The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-05-06
'LEeII' IS FORCED
TO new FIELDS
BY MOVIE PLAYS
Producers Find II Hard to
Satisfy Public.

NIM lDkk, w nW ~ tnc lnllu-
rnre Of the screen play upon the
sneaking stage What effect has the
moving picture upon the character OF
curren, theatrical productions Is the
stage producer avoiding the kind OF
plays that are making hit on the
white sheet
I'm these DAYS OF marvellous growth
and development Of the cinema art.
he,c are timely and important ques-
liens For II we can trace in the
screen productions and influence that
T., diycrting into distinctive lines or
limiting the scope oi a spoken pl y
house performance. We may he able 10
get far sight into the future OF the
American drama
on hand, il would appear as II the
movie with IL, swift movement, ITS ex-
citing and sometimes not too logical
action IT'S ability TO show seriously
scene, that # accompanied by spoken
words might produce not only laugh
ter but dcrison, is slowly limiting the
field OF the mclodrama.
4 survey OF current New York play
hil, shows Diminishing number OF
ihi, class Of productions. il must be
an unusual one or II must boast OF a
notable star IN order TO get over
The survey diScloses another note
worthy fact. That is the remarkable
increase IN the musical play For
several seasons now this has been cvi-
dent SO great has been the demand
ior this character Of show that pro-
duccrs have not been able to satisfy il
with original productions, but have
had to begin 10 adapt old popular
iarccS to the singing voice, to convert
successful spoken comedies into mu-
sical comedies. This, Of course, is
far cry for the screen. Tor the movie |
art must still cling to action only. |
Il has not vet mastered the elusive
Luack Of combining the voice with the
fitting accompanying photograph.
Another unusual situation is dis
cloStd hv the survey. Current play
house successes run largely to the
Up in Mabcls Room" "Nightie
Night class OF show These are es-
Sen,ally not the kind for movie. They
are a bit broad for the character OF
crowds that illl movie theaters. They
would lardly do for mixed throngs
that include spectators Of youthful
age Their humor and suggestion
might he a bit TOO broad for the
censor.
Here then arc the facts which can
not be- without a reason: The decline |
oi the mclodrama, and the mushroom
growth OF the musical play and the
broad farce. \, ,o the latter, some
theatrical authorities will he inclined
TO deny that the movie is responsible.
They will rather hold that public ap-
petite is running strongly to frivolty,
diversion from The serious that the
success OF the light" show is only the
natural reaction from the distress and
tragedy OF several years OF war
But It is plain that some unusual
INFLUENCE is at work in molding the
character OF current stage productions
And it is safe to say that the movie,
with It's growing popularity, may be
proving SO great success in the kind |
oi plays It is screening that the regu-
lar theatrical producers have been
driven TO find and to develop some
new fields.
Gran, Mitchell has taken the place
oi George Conan in the leading role
OF "a Prince There Was" Mr.
Mitchell was Mr. Cohan's choice for
this part when the play was opened |
last Christmas, but because bookings |
OF ~ Tailor Made Man" in which |
Mitchell was appearing with great
success, could not be Cancelled, Cohan
himself played the part until Mitchell |
could he released The latter wound
up his work in "A Tailor Made
Man after the remarkable record OF |
iS2 performances. While not quite of
Mr.. Cohan's stamp, Mitchell is giving
a very breezy and striking intcrpreta-
ton OF the hero in the successful
'ondn play.
Otis Skinner great success in The
Honor OF the Family" at the Globe
theater, New York, has emboldened
some OF the writers about the theater
to declare that Romantic Renais-
sancc" has begun. Mr.. Skinner him
self doesn't believe it,
The frankly theatrical costume
play, by which is usually meant the
romantic play" he says, Stands no
better or worse chance now than il
ever did II il Is a dull play. no
amount OF coStnming or quaint YER
nacular will save 1t. kicmet sue
oeeded in a season when the costume
play was considered quite extinct, bu,
it did not succeed wholly by its pic
torial quality. Something robust in
the character caught the imagination.
The romantic play may have its col
ors laid on more richly and with
heavier brush, bu, it must have form
a