New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-02
NEWS OF PLAYS
And PLAYERS
Maternity" and the Pur-
pose Play Society
Membership.
A CHORUS GIRL
FOUR HUNDRED
John Drew to Appear at the
Empire Theatre in
Rosemary"
by HECTOR TTRNBULL.

~ hif' ibiA ~ hND' lsl4s
u is interesting TO note the curious
change that has taken place within
the past few seasons in the attitude
Of the public to the plays Of Eugene
ErieuX. When Damaged Goods" was
hrst presented here the prudes among
me thcatrcgOers who were not 100
mortified for words spent a great deal
OF time in writing indignant letters
OF protest to the newspapers and the
producing manager. Richard Ben
nett was forced 10 resort TO private
performances, the organization Of
sociological, societies and no end Of
diplomacy before the excitement
quoted down and the play came TO be
regarded as a legitimate theatrical
production The unusual publicity
that resulted, however, together with
the natural patronage of the seekers
after pruriency that always follows
such sensation, gave the play re-
markable prominence among the pro-
auctions Of the season. and IL is said
that Mr.. Bennett and his co-workers
aid very well indeed on their tour.
As the director of the forthcoming
production Of the French playwright's
Maternity" Mr. Bennett finds public
opinion sineularly changed The
prudes have either vanished completely
or else become too apathetic 10 write
protests TO the newspapers. The aver
age intelligent playgoer probably
reads the announcement with interest
and commends Mr. Bennett for his
devotion to art and the public well
fare. This reception Of Maternity"
IS evidently too mild. too usual, 10
n do asal
Damaged Goods" ride 10 prosperity
on wave Of sensation. Therefore the
SErewd publicity bureau announces a
"Women's Only" series of perform
ances and men will be admitted Tex
cept the newspaper men, bless 'em)
only after they join the Purpose Play
Society Every one entering the Prin-
cess after Maternity" opens must be
a Purpose Play Society member
Perhaps there may be a good rea-
son for all this farrago of technical
barriers, besides an attempt to create
an unhealthy atmosphere for advertis-
ing purposes, but it is hardly appar-
ent. Maternity" is a splendid criti-
cism of the attitude of modern society
towards motherhood and besides being
written i'm a spirit of almost scientific
detachment its stirring truths are
presented, not in the fashion Of an
animated lecture, like Damaged
Goods" but in fine dramatic form. 1t
should be given to the public openly
and frankly as a mastery play and
not in a manner that is well calculated
to awake a morbid curiosity among
the prurient.
Through the courtesy Of his niece,
Miss Ethel Barrymore, who was shortly
10 have appeared in her new play,
John Drew is given the stage Of the
Empire Theatre for fifteen perform
ances of Rosemary" beginning
Wednesday. January 13. Rosemary"
written siXteen-odd years ago by Louis
Parker and Murray Carson, was first
performed in this country at the En-
pire Theatre by John Drew and Maude
Adams. Mr.. Drew is starting on
long Western tour in Rosemary
with Miss Alexandra Carlisle play
ing the part opposite to his role; but
il was his wish and Mr.. Frohman's
that the tour. if it could be managed,
should take its start from the theatre
where the play was first produced.
Miss Barrymore's season at the En-
pire Theatre will begin Monday. Feb
ruary !, but between January IL and
that date Mr.. Drew viii act Rose
mary" fifteen times in the Empire
Theatre. Mr. Harry Harwood has been
engaged for his original part in
Rosemary
We should like to blame this on the
compleat press agent, but Miss Lo-
rayne Leslie herself assures us that she
is I'm dead earnest about the whole al
fair. and that the girls are not aiming
al titled or wealthy husbands, but real
"uplift" Miss Leslie, then, became
furious short time ago over the lack
of discrimination shown by the public
IN referring 10 chorus girls The
fury resulted in the following state
ment:
81 don't know where people get
such funny notions about chorus
girls. Goodness knows not from
any knowledge of them. Why,
there's as much difference and
class distinction among the chorus
as there is i'm every walk OF life. MISS
Curtis, Miss Conway, Miss Lewis and
/ have talked 10 over very thoroughly,
and we've decided 10 form an exclusive
set 400 of our own. realize me
opposition with which we snail meet
and the difficulties facing US, but we
of MANY of the leaders ia society. The
aim of our 400 will be first TO estab-
Ish a real standard Of highest type
of chorus girl, and our blue book VIII
contain the names OF only those girls
VINO can present a family tree worthy
Of consideration in our exclusive CIR
Gle" We said Dear me-" and prom
ised to help look for trees.
Literary Note Marie Dressler, the
coincidence who is starring in "A Mix
Up" az the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre,
has signed a contract with local pup
Usher 20 write a book Of anecdotes de-
scribing incidents during the days Of
trayesty productions NJ Weber &
FieIdss famous music hall at Broad
way and 29th 81. The title OF the
volume will be when Everybody
Laughed" and Miss Dressler has prom
ised 10 deliver the manuscript by Feb
ruary ].
Thursday evening. January =. will be
"To-night's the Night night at Gas
ties in the Air atop the Forty-fourtn
Street Theatre, when George eros
smith. Emmy Wehlen, James Blakeley,
Iris Hoey. Fay Compton. Dayy Burnaby'
Lauri De Freco. Peggy kurton, the
Wodpe Saunders. Robert Mainly, Gypsy
O'Brien and other members Of the
London Gaiety company will be guests
of the management. Mr.. and Mrs.
Vernon Castle will appear in a special
exhibition Of their own ballroom
dances. and an impromptu programme
of entertainment will be carried out
Charles Hopkins announces that Al
fred Sutro's comedy, The Clever