Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-09
vii, M.Iodrsm. Come b.ek7

VIII MsIodrama Come baek2
During the past few years the stage
has been surfeited with musical plays
and revues. This epoch In the history
of the stage was ushered In with q
wealth OF magnificent productions
made notable with casts composed OF
the best artists in tho profession. But
soon the apex was reached. The law
ish early productions could not be
surpa ssed. good dramatic ideas SEEM
ed TO have become exhausted and for
some unknown reason the stars who
made the offerings no attractive pass
cd from the scene. Still producers and
managers insisted on feeding the pub
|, lie shows Of musical character,
claiming such amusement was what
the public dems nded But the musl-
cal show il on the ware. The revue
has been overworked and Is dying an
, early death.
what Is to follow? VIII the dramnt-
ic cycle be completed and the stage
again offer as its principal fare the
melodra ma of the old days. There are
some who declare It will. Thru that
cycle there have come and gone the
period OF mclodrama, rural drama.
problem plays, historical drama. ro-
mantle drama. military drsma. west
ern drama, musical COMEDY and the
revue. Either the mclodrnma must
follow the musical comedy craze. in
tho natural sequence. or there must
I've sonethinE new concocted to tickle
tho pr late Of the public.
Those who contend that mc,odrama
will srnin come into its own point to
the growing SUCCESS Of the r,clodrama
on the screen. which they look upon
~ prvlng the wnv for old fashioned
melodrama with all its.thrlls, sumptu-
onsly dressed and presented with
rasts composed Of stars. Whether 1t Is
tn he melodrnnn or something new in
the wnv Of stage entnr.n'nmrrt mat
tors l'tt'e to n M 'o~'tv of theater-
Eocre who have worried of the dec
q dent musical co~cdv.
/ !. !. !.
Hid His Light Under eu-hel.
! Tom Wise. who rccentlv appeared
ut the Odeon in "Cappy Kicks" tells
this ono: Many actors including
Wise, are members Of the Actors
Enl'ty. which in Some measure an
swcrs the purpose Of an H"tors' I'M
ion. It was born prior to the actors
str'k" end grew G-oat during that late
unplca sartncss. There Is another or
garizn ton of actors. which has been
nicknamed tho "Fidos," which has
much in common with the Equity but
refuses to affiliate with the older or
! ganiza ton. Louis Mann is member
of the latter.
At recent meeting of the ''Fidos,"
Wise relates. Mann waxed warm over
society. He related to his fellows how
the money he'd been rolling in to sup
port the cause.
| "Only today" Numbered Mann. sas
ne swung his arms dramatically
above his head, only today, there
came to our office for the support Of
! this organization an anonymous
check for $780,"
| !. + f.
Advance, in Thsatsr Tickets.
Theater tickets have advanced less
In the past three years than anything
for which the public spends its
money according to theater mana
gers. The clothes that you wear have
gone up 200 per cent while many
things that you eat have advanced
nearly ns much. Everything from the
salaries of actors. stage hands and
musicians. to railroad fares has
shown marked increase yet par
quet seats in the playhouse have I'D
vanced proportionntcly little. 1t costs
many times more to produce a play
today than three years ago. yet a
scat costing $3.50 in . first class play
house At the earlier dato II sold today
for g. What Is paid in addition to
this sum. In war tax, goes to the
government
| ]. /. y