The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-31
TRIALS OF TIE PLAYWRIGHT
F0R RAfBgL fROTHERs THEY
HEG.tN HHEN SIZE % as 90.



My first production came Of when
! was Is, writes Rachel Crothers. the
playwright. in hdrpsT'- BdIdT for Jan
nary The play WIS very s.rions
drama in fis- acts called Every loud
Has Il Silver IIn.ng, OF the Ruined Mef-
chant
1t was produced IN IN. back paTior
and had most successful run of one
night The scenes and sets were all
thai the large and fa,hIona hle audIenc.
could d..s,r. green screen and som.
irewoSI made the exterior and the in
evitab,e table and two chairs were the
hanstsotn. interior.
There were five characters in this
drama. and another Young enthusiast
and myself played all five parts. so we
at least were completely satisfied with
the caste. We We're especially impressed
with the Costume which | wore for the
villain. red fannels for tights. a black
velvet cape. a plumed hat and "A wooden
sword. all Of which we considered subtly
expressive Of villainy in this intensely
modern drama.
The next series Of plays were written
for my Sunday school class. and these
smack.d Of the difficulties OF professional
prp.inctinn. ! look back at many OF the
''safns a,ffc'nfa Hasa~Sainiature -sesf.
and many Of the same pleasures. No
amount 81 work. Of toiling and tugging
and borrowing f,sniture tired or daunted
us: il must he pushed on to a triumphant
finish a, any cost. The fascination Of
II NIL began for me as a child and has
never left me.
One OF the most difficult. heart break
ing and fascinating pictures OF writing
and producing plays is tn. casting OF
them. fitting the actor to- the part OF
course we all want the ideal combination
% the personality perfect for the par,
and the ability to play it. but a. this
heavenly sort OF thing is very seldom
found II becomes necessary to choose
between ability and personality. and
I'm sure that III most cases ability Is the
thing Ia take. ;h. thing that does most
for the play.
For instance. a man NAV be too fat
20 look romantic; but II he has she power
To play an irnpassioned love scene. to
max lis think that after all loves Young
dream IL IN. greatest thing in the world.
let us ak. The FAT man by all means. rather
than his tall rival with the good nose and
| veins
As one writes OF course the characters
! stand before one: their faces. their voices.
their mAnnerisms. their very souls. are a.
vivid as real 20 the creator a. those Of he
people with W HON he has lived all His life
so imagine. II you please. the moment
Of agony Of awful suspense. when the
All thor watts to hear the actor read the
| first lines of his part
We are alone in the bare. desolate
| theatre. lighted only by "A thin line Of
! light from one border or two bunch
| ii ahis.' the auditorium like "A mysterious
! cavern in front the fIlt stage. without
scenery yaw ming emDtily behind There
| is everything To kill illusion and nothing
| Ia create 1t except the warmth of hope
in the hearts Of the Workers. the abundant
1 cheerfulness Of the actors. 40 when.
wish the aid ~ Two wooden chairs and a
table. which must indicate a palace
| O Yacht. a drawing room or forest
| a. the case may be-. the actor begins
10 read. the author has either an eyau isise
sense. Of satisfaction ar an awful agony
I Of disappointment, and fear
Mary Mapnering bought my last
! play, A Mans World. so soon after u was
4 finished. almost before the ink was dry
and |, went into r.I,earsais 50 quick " that
! there " a. no tlune To hook ahead and choose
a cast Ne SIMPLY had Ia try people and
aep on irving them at rehearsal until
! o,p OF the sury wal of the tittest ". got
| an adequate cast
The irving and turning away means
the bltt-re-j disappointment TO a great
! many Ss-poplr and N ~ surely on. Of the
playw ri Eht' K zen est SORROWS. this r-fIsln <
and di.niissine Of those who are consCi.n =
tiously dong the best they can Each
season brln ~ So much fresh young blood
and en thusiasrn painting Ia try ~ wings
! AZ the lowest salary. and so CrowdinE ont
/ the older ones who need the work for life
itself SOHi.t lines too after Ar actor has
been accepted ~ "A part. " - necessary to
rnak. Il chan ge painful - thi~ may be
. But these troubles OF producing and
casting playa OF coaching and direct ~ <
the actors arr. not the real troubles OF
In. playwright AZ all Tn. real tragedies.
! the. places that ar" the hardest 20 lave
through come Eefor- one mas ever had "A
play put OH.
-lt'- the waiting. tn. hoping. the
! heights of jOy when some manager ~
| goiny TO produce play at one. and ia"
despair next morning when h. l-n goIn <
I to produce. u az Ill that rIak. the heart
SIC. At the Suggestion VI "a mana g"r
or a -tar who may po--IbIy huy play
: one tries to turn delicate little comedy
I INTO broad fare" or 20 change the -n tir.
meaning and motive 81 play IN order
to let everybody br married IN III. last
acT and liV. hnppiiy ever after one
/ ofr-n meets iIttl- incident Ike tins.
/ After hIy.ns turned II play wrong
| sd. ont to -uit '-r'alU mans ideas.
! and after Wonder ~ wonders. he actually
/ decided 10 take the play when ia. end
Of INV long waiting had come az la-i.
when great light filled the world Shic'i
had been 80 black | went down to th-.
all important Office of this ali powerful
man was u-h-T,.d into 'h'. inIermu-t
/ holy Of offices. with bai-i breath saw the
contract wing on IN. desk to be- signed
! but WAS told by the gentleman That he
had had some difficulty with the star.
that in fact they had qIarr-Il-d. and
| that ne would not produce the pI."a
after all a.. was very sorry. and ! went
out to- begin again.
| The author certainly ought to produce
and direct hi- own play- II he has ths
ability and practical experience To do II
Tn. author %.-- the finished production
a. y who. the cDmpisi-d picture. a. he
cr..at--. therefore nD tin" ~ needed for
Experimenting
The troubles ~ playwright are
generally kncwn to ne the Tnadd-nInR
sort that make him perfectly Justified ~
tearing hi- HAIR and CtU-tng the unIN"r-.
ia general 80 I'm duly grateful for the
good fortune I've had ~ the production
~ my few plays. but into the. production
q .