The sun., 1919-10-26
FIGHT FOR BETTER
PLAYS WEDNESDAY
New York Drama League to
Begin Campaign With Men,
bership Drive.
PLAN SUNDAY LECTURES
Intensive Culture Scheme Is
Expected Also to Bring
Better Audiences.

Starting this week the New York
for better plays-and better audiences
so that IL the American theatre curls up
and dies it won't be for lack of drastic
first aid The pulmotoring will be started
with membership drive week, the focal
point to be a luncheon in the Cafe Boue-
ward on Wednesday, which can be at
tended by any one with a red hot inter-
est in the drama and with 81. The
speakers will be Zoe Atkins, author OF
"Declasse," at the Empire Theatre
John Drinkwater who set Lincoln" to
English Gilbert Canaan. likewise an
English write, and Robert e. Jones,
who gives of Americas best in design
ing scenery and costumes,
Part OF the Drama Leagues inten-
sive cultivation of the histrionic germ
this year will be the presentation of the
following ten good men and true in
series of Sunday afternoon lectures, COM
mencng on November 9: John Drink
water, Gilbert Canaan. Edwin Bjorkman,
Dian Gopal Mukerji, John Garrett Under
hill. Walter Prchard Eaton, Granville
Barker, Louis X. Anspacher and Will
lam Lyon Phelps. In addition, the league
will guarantee several matinees for chill
dren in this city, and will manage an
information bureau to alleviate the
growing pains of little theatres and pro-
ducing groups all over the country who
sit up nights with the drama.
Tonight in the New Amsterdam
Theatre Messrs Erlanger. Dillingham;
and Zegfeld will start the first of their
Sunday evening concerts with Raymond
Hitchcock rolling eyes, tongue and voice
as master of ceremonies. The list or
performers includes Marilynn Miller.
Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, John Steel,
Irving Berlin, w. c. Fields Bert Levy
Ted Lewis, Savoy and Brennan, and
many others who are willing to forego
church for the sake of Frightening the
lives of their downtrodden fellow beings.
Forbes-R obertson Due.
Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson. COM
ing here on the Orduna for tour Of
Shakespearian readings. with Lady
Robertson, Is due to-day, marking the
first time that he has given free re-
cital to the ship news reporters since
1916.
Dorothy Dickson who has been dane
ing herself into a glow in THE Royal
Vagabond," Is rehearsing new play
which she plans as a surprise for
Broadway, and consequently, as the
press agent points out, the nature of the
surprise remains a dark secret.
Mcintyre and Heath. appearing in the
Forty-fourth Street Theatre in Hello
Alexander" are planning a revival next
spring of their Georgia Minstrels,"
being encouraged, it is understood by the
success of f. II. Sothern and Julia Mar
lowe in the Shubert in reviving some
Of Shakespeare's old gags.
Edward Locke is turning The
Dancer" in the Harris Theatre into a
novel for the Century Company. with
the permission of the author.
Bertha Mann and Catherine Cozzens
are finding that playing in The Grim
son Alibi" In the Broadhurst Theatre
with all its thrills, is cosey and restful
compared to being thrown out of an
automobile and meeting abruptly part
of Long Island, which one doesn't know
even by sight. Last week while motor
ing through Port Washington. L. l.,
their machine, driven BY Miss Cozzens' s
sister in-law, ran into another car at
the bridge and both automobiles emptied
their contents over the ground. No one
was hurt severely, but Miss Mann was
badly shaken up, and while Miss Cozzens
wrenched her spine and though both are
now playing, they handle themselves
carefully.
Moss Purchases n Block.
B. 8. Moss has purchased the entire
block bounded by fremont. Webster and
Carter avenues and East 176th street,
The Bronx, and will at once start build
ing there another of those huge vaude-
willie and photoplay theatres that are
making the city place to see movies in
bot not to live in.
Carlo Liten, Belgian tragedian, has
returned from abroad where he has
been recruiting a company which will
begin on December Is putting the
French accent on the drama in the
which will include Verhaeren's lie Cloi'
tre," will be extracted from French anc
Belgian classical literature.
The inaugural concert of the worlds
series of the st. Barnabas Glee Club. IA
nous all over Woodlawn, will be held
on Wednesday next in St Barnaba'
Hall, with Walter H. Pope waving his
cuffs as conductor.
Morris Gest was in communication
with Europe again yesterday. He re
ceived a, cable stating that there hac
Just sailed on the steamship Laplanf
person answering this description
Phil Harker. London scenic artist
booked through to the United States FOL
the first time in twenty-four years II
order to keep the scenery in order fol
"Aphrodite" in the Century Theatre mex
month. Also on the Lapland was Lady
Maxwell Wiltshire, known I'm her stag
Incarnation as Lillian Birtels, who II
coming TO appear In Comstock
Gest's production of Oscar Asche's spec
tacle, Mecca" which won't be presented
at the Century till February-showinl
there's one lady who believes in no
coming late.
Cohen to Australia.
Harry Cohen. general manager TO
Walter Hast, accompanied by Doris Du
ane, his wife, leaves for Australia to
day In order to spread Scandal al
over that continent.
Poodles Hanneford is rehearsing
new riding act to send to England I
play his engagements there in orde
that ne and his family may remain a
the Hippodrome, where he says the saw
dust is so much more to his taste.
Roy Atwell, who plays a gentleman
gentleman in apple Blossoms" in tn
Globe Theatre, is still wondering hoy
ne should have acted last week vine
Joseph Stransky OF the Philharmonic
after viewing the musical comedy an
complimentng John Charles Thomas 10
being a barytone, said to the comedian
II am following your performance wit
great interest. i should like to offe
you a position as butler in my house
hold"
Tomorrow AT :45," the Owen Davi
melodrama, starts the pangs OF its Ans
week at the Vanderbilt Theatre