New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-12
NEW YORK A ROAD TOWN
Metropolis No Longer First City
of the Land in Drama.

the present time, at least IN the Wdl'ct VI
supplying the country with amusements'
has slowly, so slowly that hardly any one
has noticed the change, become merely
etopping place in the tour OF company
a point of call. YOU might say.
Whereas this greatest metropolis OF the
New World" used to he the largest pro-
ducing centre for PLAYS In the Uniteu
States, now hardly once in season is II
offered a genuine first night In the sense
OF the first performance of play the
Endorsement of the theetregoers In this CITY
used 10 be necessary before play could
be offered on the road. Now. who asks
what New York thinks OF piece? Almost
every other place on the map has had
chance 10 think and speak and write OF IL
before IL wanders New Yorkward.
Times have changed Even few years
ago. when managers used 70 send their
companies 10 small cities and towns near
the metropolis for a performance or two. In
order to give the actors practice in working
together, this extra preparation was made
in order 10 give New York a better first
night Managers did not wish to offer the
experienced playgoers here any avoidable
crudeness in acting or producing. Nov.
however. a play must survive much more
than a terrible night in New Haven or a
week of oblivion in Atlantic City before
the billboards in New York grow warm
with its colorful announcements. When
plays or players of note have been, as
Is usually the case. rehearsed and got
ready on some idle New York stage the
production is hurried aboard a train for
Boston. Philadelphia or Chicago. and for
r.
as a year. all that New York gets of the
play is an occasional faint echo of It's sue
cess or failure in some other place or sue
cession of places
Take as examples merely few of
the more prominent plays which have been
given during this fall in New York. Edgar
Selwyns play of the Orient, The Arab"
which came here from as far away a
place as Los Angeles. where IL was orig
inally produced and repeated many times
last year by the Los Angeles Stock
Company. A. f. w Mason's comedy.
Green Stockings in which Margaret
Anglin has made a real success here. played
around the country for nearly year be-
fore II tiptoed into New York. Billy
Burke. in THE Runaway" has done pre-
cisely the same thing David Warfield, in
The Return of Peter Grimm a play
which was seen in New York for the
first time on October nth of this year,
gave his first season in this production in
Boston. beginning last January. Peter
Grimm" was in its second season before it
was offered TO New York Marguerite
sylvia upon her return to this country and
her first appearance in operetta went TO
Philadelphia with Gypsy Love" One of
the most noteworthy examples Of neglect 10
which the much avoided metropolis has
been subjected, has been in the case of
the Irish Players who Went 10 Boston 20
give their longest season. feeling surer Of
a sympathetic reception there than here.
New York shares with Providence and
Chicago what there is left of the time
before the Irish Players must return to
Dublin
The French. 1t is true, have stayed by
'the American Paris" New York has had
first sight of Nine. Simone and Gaby
Deslys
In searching about for the reason or
reasons for this interesting change in the
dramatic situation the inquirer has I'M
earthed some theories which suggest that
things which go deeper than mere chance
or the convenience of theatrical managers
are involved.
Hugh Ford. who is the stage manager,
officially known In these days as the pro
ducer" at the Century Theatre, has
unique theory TO account for New Yorks
sinking TO the level of road town. In his
opinion the secret agents that have been ST
Ienty at work for several years and which
have unconsciously brought about the
change are magazines. Through their al
most universal policy OF having dramatic
department. I'm which plays and players
are discussed, they have educated a the
atre public throughout the country which
knows playwrights, actors and productions
as well as New Workers do, and in much
greater detail than does any one who lives
IL the existence led here can be called liv-
ing. amid the turmoil Of this seething city.
New Workers who have relatives or
friends in smaller cities and towns and
hamlets throughout the country WILL no
doubt be able TO recall experiences that
will go toward giving conviction to Mr..
Ford's theory: People from out Of town."
as the jewellers OF Manhattan call those
who dwell elsewhere. will know and re-
member names OF actors and actresses and
the parts they took in this play and that
York. though he has seen them all, cannot
recall one. And this constant reading from
month 10 month of dramatic criticism and
articles about the stars and the plays has
SO far familiarized the whole country wide
with the drama, not only as il is given,
but as II should be given. that the smaller
communities have come TO realize that they
are as capable Of judging new things for
themselves as New York is for them, and
theatrical companies say in behalf Of such
communities that they send TO the the
atre far fresher minded audiences than
New York can MI it's theatres with. and
audiences that have a far keener interest
in the details OF the play and the per-
sonal work of each OF the actors Add to
this that there are minis of money TO be
made on the road and the same represent
alive audiences from year TO year TO well
come them back in new play, and one
reason at least begins 10 loom up more
clearly why stars occupy so much OF
their time on the road. where they have in
this way acquired a following, before risk
Ing their all in New York
The chief reason for the change in New
Yorks position as srbiter of drama Is, &C
cording to Margaret Anglin. who Is
player OF some experience in matters re-
gardlng the American stage. that New
York is "overtheatred" The city has ae'
oulred so many theatres OF late that 1t
takes more good plays and good actors
than are obtsinsble in order TO I'll them.
Yet there is such vast horde OF amuse
ment seekers here that people viii support
for a certain length of time things that are
mill nnFf