The Washington times., 1915-02-07
Believes His Presence Here Is!
Good Sign Because Of "Lit.
tie Minister'S" Success.
PLAY FIRST PRODUCED HERE
Celebrated Manager Tells Of
Maude Adams First In
!, dorsement in Capital.

CHARLES Frohman has arrived from
New York to produce new American
play at the Columbia Theater. tomor-
row night and at the same time bring
out new American star. Just after
getting settled at his hotel, Mr.. Froh-
man said:
II am glad to produce again in Wash
ington play that will be acted here
for the first time on any stage-a play
as well written by an American and
with its chief part acted by a new
American star. I am superstitious
enough to regard my presence in WASH
ington under these circumstances as a
good augury. for it was here that |
first produced The Little Minister
a play that has since acted itself all
over the world. Here. too. that great
American actress, Maude Adams. first
received Endorsement as a star.
II remember that night. 1t will al
ways be memorable to me. The wealth
er vas as hot then as it is cold now. 1t
was SO hot that l came to Washington
by boat. On the Sunday before the
opening. Miss Adams, two or three OF
the other actors and l. went to the
Columbia Th eater in an express wagon
The wagon was drawn by the only
horse that had dared to come out that
was SO hot that we did not begin the
piece until o'clock; but / need not
tell you that, hot as it was. 1t did not
melt our play.
"Peter Pan" Given Here First.
1T was in this city, too, that we first
gave life to Peter Pam Here it won
its greatest triumph. Our present COM
edy. "A Girl of Today Is up to the
moment: and at its head Is a new star,
Miss Ann Murdoch. made in America
NO manager can fOretell the success Of
the new play: he u too close to it. He
can say no more about 1t than II Is act
much for "A Girl of Today and besides
that can claim that the play is clean.
Miss MurdOck received your Endorsement
in The Beautiful Adventure and that
Is one OF the reasons why we come
back.
LAS for the present theatrical season
--much has already been said or written
about it-but in all this mass of talk
ing and writing there has been one per-
sistent mistake. There are no bad cities
for good plays. and all bad plays are no
good in good or bad cities. The season
has proved that definite number of
American successes can be counted upon
and that the number grows each year
Trs advance Of the American playwright
is steady and deserved. The European
war Is going to create great demand
for plays. and l am sure the demand
will be met by greater and better
supply of American plays. All Europe
is paralyzed SO far as play-writing is
Foreign authors write me
that 1t Is impossible to work with real
tragedy going on Immediately around
them. So we must look for home work !;
1t is the greatest opportunity the
American playwright has ever had.
World Charged With Action.
Il believe the war will have a special
effect on future processes of playwrit-
Ing, and in this way. The world has been
terrifically charged with rapid action
Peoples minds have been getting into
the way Of digesting a huge amount of
complicated incidents. Swift action piled
upon action has been the story of the
present war. So. too. playwriting here
q fter, even when not concerned with war,
will have to be designed in the same
way-swift action piled upon action
more concrete deeds and less psych-
Ology. That l am sure for "a long time
TO come will be the temper of play
writing as well as the craving of the
people who go to see plays.
Among, the New York artists and
plays that you are to see I am glad to
name Ethel Barrymore, who has lust
achieved a great success in her new play
called tine Shadow. This piece
has put her at the very forefront of
natural emotional actresses Miss Elsie
Farguson has also achieved splendid
success In "Outcast." Both of my triple
alliance companies will reach Washing
ton before the end Of their careers. In
the dramatic line you shall see William
Gillette. Blanche Bates. Marie Doro, and
their companion players in "Diplo-
Macy in the musical comedy line,
Julia Sanderson. Donald Brian. Joseph
Cawthorn. and others will soon come to
Washington In THE Girl From Utah .
] am already planning number of
productions for next season. | propose
going to London just the same this
spring. war or no war. and in the
spring ! shall unite with David Belasco
on an all-star manager and all-star ac-
IL.