The sun., 1916-11-07
CENTURY GIRL" HAS
GALAXY OF TALENT.
S%ublimatcd Musical Farce Is
Produced at New Gem
fury Theatre.
IT Is FULL OF NOVELTY
New Policy Of the House
Cshercd In With a
Great Success.

One more era IN the policy Of the
famous Century Theatre was begun last
night when subiimated musical farce
was seen on the stage once designed rs
the New Theatre for academic perform
anccs OF the highest conte m%poraneous
forms of dramatic art,
All the changes that have cOme In the
scvcn years since Antony and Cleo
patra' opened this ambitious enterprise
are familiar to observers OF the theatre
In New York.
The spectacular plays that followed
the first attempts at drama combined
with opera and ballet, opera In the YER
naculs-. Sophocles In English with lsa-
dora Duncan dancing new %interpreta-
lions Of the poet and then later rough
musical spectscles that soon disappeared
these are some OF the e~xtravagant and
erring artistic efforts TO bring popularity
to the beautiful building so generously
dedicated "a the New York public BY
the gentlemen who sought to give the
city an academic PLAY house.
New Policy Obscrvcd.
The new policy OF the theatre was
observed last night ny q brilliant audi
ence and there was no possible discredit
In the form of the entertainment. In
the production OF these glittering mu-
steal shows the American stage IL pre-
eminent so with e. n. Dillingham; and
Flo Ziegfeld. who have been most skill
full h this kind of performance, in
charge the Century Theatre seems likely
TO find success witt the kline Of achieve
rnent in which our theatre Ia superior
to n other in tho world. II may not
be a great or artistic field: but Il Is
our own.
II was not alone In changing the
policy OF the theatre that there were
differences to come IN with the new
dynasty. The outward and visible signs
OF the change could not he neglected.
So Joseph Urban made suggestions and
the generous owners OF the theatre cans
forward to add still more to the sums
they have spent on the institution.
The walls ~ the spacious Railways
and corridors have been painted In tur-
Quois and yellow. Raphael Kirchner
has been brought from Vienna to paint
ten portraits Of the beauties OF the
chorus on the walls OF the orchestra cor
'dor. Within the auditorium there are
such minor changes a. the restoration
NJ the ceiling TO the view OF the
audience by the removal OF the silk
canopy put In for the sake Of the
acoustics and the eclipse of the onyx
proscen.um frame In gold leaf.
Some Of the numerous rooms In the
theatre have been arranged for dancing.
Last night IL was promised that the
Cocoanut Grove on the roof would he
open for an after theatre entertain
ment next week.
Actors In the Play.
But il was on the other side OF the
footlights that there a been the great
ert extravaganza to make the new de-
parture of the theatre completely sue
cessful. All the available talent that is
comic. musical. graceful or just merely
beautiful had been placed in the service
of the new Arm OF impresarios-Dill!ng-
han & Zieg'eid.
Both Marie DRESSER and Sam Der
nard. who have too long been absent
from the stage Hazel Dawn. who has
also been among the missing for two
seasons Elsie Janis. who IL always de-
lightful in plays OF his kind t.eor
Errol, F-anS Tinney. az Nell as Harry