The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-10

New York play because OF the cour-
age OF A. H. Woods. I have had ex-
perience in many games Of chance.
l have played faro in Dawson, and fan
tan in San Francisco in the old days,
but l never found a man so ready TO
act and plunge on his convictions as
A. II. Woods.
Il mention this because I believe
that the fundamental quality of man
agerial success Is this kind OF courage.
1t Is the lack OF 1t that keeps about
two thirds OF the hits produced in
New York lying in the cobwebs for
indefinite lengths OF time until some
manager, with more courage than the
rest. comes along and takes a chance
on it;
THE Big Chance was written
originally by Grant Morris, a news
paper man and playwright Of Balti-
more. Mr.. Woods, TO whom the play
was sent. recognized and appreciated
the literary value OF the original
story. but saw that In Its then form
II was not At nor ready for the
theatre. He sent for me and asked
me to read 1t. did so. and agreed
to put 1t in what I considered the
proper shape for the theatre, prac-
t!cally rewriting the play.
When your manuscript is ready the
second difficult phase OF production be-
gins. and that is assembling your cast.
Usually your cast requires as many
changes as your script. because the
most difficult thing know OF is to find
actors free from theatrical manner
isms and professional tricks. Since
the types in the play were easily
recognizable human, every day peo-
pie, this kind OF actor was the kind
we wanted to avoid. Mr. Woods
finally secured the cast, and we took
the show on the road, where it met
with the reception that is accorded to
nine out OF every ten hits--a cold
and frozen one. The Big Chance
Jared possibly a little worse than the
average, because it is eminently and
distinctly a New York play. ] mean
by this that there are hundred little
touches in it that New York will
grasp but which mean nothing to the
provincial theatregoer. The result OF
our tour was that The Big Chance
looked like anything but what its title
suggests. 1t might be well to men,
ton here that the most freezing re-
ception accorded the play was received
at the hands OF the Philadelphia
critics. Everybody lost faith in the
play but Mr.. Woods. As an illustra-
ton OF the acumen OF the average
New York manager l should like 10
say that the various producers who
came to see the play out of town with
view 10 putting 1t In their theatres
thought II WAS doomed to complete
and dismal failure.
AT the last moment after our New
York opening had been announced we
were compelled to make a change in
the leading role. We were fortunate
enough to secure the services of Mary
Nash, and again were scheduled TO
open In New York at the Thirty ninth
Street Theatre. This time the cast was
ready, hut the play was not 1t needed
the little Intimate touches which the
New York critics later said contrib
uted so much to the success Of the
play. Again the date OF the New York
orening was changed as we'll as the
theatre, and We finally arrived at our
full dress rehearsal on Sunday, Octo-
Der %, at the Forty-eighth Street The
atre. This was one day before the
opening date. When the cup was so
near the lip another difficulty arose,
and 1t looked as though a third post