10 this: Every one OF US is engaged
in an effort 10 obtain social recognition
from the class just above him By this
! do not mean a call and a bow: 7 use
the word social in its broadest sense.
With the tremendous accumulation Of
wealth on one side and the frantic scram-
Die 10 get 1t on the other. this social
gorge is widening
When Mr. Klein's famous play. The
Lion and the Mouse" was first presented
IL startled the political and financial
world Managers Of theaters IN New
York City refused 10 arrange for engage
menJs for fear that the arguments Of the
tf4aN ANt-tU meet VIII Nlc1 lEffNhs al EENiil
those IN authority in the city government
When the play was Al last produced and
the scheme Of politics and high finance
laid bare the sensation for time knew
no bounds. In fact. so great was the de-
mand 10 see the Play by playgoers IN
able 70 reach New York that the produc-
er. Henry 3. Harris, sent companies
broadcast
List of His Plays.
The following list Of PLAYS written by
Charles Klein viii certainly give an e.
luminative showing OF the development
Of his wonderful gift as a writer Of stage
stories:
There wss A Mile Minute" written
for Minnie Palmer: BY Proxy in which
Al Lipmon starred: Willie" a comedy
for Charles Dickson. a Happy Little
Home" for George u. Monroe: The
District Attorney in which Edward J
Morgan had the principal part; FL Cap
itan." for De Wolf Hopper: The Charla-
tan" for the same comic opera comedi-
an, and later M Pickwiek," for the
same actor; a Royal Rogue" for JEFF
ferson De Angels; The Merry Count
ass." in which Marie Jansen had the star
part: "Dr- BelgTaff." for Wilton Lac
kaye; 'He2rtseaSe' for Henry Miller:
4 elaboration on Admitted &c the Bar
Tor Charles Dickson: a version Of "SamI
II Posen;" ''The Hon. John Grigsby."
Tor Sol Smith Russell; The Auctioneer.-
FOR David Warfeld: Red Feather for
Grace Van Studdif3rd: The Music Mas
er." for David Warheld: The Lion and
he Mouse Daughters OF Men The !
Step-Sister. and now The Third De-
gree in which latter play Mr Klein
ieals with the influence OF hypnotic sug-
seStion as applied 70 the accused crimi-
lality. The methods OF police depart /
nents in big cities. together with the
influence OF the press, are viviGly shown /
The audience is treated TO a series of /
photographs OF the actual working Of the /
detective departments.
Charles Klein was born IN London.
January :. ISS7. During his residence
with his parents. Herman and Adelaide
Klein. ne studied at North London Col
ege- For a number OF years Mr.. Klein !
vas censor of plays for Charles Froh- /
nan. the well-knoVn New York plav /
producer He maintains a beautiful sum
ner home at Ronayton, Conn He is a I
member of the American Dramatists
Club, the Theatrical Business Mems Club. !
md the Lambs.
WILL. ACCEPT a FLAG.