The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-04-14
DRAMATIC NEWS
AND COMMENT

Oliver Morosco, one OF the best
known theatrical men OF the west, who
is now recognized as a strong factor in
| eastern theatrical circles. has written
An article on western stock companies
under the caption ''Those Stock Com
pspies Of the West. which throws a
new light on the value of a good stock
company 10 public and manager alike.
Now. As always. the center of
things theatrical is in New York, - saws
Mr.. Morosco. "but there are spots
away from Broadway where the activ.
ity is growing. Chicago is looming AS
center OF producing activity. and
there is healthy spirit of push-the
ball along in other localities. Califor
MIA is one.
Theatrical men have begun 10 do
things in California. Stock production
has reached higher level of excellence
both from the standpoint Of personnel
and production, there than elsewhere.
It is in this line that | have had my
experience. and il has been with an
aim solely to improve stock productions
that | have applied myself.
'It rs exactly with such sentiments
that | look upon mY profession as a
stock produccr--cvery man to his trade
and every man S trade his hobby. Az
the name implies. theatrical stock
company consists of a regularly organ
lied group of players under the one
management. The practice generally
has been for such organizations of
playgoers to appear in d different play
each week of the theatrical season,
which varies according to the condi
tions in the city in which they appear
1T is obvious to everyone that this
practice of constant change of bill
makes it extremely difficult for the
PLAYERS TO give anything approaching
finished performance. They are ap-
pearing in one play this week, are com.
DletiDg rehearsals on the play to be
presented next week. and are studying
the parts OF the play to be presented
parts TO keep in mind And this is
only. an outline Of how the average
stock organization rehearses.
/" In our stock organization in Los An
geles, we have struck away from these
antiduated methods. Our tbill is
never changed under three weeks. By
giving each attraction this minimum Of
time. we are never rushed.
During the early part of the week
on which We make change in bill, ,
we distribute the parts of the next at
traction. The company members thus
have three weeks in which to learn and
perfect their parts. The first week is
given over to study OF the lines and
) ut sCCOHu week unOS Lncnl
called for series of daily rehearsals,
during which the mechanics of the play
are drilled, and the business and de
tails of each part are carefully fixed
upon and rehearsed This leaves the
third. or final week, for dress rehear.
sails. during which the performance is
snoothed down and little touches of
correction and addition are made here
and there as required.
'' Rv fOllowInp thtc ,,l,n ,,,ona>J
IN presenting each play in as complete
2 form and give as well-rounded a per
formance as it is possible to achieve
Three weeks has been found, by exper-
jence. to be about the time the average
play requires for its proper presenta.
tion.
When we first put this plan into
operation, In the west, theatrical men
throughout the country looked askance.
1t was considered as revolutionary
and the critics, volunteer and other.
wise. seemed to feel that it could not
succeed. They pointed out that one of
the strongest cards of the stock com,
panies throughout the country had
been that they Offered change of at
traction every week-that stock com
pany audiences did not expect as high
a standard in the performances as the
audiences who patronized the two.dol.
lar show. But we thought differently.
and that We thought right has been
demonstrated by the success of our
companies.
In working along the definite lines
had laid down for our guidance, |
got away from another time.honored
feature. Instead Of depending upon
the standard and tried attractions
such as East Lynne or Hazel
Kirk or such plays as had been pre-
sented previously by travelling com
panles throughout the country, we
started in to produce new plays
plays that bad never before been seen
on the stage. And in our staging we
followed out the best lines Of modern
complete scenic inyestiture, studied
and careful stage direction, and a cast
of qualified and popular players.
'Once II became noised abroad that
the Morosco stock was going to pre-.
sent new plays on its own account. the
manuscripts of plays began pouring in.
or course, | always had known that
the number of people who feel they
have the spark Of dramatic ability in
.ss'iza .ssm was s, very large. But ! did not
country was busily engaged in put,
ting thoughts on paper. I received
new plays from writers already estab
lished as. successful playwrights, and
from writer's who hoped to become
successful.
We gave each play we produced
public presentation Of Mt least three
weeks and as much longer as the pub
lie seemed to want il. 1t is with con-
siderable qualification that recall the
titles OF some pieces. done first by
us, that afterwards became popular
vehicles for some OF our best-known
stars. To mention one that served
Maxine Elliott and Nat Goodwin as q
good vehicle, take When We We're
Twenty one. Then We did 'The Rose
of the Rancho. which David Belasco
afterwards turned into such a big 'hit
The Girl of the Golden West was
another play that first saw the light
of day in our stock theater Lately we
did The Country Boy and The
Arab
''In an organization such as ours.
one OF the prime requisites is TO Sc
lect company of PLAYERS sufficiently
versatile 10 do more than assume FIRE.
queni now roles in mechanical sort
Of way. Different plays have vastly
6iffcrpnf typcs IF oh TIL