New-York tribune., 1911-12-31
NEW BROOKLYN THEATRE
DR.. A. n. Brown Discusses POSI-
biIitieS of Real Art Home.

why should the present unfavoraole
theatre situation I'm Brooklyn continue
asked DR.. Alfred H. Brown. invited to talk
about the proposed repertory theatre IN the
borough. "Out of nearly two million popu-
Iation. surely there must be a hundred
thousand theatregoers which would easily
support high class house
Dr. Brown Is the dramatic critic aHd iect-
urer who has come from Boston at the re-
ouest of the Brooklyn. institute, which VIII
be the sponsor OF the new theatre TO ald III
formulating the plans Although a natNe
of tho borough. he has lived during the last
eight years in Boston.
81 have travelled through every state
from Maine to California, and ! do not
know of an institution similar 20 the Brook
ly-n Institute" said DR.. Brown. 'When !
was a boy going to the high school at
Court and Livingston streets little was eN-
pected of Brooklyn. one took it for grant
ed that he had to cross the river to get
anything worth while. That sort ot thi"s
continued To the advantage Of Manhattan
at Brookyn's cost And so thlhSS nav
still revolved in that vicious cycle NO"
Manhattan gives nothing superior me
only additional thing it has To oiier Is 'hS
glare of the cafe life
When the question of establishing rep
ertorv theatre arises now there rooms W.
the dismal failure OF The New hea'r''
"It could no; have been otherwise sald
DIR. Brown. 1T was rlch man 10y IT
was arstocratic instead OF democratic'
and drama il the most democratic Oh All
the arts It is the artistic expression o'
the social consciousness OF the people,
and actually does. to quote Shakespeare'
hold the mirror up To nature Great ART
has oIvavs sprtng from the people.
'Thc New Theatre was beyond the reach
of tho pcople The cost of maintenance
was so great that exorbitant prices had
TO he charged. Those of us who could not
afford 10 pay s. for seat had 10 Slt away
nm on a balcony where we could barely
discern the faces of the actors, much less
he able TO distinguish the passions they
attempted to portray | hope some Gay
that Brooklyn may have fine playhouse
but one OF smaller proportions. My P"'t
would be one seating not more thah SIN
teen hundred people. Then no one Would
be Obliged TO sit where he would miss all
the fine points OF tine play
But the term endowed theatre, Whlch
has been used is misleading. We are not
Going to ask the people to endoW an ldea.
Let me talk as a philosopher for a mo-
ment. You know we must first have the
soul and then create the corporate about
II. That is the way we hope TO start TINS
theatre. Let us get a first class company
produce the best plays, anywhere, Tor
year or two. and then ask the people lor
their support and We will get IT. By
the best plays Dr. Brown explained that
he did not mean all Shakespeare.
People do not admire the dead and gone
80 much as they pretend 10" he continued
'.It does not make the appeal to- them that
the present does. That is natural ma
proper. Why should We so on assuming
always that the best and greatest has al
ready been done? Shakespeare - one OF
the gods at whose shrine we must worship,
We all admit that but why may We not
hope for another as great?'
In some OF the present daN drdmatiStS
Dr. Brown foresecs much promise Au-
sustus Thomas he considers crude but zig;
Eugene Walter he thinks Is capable of ire
mendous things. and he believes that SheI-
don. crude though he is. will yet accomplish