Evening star., 1919-03-23

art in Washington has
produced a theater on new
and distinctive lines. The
ideal photoplay house is an architec-
tural creation unto itself. which may
: in time become as distinct from the
theater, as customarily known, as the
Coliseum is from the Cart of Roscius.
The cinematorium is on its mettle,
1t has to improve. The theater with
voice and personal magnetism at its
command holds an advantage which
links it to conservatism. The atmos-
phere of tradition to the speaking
theater is as much an asset as is the
spirit of innovation in the realm OF
fflmography. In their conservatism,
the traditional theaters have been in
: elined to disregard one form of ap-
peal which the moving pictures have
developed consistently and with ad-
.mirable results-the music. dis
crimina ting public taste has afforded
, moving picture managers every as
.surance of appreciation of the splen-
did advancement by progressive ex-
fngs genuinely artistic musical ac-
! compartment.
Orchestral setting for feature pic
lures is no longer judged merely by
the skill with which the music syn
chronizes with the projection. The
! audience now unconsciously looks for
a selection of musical numbers in a
picture score that will follow the
trend of the scenes in spirit and
tempo. The capital is probably pre-
eminent in the east in this regard.
Mr. Breeskin, director of the orches-
ira at Moore's Rialto. has achieved
a wide reputation for an almost un-
. canny sense of selection in musicalfz-
ting a photoplay subject. To be sure.
he goes to the trouble each week OF
pre-viewing the picture to be musi-
-cally interpreted and times each scene
+; with absolute precision at normal
running speed. But beyond that he
/. exercises a musicianly instinct that
sharmonizes the concord Of sweet
sound" with the theme by the en-
ployment Of compositions ranging
from the popular ballad and dance
number of the day to the classical
masterpieces. This Is a notable fea-
ture of the weekly program at the
Eialto.
The Palace. Metropolitan, Columbia,
.xnickerbocker and other pretentious
1acture houses similarly devote spe-
eaal attention to the quality Of mu-
a3csl accompaniment that exerts a
purely auricular appeal while the
screened drama exerts the visual.
Nor is the improvement in this re-
gard limited to the larger houses. In
the smaller neighborhood theaters.
the tin-paa alley effect of an indifer-
entity played and jangly piano. sorely
in need Of the attention of tuner.
has given way to perhaps q three
piece orchestra. an organ or q piano
nteiligently and expertly played.
Thus. with the consistent elevation Of
the various co-ordinated elements of
successful picture presentation. Of
which music is one Of the most i'm
portant. the cinema more and more
eupy in the estimation Of the amuse-
ment seeker.
Mutual Intefest.-With peace the
vppermost thought of the civilized
world today. 1t il not to be wondered
truce between the legitimate stage
and the movies. Word has come from
/ 10 less an authority than Nine. Olga
! Petrova's representative that the
stage has helped the screen and vice
versa But let him tell his own story.
TO q superlative artist" he writes,
ewho has gained distinction on both
stage and screen. the competition be-
tween that artist as a theatrical star
and q motion picture luminary Is a
healthy and stimulating one.
"A case in point occurred In Provi-
6ence- Nine. Petrova was booked to
MAY Ketth's Theater. Mr.. Lovenberg,
who manages Keith's, also has sew
eral moving picture houses, and in
the Empire Theater. which is but a
block away from the vaudeville house,
he placed the Petrova picture. THE
Panther Woman" In other words. he
made Petrova her own opposition.
The result? A most natural one.
The dim fans first hocked to the
Keith Theater to see their favorite
octrees in person before seeing her
shadow on the screen Thus hundreds
OF dlm patrons were added to the
hong limo In front of Keith's box office
And the vaudeville patrons? 1t was
Well we've seen her on the stage,
now let's go see her in tho picture
And they did. Many evenings the over
,Aow unable to see the actress in per-
Don did the most natural thing and
went to see her on the screen. We got
them both ways"
Photoplay Features.