New-York tribune., 1911-12-20
LITTLE THEATRE PLANS
Winthrop Ames Gives First Def
mite Announcement.

The brick walls OF the playhouse TO ho'o
less than half thousand people, when
Winthrop Ames is building for the presen-
tation of plays that for their best effect re-
ouire an intimate relation between audi
once and actors. are rising rapidly IN west
4Hh street, about hundred yards from
Broadway The theatre will present its
opening bill during the last week In Febru-
airy or the first week in March.
Mr. Ames made the first detailed an
nouncement OF his plans yesterday.
1T is to be called The Little Theatre.
he said. Il am not wholly satisfied with the
name. but better one has not been sug-
gested The Playhouse would have suited
exactly. but there Mr.. Brady was before
hand.
"lu spite Of it's size. The Little Theatre
will not have the effect OF hall or lyceum'
II is a complete theatre reduced from the
average dimensions-no smaller, indeed
somewhat larger. than many theatre OF
the same type abroad, az. for instance, The
Little Theatre I'm London, Rheinhardts $
Kammererspiele in Berlin or the Theatre
des Arts in Paris. All OF these were Dulit
with the same idea in mind-the close con-
nectIon between actor and audience, that all
tho subtle shades OF voice and expression
so important to the effect Of modern plays
may reach the spectators. But there are
IA he no galleries, no balconies and no
boxcs. Every seat in the house is an or
chestra seat and every seat Is as good az
overv other. The spectator in the last
row the fifteenth can see and near quite
AS well as the one i'm the first. Sight lines
are perfect and the seats are the most
roomv and the widest between rows OF any
I'm New York.
cone short fight below the auditorium
there will be large lounge to which
hone the audience will resort during the
Iorger intermisslons. Coffee will be served
in the lounge evenings and tea afternoons.
| am convinced people enjoy play moro
n they don't attempt to sit still throughout
the length OF an average performance.
..Rut these are externals. The main point
is what kind Of PLAYS are TO be presented
what Is To be the policy of The Little The-
atre To phrase Il in one sentence-I shall
fry 10 make # a place Of entertainment for
intelligent people. / hope such a poilc!
viii allow me to produce not only plays
Of wide appeal. but plays of essential nov
pItN, ana plays tidl NObiN " HN'''' 49,
larger theatres because OF needing
rather special audience. but only plays IN
which there is some appeal TO intelligence
refined humor. Imagination or the literary
sense.
"A clearer view Of the aim may be gath
cred from plays ! have already planned Tor
production.
First. The Pigeon a comedy. by John
Galsworthy. author Of Strife ana JUS
lice The Pigeon is in quite different
vein from the grim power ot 'Strlte anu
Justice It Is charming humorous whlm-
sical vet with all Mr.. Galsworthy's SIKH
in construction. vivid character drawing
and drama-and there is very unusual
idea for the smiling audience to take away.
This will be followed by new play by
&. Ram Kennedy. author OF 'Ihe servant
IN the House. called The Terrible MeeE'
This is really startlingly original IN luea
and treatment-so original thot doh
want 10 give further description of IL at
present.
Then there is 'Anatol.' BY ;hr famous
Viennese dramatist. Arthur SchhitZler. "
plain novel in form, because instead u a
continues plot, II develops character ly
f. series Of episodes all held together by
the same delightful hgur, of Anatoi, a
man to whom To be IA love is life. but 10
whom constancv to one girl is quite im-
rossible Some people may think Anatol a
mir lacking In morals. or immoral. Schnitz-
Ter never intended him to be 80 consider d;
bat ono can imagine BIN T. be pretty mu'h
what one chooses.
Then The Electra of Eurpldes. with
Miss Eouh Wyunc Matthison ls Electra.
Tho staging OF Electra IS to lie In "A new
form. which hope may suSges, the cd"'t
Of tho Greek conventions, and at the same
,lmo not hamper the rrcat emotional sweep
OF the PLAY.
Then . modern tstIri. 81 comedy ~ New
York ne. called 'Oa, Two. Three and ont
Coo she, hy John 7, llaycs, new Amcrl-