The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-20

Two of the creations are said to be quite
 startling. But all this is matter of de- tail. It remains only to be said that Miss Davis will present comedy that mas been indorsed as one of the best seen on the American stage in number or years.
 The seat sale opens Wednesday. Erie shannon on Play Construction. Few women on the stage have had wider experience with playwrights than Miss Fife Shannon, who plays the lead ing female role in Henry Bernsteins | famous home drama, "The Thler, which | Charles Frohman sends to the Jefferson l this week.
 Miss Shannon has the reputation Of | reading carefully every manuscript sent I to her, and for years she and her asso- | ciate, MT. Kelcey, have been endeavoring | to find a successor to "The Moth ana the | Flame" Miss Shannon thus differs rom actors and actresses who shun play-read- no and deem it an ordeal AS result o her ten-year search for good play, Miss shannon has acquired invaluable informa- l ton regarding authors and their meth ods and has gone further by jotting down her observations on the problem or play construction. Some of these observa- l tions are as follows:
 Women are apt to delineate better mas culine characters in plays than men, and | vice versa.
 | A young author is prone to select an unwholesome subject.
 A too intimate knowledge of the stage | ia not conducive to good work, but too | little knowledge is worse. . Tn a play youthful characters should appear frequently, but if the theme Is l serious the emotional responsibilities should be assumed by older men and
 women. A simple story makes the best play.
 visable foundation for a drama, but this Rie not hard and fast rule. Plays for stars are most remarkable, as inc public demand individual promi-
 hence, and the star system has been
 tried and proven. "Smart'' dialogue Is acceptable only in | light comedy, but epigrams embody the action of a play of the thoughtful va | riety.
 In nine out of ten plays there is the germ of a good drama.
 l Authors are prone to construct play | around a title or single scene. l If is a grave mistake for an unknown | author to demand an expensive pro-
 duction as managers will naturally he's
 itate on rislSing $20,000 on an experiment, rather than 5000.
 Ibsen is the most widely read modern dramatst A proof of this is found in practically every play in circulation.
 A summary of the characters in play
 is a good preface for a manuscript. The
 writer often finds his curiosity piQued by
 a clever or terse characterization.
 When evolving a play in one's mind
 the question should be asked; Would
 this story be possible in Wichita, Kan,
 as well as in New YorkT' Local condi-
 'ors ~e~orslv affect plays success. A proven play is as rare as the Gull l linan diamond.
 "strongheart" at Bijou-C0llege Play. "Strongheart." the college play. which
 comes to the Bi1ou at popular prices this
 week, Is the same company and produc-
 ton that appeared at the Jefferson ear
 Her in the season for $1.50. It has been
 an important factor in the amusement | field during the past three years. A natural question provoked by this cir
 cumstance is summed up in the word. Why?
 A man who has seen "Strongheart."
 be he old or young, will not hesitate a
 moment for the proper reply. He will say "Strongheart" exists and Is patron