Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-22
Music and Drama

lily employed when it is least
in public evidence. AS the
summer progresses the foot
light demonstrations pale
and usually before July Is we'll on
Its way fade completely and leave
the world to the unchallenged glare of
the summer sun. But behind the
scenes the business of preparation for
another season goes on with turbulent
industry, the foremost names in the
theater being no guarantee to their
possessors Of the warm weather vaca-
ton that the ordinary citizen claims
as a natural right The fact that a
theater in New York Is not open to
the public does not dmply that its stage
Is unoccupied.' On the contrary, it is
Tar buster than when audiences are
invited to see well set and smoothly
running performances. Rehearsal
space is as valuable and difficult to
secure as living space itself in war
crowded city.
At these rehearsals plays are being
written. The completed presentation
in most cases differs SO far from the
original manuscript that the latter
may be regarded largely as q sugges-
ton and an incentive rather than
prescription to be scrupulously fol-
lowed. This Is why 1t has been i'm
possible to offer satisfactory replies
to inquiries as to where might be OBJ
tanned copies of the plays currently
presented, for the purposes Of private
study. American plays are written to
be acted. They are never read save by
the patient stage manager whose buSie
ness it is to discern the telling points
and develop the material into form
that will enable a group Of players
to grasp clearly. each for himself, the
precise section with which he is to
be intimately concerned. The English
process of playmaking is quite differ
ent. Many eminent playwrights were
well known in the London libraries
for works in dramatic form prior to
the appearance Of those works upon
play authors in Europe meet the test
Of book covers as we'll as OF. the
painted scene.
But the American stage has it's
literature, vital. abundant and withal
fascinating. The press agent COM
pensates with rhapsodic luxuriance
stage itself. The old -fashioned pub
licity man, who strolled into the sane
tum of a newspaper editor, with
vest pocket full of large cigars and
bundle of passes, is no more. The
genial salutation, the fervid descrtp-
the incoming troupe and the ohhand
request. Write US up something good
about the show" is no longer heard.
No competent press agent whether
he be a veteran with a past or the
raw recruit with a future. would
think of permitting a perfect stranger
to undertake the delicate task of de-
scrfbing in type the peculiar merits
of his attraction, the intellectual
glories of its author or the superla-
tive fascinations Of the players who
have been .hgibed by wealth untold to
sacrifice little of their precious time
to the expression of this immediate
big idea. When press agents decide
to abandon the pleasurable task OF
making stage humanity live side by
side in the imagination with the most
picturesque characters OF fiction and,
to take vp little work on their own
account they usually do something
remarkable.
Marc Klaw was an expert In pub
LEFTY. az well as q lawyer. before he
became a ranking figure in the bust
ness as well as the producing end OF
the theater. Eugene Walter. whose
plays, even when they are not ap-
proved, must be credited with an ele-
ment Of the remarkable was famed
throughout@4 Newspaper ofiices Hs
the only advance agent who could
chew gum and talk at the came time
saeriAce Of efficiency. 1t 10 this abil-
ity to cooperate Independent lines
Of energy and purpose ana focus them
into Q single brflaiant expresaion that
makes for genius. The true press agent
enjoys q latitude OF fancy such 90
only poets may claim. 1t is his prtvf-
iege to put into the dainty lips Of IN
inesnue words Of wisdom that he has
Cleaned from the critics Of the drama,
from Aristotle to Alan Dale.
Frank wiistach. while engaged in
exploiting a. ShakespeareAn star. rev
eied in public libraries and old book
shops as he constructed an elaborate
Shakespearean theory. In order to do
this, he created the assumption that !
Raconianiam was Aaring into auda- 4
not worrying much about the matter
until he brought 1t to their attention.
Some of US are still thinking about
it. Thus potentiy Ii the press agent
enabled to assert intellectual inau-
enee upon his time and al In the days
work. George C. Tyler. whose series
of moral. instructive and highly en-
pertaining plays have been o welcome
incidsnt Of Junsttme in Washington,
was q press agent in his day. and
fns ono. His old calling shows its
induence in his production. for there
10 no producer more tolerant Of gen.
uine literary quality in . play. nor
more apprec4atfve OF real legitimate
merit in an actor. Examples might
be multiplied almost Indefinitely of
press agents who have. themselves.
evolved conspicuous careers even
though first of all intent on further
Ing the regulations Of others.
pEYU AynRR faIyNyCnN