The Washington times., 1914-10-09
Two Dramatic Secrets Are
Revealed Here This Week
Manager of "The Secret" Dis.
covers PIaybiIl of Show of
the Same Name Which Is
ia Years Old.
By GARDNE RMACK.

Washington has been harboring tive
dramatic secrets this week. Both II
he same building. Frances Starr re
Veals one of them in three intense act:
one that was written by Henri Bern
stein and was supposed to be entirely
new. The other one laid dormant fol
lust little over ia years, and its dis
rovery was almost as dramatic.
1t was not brought to the surface uni
Ill yesterday when an inquisitive
theatrical manager, in an idle moment
sought to investigate a picture frame
he top of which he saw protruding
from behind a door.
He was wandering aimlessly through
Manager Rapley's offices at the Nation
al Theater looking at the pictures on
the wall. He made the circuit of the
room and was about to go out when
he noticed a corner of a frame sticking
out above a door pushed back against
one. of the partitions. Idly he pulled
the door away from the wall and then
Ie emitted a long, astonished whistle.
'Ollowed by a statement of extreme be-
vilderment that is common, though 1t
does not pass current through the mails.
Captain on Program.
In the big frame there was a theater
program. 1t read:
-NITED STATES THEATER,
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
IN Monday Evening, September 1st, 1880,
VIII be presented a NEW COMEDY in
Ave acts Cnever acted here) called
THE SECRET:
Or Partnership Dissolved.
For Ia years that secret had been
kept, The program was old and yellow,
nd the names of the people in the
asst were all unfamiliar to present-day
heatergoers, or even students OF thea
,er history, with the single exception
.tuthentic data to go upon, it is be-
lleved that the Warren who helped
produce the new comedy" was the
'ather of the William Warren who was
so distinguished an actor half century
ago and well known, particularly in
Soston. Old theatergoers Will remem-
The National Theater is the success
sor of the old United States Theater,
according to people who claim to know.
although ii does not stand on the site
of-the building where The Secret" was
produced over a century ago. The older
building is said TO have been on what
is now + street, at about where the
Interior Department now stands.
Capital Raw Village.
In September. 1Soo Washington was a
raw village. While it had been offi-
tally made the Capital of the Nation,
Congress had not yet met here. 1t con-
sisted of few buildings and shops and
a hotel or two. There is nothing In
local literature that tells anything
about the production of THE Secret"
although II would seem to have been
quite a gala event, from the manner in
which the program is prepared.
Theaters opened earlier in those
days. A note tells prospective patrons
: nat the doors will be thrown open at
> 30 and that the curtain will Use
Iromptly at $50. The price of admis-
sion was one dollar. and the box office
in the afternoon on days when plays
we're to be shown. And plays were only
Ehown on Mondays. Wednesdays. and
Eridsys. Tickets could be obtained.
however, at Way & Groffs printing
offce and at McI.aughlin's Tavern in
The ancient program which Manager
Rapley has on the walls Of his. office
a COPY of the original which for
many years formed a part Of the IA
nous collection in Hancock's place, in
Pennsylvania avenue between Twelfth
= nd Thirteenth streets. Manager Zap
~ has had the program for years.
'ut had forgotten all about it. 1t re-
aained for the manager of the company
3rodueing a brand new play of Dre-
isely the same name to find the long
~ 0eglected bill. 1t is understood that Mr..
I}elasco will have a copy of the original
nade for his extensive collection.