Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-18
Curtain Calls

In an eloquent plea for a dramatic
museum, Professor Max j. Herzberg,
of the Central High School, says, in
Educational Review"
ITO be effective, the teaching of
literature must itself be so far lit
erary that it is abundantly and strill-
ingly concrete. specific, sensory.
"a great deal has been done in re-
cent years to obtain these results.
When pupils themselves dramatic
and produce one of Longfellow's
Tales of a Wayside Inn they are
learning to love literature; similarly,
when scene of Shakespeare is
staged.
"Since 1911 there has existed at Co
hmbia University, under the direc-
ton of Brander Matthews, professor
of dramatic literature, a dramatic
museum.
NO other museum of this character
on such q scale has hitherto been
planned. A beginning of something
similar was made in France in 1878,
when a special collection of models
and of sets of scenery was prepared
as a part of the French governmental
exhibit displayed at the Paris eX-
position of that year. The museum
at the Coincide Franchise is EXPOSE
tory only of the history of that ia
nous institution. In Munich and in
Milan exist also certain collections of
much interest; but in none of these
European museums has there been
present the idea of making a col
lection of a historical series of models
which will help to make plain the
successive stages of the development
of the drama from the days of the
Greeks to the present time to quote
Professor Matthews's catalogue. This
has been the task Of those interested
in the Columbia museum. The cX-
hibt there, and 1t is, of course, by
40 means complete, is divided at
present into nine sections, represent
ing tho Greek. the Latin. the me-
dieyal, the English, the Spanish the
Italian, the French, the Oriental and
the contemporary drama. In each
case the endeavor has been to secure
accurate models of theatres
\ four-hIm photoplay. "Jess,"
dramatization of Rider Haggard's
novel. is being given at the new Ma
iestc. This is in addition to num-
Der of interesting vaudeville acts.
Edna Luby. the clever little actress,
is appearing at the head of a splendid
cast i'm her own original idea. which
she calls THE Crucial Moment" at
Proctor's Park Place Theatre, this
week 1t is an entirely different kind
of an act inasmuch as a moving
picture story is used to introduce thu
playlet. It treats of the hardships
of a dutiful wife to a drunken. worth
less husband-in picture form-and
when the act begins the scene is laid
in millionaires home in which the
wife has become the goVerness. The
millionaire has become greatly at
tached to the governess. When the
husband appears in the guise of
burglar-and is shot by the million
aire-the comedy part of the act en-
ters IT develops that the entire.
dramatic acting has been for the pur.
pose of making a moving picture
finland the cast is "called hard
by the promoter for bad pieture-act-
ing. Miss Luby is supported by Ben
net Southland, Crotney White, 7. b.
Evans and John A. Boone
The motion pictures showing the
release of former Police Lieutenant
Charles Becker from Sing Sing after
he was granted new trial for the
murder of Gambler Rosenthal, con-
tinue to attract much attention at
Keeney's Theatre. They show him
IN the company OF ms WIG, ltleHnS
and newspapermen, as well as of Off
cials who have him in custody, and
follow his trip from the prison until
his arrival in New York.
'ramat tic Editor of the Evening STAR
Sir-What is your opinion Of Sheri-
dams Rivals as a play? DO you
think it worthy of production in one
OF our high schools as an elevator"
What manuscript would you advise
using; that is, what revision? Await
ing an answer in your column. Sim
cerely, ALBERT JACQUES.
Answer-"The Rivals" has with
stood the shocks of criticism for $50
years. IT is one of the great come
dies Any school can but honor it.
self by producing such a play
worthily. / am not familiar with
any variants" that may exist, and
can only "guess" that any edition OF
"The Rivals" is pretty nearly as good
as any other-Dramatic Editor.