The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-09-08
Frederic Haskin's Letter
A Theatre for Children.


Warrington, D. G., Sept. g.. Chill
dren Of this city are soon to have
plays produced just for them and
In . theatre Of their own.
The children's theatre idea has
been tried several times In other
cities, bat usually ~ . phflan-
thropic or halfway self-supporting
proposition. In . project Of this
sort interest and funds usually
dwindle in q short time. But now
comes . new theatrical corporation
whcih believes that the demand for
suitable entertainment for children
Is great enough to warrant putting
It ON Z strictly business basis.
The new corporation plans to
erect . novel theatre building to
contain three auditoriums under
one roof. Ono will be q children's
theatre to seat about 1000 young
playgoers, with a stage large
enough for elaborate settings Then
there will be q theatre for adult
audiences in which such children's
plays as are interesting to grown
people will be presented and reg
ular stage successes as we'll. The
third auditorium Is to be q concert
hall to seat 1000, and besides these,
the building is to contain green
room for business purposes and in
formal affairs.
This three-deck theatre is the
idea OF three Washington women
who have had considerable exper-
fence in theatrical lines. Women
are entering the New York theatre
world as producers and managers.
but this is probably the first
theatrical corporation to be organ
lied entirely by women.
The whole project is unusual and
it is not surprising therefore to find
that the new company is to attempt
to uplift the drama insofar as up
left can be made compatible with
business.
For Better Plays.
The theatrical business claims
that it is giving the public what i;
wants in risque farces and rank
melodramas," said one of the fem
mime producers, but a great many
people are demanding something
better. They would like to go to the
theatre for inspiration. They are
asking for plays that will do a little
more for them than merely resi-
their brains. We believe that 70.
nance plays and clean comedies are
popular with the theatre-going pub.
[ lic-and with some people who dc
not go to see the usual best seller Of
the stage.
"All OF our plays, both for chill
dren and adults, are to be cast witt
professional actors, using few, i
any amateurs or children. Chill
dren demand the best just as grown
people do"
! The company figures that to pro
duce a childreE's play with a goot
cast, artistic costumes and setting
and first class music, it will have t,
range its prices for seats from 81
cents to 81. A children's matine'
will be given each afternoon ate
school hours, and two performance;
Saturday, morning and afternoon.
II. At night moving pictures for chill
dren will be shown in their theatre
As long as children will go to NOV
ing picture shows at night, tn
company argues that it is better 70
them to see plays that they can un
derstand and enjoy than the aver
age show.
That the average moving pictur
play is not written with children il
. mind as spectators is obvious to tn
most casual freQuenter of the NOV
les. Mrs. Glenna S. Tinnin, one @
the three members of the new cor
, poration, says that some time ag
she planned to rent an auditorium
in order to show pictures suitabl
for boys and girls.
No Films for Children.
, But when she tried to book pic
lures, she found that not more tina
10 films OF the kind she could US
. were obtainable. Part of the diff
Guilty was that she was not on a
exhibitors circuit. but the mai
! trouble was that scarcely any pic
lures for children are being pre-
duced, though it is recognized tina