New-York tribune., 1920-11-14

hope for day or two that it would
be sent out to Chicago to play the
Studebaker Thcater, but for some
reason this booking fell through.
Wagenhals & Kemper were the
proprietors of the Astor Theater,
but they had no room for "Paid in
Full" there.
Viola Alien, one Of the biggest
money-making stars on the American
stage, was due to come to the Astor
Her play was a dramatization of
"The Secret Orchard" a brilliantly
successful novel. Couple brilliant
ly successful novel and a brilliantly
successful star in Broadway thea
ter at Forty-hfth Street and Broad
way, and how could any firm of keen
theatrical managers be expected to
do otherwise than welcome such a
combination? "Paid in Full" would
have to wait. It's actors were stand
ing on the curb line and wondering
it there was any chance for light
ming to strike in that section.
Miss Allen and "The Secret Or
chard" came to the Astor, as per
schedule, and critics and frst-niaht-
ers cast a brilliant stars new play
into limbo. S'The Secret Orchard
was withdrawn after the second
week, and to fill a gap and fill it in
hurry the seven members of the
Paid IN Full" company were hast.
lily PACED and Eugene Walters play
received q premier that was perhaps
the most unexpected event in that
II ~ustrious young mans career.
1he play remained at the Astor
for nearly a year. 1t was trans
ferred to Weber's Theater and con-
tinued its Broadway residence for
several additional months.
Made It's Author Famous
FIVE companies were organized.
and through these "Paid in Fulp.
was introduced to eager theater pa
irons in every corner of the United
States. Eugene Walter became
famous overnight. He became
rlch man in season. He was
swamped with royalties from five
companies, producing the most sue
cessful American play of his time
wagenhals & Kemper builded a
oanX account to towering heights.
Then there is an experience of
the New Theater enterprise under
the direction of Winthrop Ames.
The story is told by Edward LYONS:
Mr.. Ames decided to produce an
ancient play at .matinees, called
'Noah's Ark 1t came down from
sn age antedating Shakespeare. It
was to be highbrow stuff for the
highest brows extant. No modern
scenery. We had a 'Noah's Ark,
VT 1t was one that called upon YOUR
imagination to fill the gaps.
l intend to put this over said
Mr.. Ames, if we don't have ten per-
sons in the house,
I'VE advertised four spec;a, m.+
'Aees. We were astonished with the
results. Each. performance witnessed
an absolute sell-out of the New
Iheater, with it's enormous capacity
we mad put on so-called popular
stutf and had not sold out. Here wa
had put on an educational and SUM-
posedly dry spectacle, preceded by a
lecture, which, under no circum-
stances, could have been announced
as spicy affair, and we sold every
seat ip the house and the limit of
standing room."
Nobody Can Tell
You can't tell what they want ~
added Mr.. Lyons. "You can't ton
whether your play will last a week
or a season. In dress rehearsal,
you look at your product and figure
u ehat you have show that is going
20 prove sensational success. It
may fall fiat. In dress rehearsal
you may get the fidgets and feel that
II the show lasts a month vou,ll he
exceedingly fortunate. 1t may last
for years.
The big part in a show. in re-
hearsal, may become a secondary .
part when the audience sees it. A
secondary character, in the hands Of |
capable actor, especially fitted for
IT, may prove to be the dominating
roe when the play is produced. |
lhings like that have happened"
After the sale of the book Mrs |