Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-14
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|
| oRsE PAXTON, an actor-'lianase.
who has devoted twenty years OF
his career to stock work, and
~ who is credited with being the
first man to make summer
| stock company pay at the West End
| Theater New York, being asked to what
he attributed his success, said some things
that may be of interest to local patrons.
The chief factor, he said, Is the per
sonal element'-that is, having players
that stand in with the audience. The
| "tneater FAM" he says, is just as anxious
to raise a racket to boost his or her
favorite as the base ball fan" To this
end, he says, the company should be kept
intact Another factor, he says, Is that
some road companies sent with plays
| from New York are below a satisfactory
standard, and theatergoers are not
easily hoodwinked these days. Still an
other is the fact that new plays are being
released for stock sooner than formerly.
In its local companies Washington has
experienced the value Of Mr.. Payton's
chief factor, the personal popularity OF
payers. 1IUeSu Tic dppaaoSS "ANASAA -
variably greets the appearance each even
ing of each Of the players has sometimes
marred the play, but people have right
to applaud what they like. The last
factor mentioned may have its weight.
but old plays, real old plays. have been
produced in stock here and aroused as
much enthusiasm as anything Of the
latest modern brand, either in summer or
winter. Those who have seen and en-
joyed them In the past go again to re-
new their acquaintance, and to those who
have never seen them they are as new as
the newest. 1t all depends upon how
| they are produced. and local patrons are
willing to match the local companies with
any in their line.
The second factor advanced by MI
Payton, that Of keeping the company in
| tact, has not been demonstrated In Wash
ington experience because each year has
| seen vital changes in the Columbia Play
ers, while the Poll Players, all, with
perhaps one exception, newcomers, have
leaped at bound into popular favor. Old
friends are dear. 1t Is true, but If the
| new ones are the right sort, they soon
become just as dear although they may
not entirely supplant the old.
| Mr.. Paytons third factor, the occasional
failure Of road companies to size up to
| the standard, is a vital one, especially as
| those same road companies charge the
same prices-and those the highest-as
| the best companies that appear in New
York or elsewhere and here that means
| 81 for seats on the first floor, against IS
cents for the stock production, and
Washington can furnish many instances
in which the stock production, always
good, has outstripped the regular season
! road company in the same play. Folks
who appreciate the difference between
the two-dollar scale and the seventy-five-
cent scale for the same or a better article
may not want to look farther for reasons
why the stock companies are popular and
why even permanent stock companies are
growing in number every day all over the
United States.
Incidentally 1t may be mentioned that
the two productions by the local COM
panies last week, ''Zira," by the Columbia
Players. and THE Commuters" by the
Poit. Players, furnished unanswerable
reasons for their splendid patronage.
Even the blase first-nighter had to admit
they were models of excellence. and not at
all exceptional samples of what the local
companies can do and have been doing
since they came to bid for Washington
patronage.
A PEEP AT THE OTHER SIDE.-It Is
only the fellow they call 1.-The critic" who
finds flaws in that which fascinateS hun
dreds. He only seems to be always busy
marring somebody's satisfaction. He sees
a defect and declares himself. and some
body's delight takes a tumble and some
body gets mad" But 1t cannot be
helped. That's what he is paid for.
On the other hand the fayorite player In
a company seems to win favor SO easily.
He or she comes on the stage. makes
pretty or a sad speech and instantly hun
dreds exclaim with keen appreciation
Isn't it splendid. And It's SO easy But
there Is another side.
The great audiences that throng the
Poli Theater weekly find the keenest de-
light In the work of the little leading
woman. No matter what role she essays.
she is perfect IN the opinion of her hun
dreds Of summer admirers. They defend
her at all times With the utmost warmth
and loyalty. But IL, perchance, some
evening. maybe only one In the whole
livelong summer. Miss Jewel should fall
short OF expectations, should do some
thing that the eager critic can bounce
upon and exploit to the readers of his
paper, to show how keen Judge he is,
and even those many summer admirers
might be forced to admit he is right,
how many are there who would remember
the other side Of the story?
The great plays that come out of New
York equipped with new and attractive
scenery and costumes. with casts of care
fully chosen and experienced players,
give in their performance the result of
weeks Of hard work and careful prepare
ton. Hours upon hours have been devot-
ed to study and attempt to reach the
ideal by every player. all the while the
author, perhaps. and the wise old stage
director. for certainty, have carped
and found fault and changed this and
that until the production is rounded out
for Its first performance. After that the
hard work Is practically done. The stand
ards are set and the experience and tai
ents of the players enable them to be
maintained.
But how about the stock company's
production? 1t is built in the short space
OF one Week-Seven days. And while it
II building the company Is playing some
thing that has been built the week be-
fore. In the meanwhile there are two
performances a day which call for time
II nothing else. There are lines to be
studied and there Is no royal road to
learning them. While the players mind
Is filled with the speeches and cues Of
the play of this week-the cues are
dramatic warnings when the lines are
to be spoken and when the next player