The Washington herald., 1914-05-03
BELASCO Makes
new PRODUCTION
New National Theater Select
ed by Wizard Of Stage
craft" for Premiere Of
What's Wrong" a New
Comedy by Frederick Bal
lard.
by JULIA CHANDLER MANz.

by JULIA CHANDLER MANI.
The closing week Of the local theatrical
season of Is1s-l4 Is one Of remarkable in
terest, in that 1t brings US an opportunity
to see q new play by q comparatively
new playwright as well as the produe-
ton with which David Belasco anticipates
opening his New York season Of 1s14-lb.
Mr.. Belssco has chosen the New Ma
tional Theater as the scene for the pre-
miere of whats Wrong" comedy
from the pen of Frederick Ballard. and
will remain in Washington throughout
the week in order to personally supervise
the production.
That the Wizard Of stagecraft" has
faith In the Judgment Of Capital play
goers has been many times demonstrated.
for Il was in this city that his most nota-
BILE successes were given their initial per-
formances, including 'Du' Barry"
"zaza," The Darling of the Gods"
Sweet Kitty Bellairs," THE Woman"
The Case Of Becky and many other
BeIasco successes
And now we are to see his first presen-
tation Of q comedy from the pen OF q
new author, who is a native OF Lincoln,
Nebr., and a graduate Of q Western col
lege.
Frederick Ballard says he cannot re-
member the time when he did not intend
to write drama nor when he did not take
his preparation for this work into seri-
Gus consideration. Being Of practical
turn of mind, he went to Chicago after
he had finished his literary preparation
for the career which he had picked out
for himself, and there, very sensibly,
went TO work as a stage hand In order
TO famfliarize himself with the technical
end of play producing. At the end Of
year in this occupation Mr.. Ballard went
to Harvard for the purpose OF dramatic
instruction under Prof. George F. Baker,
during which course John Craig, Of the
Castle Square Stock Company, Of Bos-
ton, offered a prize Of 500 for the best
play written on an American subject.
only the students Of Harvard and Rad
cliff being allowed to enter the contest
Mr.. Ballard took advantage OF the con-
test, and his comedy, Believe Me,
xantippc," won the prize. and was given
a production for six weeks by Mr.. Craig.
The comedy presented many crudities,
but Il gave ample evidence of the genuine
ability Of its author to the astute Belas-
youth a chance-and he contracted with
Mr. Ballard for hds next effort, with the
result that, after two years constant
work under Mr.. Belasco's direction. We
are now to see his comedy based on the
fooThardfness and futility Of our national
curse Of overcrowding our lives with
work and worry.
Mr.. Belasco's productions need no COM
ment. They have won him the tftfe of
N@ - l.
internationally, so that, whatever may,
or may not. be the merits Of Mr.. Bal
lard's new play, we are at least sure Of
a supremely artistic production.
The Belesco Theater also closes its
season Saturday evening, the ffnal week
being devoted to q return engagement of
within the Law" which Will open on
Tuesday evening. as the Mask and Wig
gers have the theater tomorrow evening
for their annual jubilee
The same company which was seen
here earlier in the year. headed by Miss
Helen Ware, will again present the most
tense and thrilling melodrama which
has been seen in Washington this season.
closing the season for theater and COM
pany alike until another dramatic year.
after which Miss Ware, who has a great
go to her ranch in the West, where she
will spend the summer in riding. shoot
ing, and throwing the lariat-
No one acquainted with Miss Wares
finely intelligent and highly emotional
work in within the Law" would ever
imagine that q gift s pronounced as hers
could ever have found difficulty in gain
ing recognition, but It Is q fact never
theless.
mer visit to Washington this season,
Miss Ware said:
TT was not until resolved to 20 on
the stage that appreciated what real
work meant. Nor was II until after I 1
had become acquainted with every
fagstone on Broadway in the vicinity |
OF the producing managers Offices that |
1 fully appreciated the truth of these |
lines:
ms heights. By rezt r-n. reached and kept. |
Wqe not sttainsd hy sudden fight:
But theJ, while their ccmpsnions Hept
We're toilins upward IN the night
For four years 1 struggled for recos-
milton, and during those four years
went through enough painful expert |
ences to I'LL q good-siZed shelf full OF
books Going the lines above one bet |
ter to use the vernacular. ! toiled not
only through the nights. but through the
long days as well. Only an unknown \
Thespien, striving without experience
and without influence to make the man.
ayers give him a chance, can understand |
the heartaches and the footaches of those
four years.
Il shall never forget my FIRST engage
ment. 1t was played at the 'Opry
House" in a small Western town whose |
name has slipped my memory. Every
one in the company was hard pressed
for money. and the news that there was !
an American plan hotel in the village |
where we could live for 80 cents q day |
was greeted with cheers. This 30 cents
included a room and three meals, so /
you can imagine the proportion of lux
ury. But fortune was against me, for l.
upon reaching the hotel, after plodding /
up long hill with two heavy grips in
my hands, I was chagrined and dis
mayed to f1nd that every room was oc-