The sun., 1919-06-08

"A art close to the masses Is an
= nounced by the newly organ
lied .Workmen's Theatre, which will
give its initial performance at the end
OF August. Six OF New Yorks most
powerful labor unions banded together
last fall for a venture into what they
hopefully term "the higher life" and
now through a representative COM
mittee OF twelve they intend the i'm
mediate production OF fine plays before
combined membership of 100000
working men and women. Further
more, to assure themselves complete
independence from uplifter. dilettanti
or philanthropist, the unions will
finance the theatre exclusively from
their own treasures.
Richard Ordynski, stage director of
the Metropolitan Opera House; B. Iden
Payne. art manager OF Frohman's
theatres, and Emanuel Reicher, dis
tinguished for a memorable perform
ance Of THE Weavers" several seasons
back. are to control the artistic des-
TIMES of the undertaking.
Each of these gentlemen will in turn
produce a play, the plays to be Sc
:ected by them in conference with the
workers themselves. The choice for
the opening performance is still I'M
determined, but lies apparently be-
tween Andreyev's ITO the Stars"
Ibsen's Brand" and Galsworthys
sStrife." AS the future audiences Of
workingmen have expressed a curious
prediction for high brow drama. the
works of all the famous moderns-
Brieux, Hauptrnann, Shaw and the rest
---are being reviewed carefully for the
purposes OF a continuous repertoire.
Seats to Go by Lot.
In fits seating arrangement the
Workmen's Theatre will spring a dis
tinct innovation upon the playgoing
public. For 81 each member Of the
supporting unions may purchase a
ticket to three performances-"out-
siders" will pay $3.50. A day or 30
before the play the workers and all
others will assemble to draw from an
urn whatever seats they are to occupy.
thec btcih dlOU6 Will ueIeT-
mine whether a man shall sit in a
stage box or in that row which crawls
ambitiously to the ceiling In time the
workers hope to build special play
house OF their own, sans box, sans sec
ond balcony but meanwhile one OF the
large houses of the city will be rented
The Workmen's Theatre is but one
OF several projects advanced by the
s~4A tlxrA,,~L IL.
mittee OF twelve. The announced pur-
pose of this body. whose fuller title is
the United Labor Education Commit.
tee, Is ito promote a greater mutual
understanding between labor, science
and art" For these ends 1t represents
the aspirations OF the Amalgamate:
Clothing Workers OF America, the
Fancy Leather Goods Workers Union
the Furriers Union, the Jewelry Work
ers Union, the United Cloth Hat ans
Cap Makers of North America, the
United Hebrew Trades. together witt
the Womens Trade Union League anC
the Workmen's Circle, totallinS 225,
600 men and women.
Good Etchings Cheap.
This committee has designs not OF
drama alone but on the several othei
muses. and the higher learning as we'll
For one night a week throughout mex
tall and winter It holds an option OF
Carnegie Hall. Here. II all goes prop
srly, Josef Stransky will conduct
the Philharmonic Orchestra for tn,
especial delectation OF the workers
On these nights the seating distribu
tion will be similar to the theatres
with the same monetary regulations
The purchase OF original etching
by living artists at moderate prices Il
being arranged through cooperation
with the Peoples Art Guild and tn
American Federation OF Arts. Thes
are intended for the homes OF tn,
worker. few OF whom can to-day ar
ford more than cheap Autographs oil
their walls.
For the next educational year ex
fensive courses have been planned will
the advice OF the Bureau OF Industrial
Research. BY means OF special classes
and forums the workers will stud,
trade problems, history. especially tn
history OF the labor movement, 70
which they make an especial demand
economics and some OF the simple
branches OF science.
What. one wonders. have the lsbo
nnits tado with theatre. with musi