The Washington times., 1913-06-15
STOCK COMPANIES
GIVEN HIGH PRAISE
Drama League Commends the
Columbia and Poll Players
for Their Work.

An appreciation Of the two stock CON-
panies now producing plays in Wash.
ington is contained In the following
bulletin Of the Washington center OF the
Drama League Of America, which was
sent out yesterday:
To Members Of the Drama League:
The stock companies now occupying
the Columbia and Poll Theaters have
20 deservedly established themselves In
public approval that for this committee
to urge their merits IL probably super
fiuous. 1t may not be superfiuous, how
ever, to call attention to the fact. as
this committee believes It to be, OF the
great educational value OF these COM
panies to the community and the great
interest they possess in this respect for
all lovers Of the theater and observers
Of theatrical conditions.
Two Companies Commended.
The Columbia Players and the Poll
Players are filling the great need of
wholesome entertainment at prices
within the reach Of thousands of people
who can seldom attend the high-priced
productions of the winter season The
Drama League must. therefore. recog-
nize In these companies one of the most
potent agencies toward the end for
which the league itself is striving
namely. a higher level of public taste in
the drama. The crowds that attend
every performance of the stock compa-
nies are significant testimony to the fact
that plays ranging In character from
the morality or the thoughtful drama
down to the most frivolous farce, but
always legitimate, wholesome plays.
and not coarse burlesque or tawdry
musical shows. are as popular as any
form Of entertainment the theater can
offer. To establish demand like this
is to clear the way for the establish
ment Of a still higher standard and to
hasten the departure Of the inferior
things of the stage.
II there are members Of the Drama
League who have not been attending
the Columbia or the Poll Theater dur
ing the stock season, this committee
urges them. for their own pleasure as
well as in the interest of league princi-
Piles to do so. In the wide variety of
the stock company offerings. not Ill. of
course, can be equally pleasing to every
i
of these two companies. the choice may
safely be expected to lie among the
good Of the various types. and there Is
also frequent opportunity to see import
ant plays by modern dramatists which
cannot now be seen in other theaters.
Average Is High.
This, Of course, is not to say that
all or even most Of the stock company
plays would be the subject Of this COM
bulletins under other circum-
stances. Productions for which the
price Of admission is at most Is cents
should not In fairness be Judged by
standards SO exacting as those applied
when the price Is $2 or $50. and tho
choice Is unlimited; and for
plays which have been but one week in
rehearsal II is manifestly unreasonable
to expect the same finish OF perform
ance that may be had and should be
demanded Of the production which has
had the advantage Of long preparation.
The Columbia Players and the Poll
Players, however. notwithstanding,
have each to their credit individual per-
formances which compare favorably
with those of the original companies,
and from any viewpoint their average
of merit Is high, each company includ-
ing for important roles actors of proved
ability and in some instances excep-
tional versatility.
The Columbia and Poll stock COM
panies deserve your patronage.
PLAYGOING COMMITTEE.