New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-06-14
NATIONAL HOME
FOR THE THEATER
Scheme to Better the Drama
and Help Actors.
VAST STRUCTURE TO Be BUILT
Actors Fund Of America to Put Up
Building IN New York For Housing
Varied Cooperative Charitable and
Business Stage Enterprises.


Daniel Frohman, president Of the
Actors Fund Of America, announced
the other day project involving phi
lanthropy, business and an investment
Of at least 100000 which may 60 fal
toward revolutionizing the dramatic
profession in the United States. Man
ayers, players and to a considerable
| extent the public will all be affected
to a great degree by the contamination
Of the plan.
The plan involves the erection Of a
half million dollar structure near Cen
trail Park South, in New York city,
which will not only house what may
be described as the United Charities
of the three allied profess;ons-the
drama, music and the fine arts-but
also a noncommercial theater for the
testing Of new plays, a general book
ing agency, meeting rooms for actors
and managers and the business offices
of an old age pension fund. OF the
various branches Of the great work
planned this last part Of the general
plan and the national booking agency
will touch most directly upon the ac-
tors, for at present they have to give
anywhere from 10 per cent to 80 per
cent Of their salaries to the private
agencies.
To Cost Hall . Million.
In discussing the vast project Mr..
Frohman said that, while two years
ago the plan was hailed as wildly
visionary by leading members Of the
profession, they have now all come to
see its practicability, even necessity.
I'VE hope to begin operations by
next fall" he continued. 1--WE expect
to clear at least 100000 at the coming
Actors fund fair to be held In the
Seventy-frst Regiment armory, New
York, during the week Of May 8. A
good share of this must 60 to the
fund itself, which is sadly in need Of
repletion, but the rest should be used
for this vast philanthropic scheme
from which investment an income can
be procured.
at will take a very large structure
to house so many interests, and it will
not cost less than 100000. We do
not believe that there will be any diff
Guilty in raising this sum through the
fair, benefits and donations, as sew
eral of our wealthiest philanthropists
have already promised their support.
Scope of Vast Enterprise.
"One whole floor will be given to the
United Charities Of the three profess
sions. Youth is the chief asset Of
most of the vaudeville players, sing
cry, chorus girls and especially the
hundreds of art models. AS rule,
when these people are deprived Of
their means Of livelihood the outside
charitable organizations give them a
chilly reception. The Actors Fund of
America cannot cope with all our own
poverty, and the other organizations
are even harder pushed. With all
these charities under one roof much
more can be accomplished.
"Supplementing this is an old age
pension fund, whereby the members
of the profession themselves can pro-
| vide against want in old age.
"A great national theatrical ex-
change, which will Go away with in
dividual booking offices and the big
| fees they exact for engagements of
! only a week or month, will occupy
| one more floor. 1t will be good thing
| for the manager and also for the actor,
who will no longer have to tramp from
office to office. 1t will also protect
the actor from INSCRIPTIONS managers
and dubious, questionable places of
amusement This is particularly nee.
essary for the art models. The Art
| Workers club is doing much noble
work to protect these beautiful young
women, and our national organiza tion
would extend that work even further
To Aid Young PIaywriehts.
| "AnOther floor will he devoted II