The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-18

Warrington. D. G.. Nay is.-The
Little Theatre Aea has reached the
capital. One q desc miniature
stages AAs recenfly held ~ arsl
performance here with uAtsual
success.
The Little Theatre movement b.
gan about ten years ago IN this
country, David Belasco started
1t in life with the prediction thai
Little Theatres could. not possibly
survive In this country. There are
now $50 Of them living. and thriving
more or less In American tswns
cities mad rural communities.
"A Little Theatre 10 Z purely local
theatre, relying wholly or In part
npon local talent, charging lower
Zee for admission than the CONNER
cial theatres, and devoting itself to
what its promoters consider really
good drama, rather than to what
they think will make none.
Little Theatres, like SO. many
other art-for-art's-sake enterprises
in this country, haze often had 4
rather pale pink complexion. They
have been associated with after
noon tea and femfnipity and dow
ing neckties. The verile business
man, with red blood in his veins,
and bone in his head. has chosen to
hold himself above such things.
What he likes in the way Of theatre
is a good girl show with plenty Of
jazz. Hence the cultivation Of the
fine arts, properly 20 called, has
been left largely to women. and
has acquired . feminine atmos-
phere.
But this no longer 10 true as It
has been in the past. Since the war
there has been something OF an
esthetic awakening in this country.
The success and multiplication Of
the Little Theatres are evidence Of
this. The time may come when
the Little Theatre will be what it is
supposed to be-a neighborhood
theatre in which everyone will have
an interest-rather than . precar-
ious enterprise supported by . few
and ignored by the many.
= How They Are Run.
In some places the Little The
atfe sells some Of its tickets for
so cents or lower. In other cities
seats can be had only by subscrip-
ton, which means buying a season
ticket, generally at a dollar or
more a performance. This differ
ence in price means q big differ
ence in audiences. The first the
atre plays to people who want ar
tistic drama, especially those who
have not the funds to buy expen-
sive tickets. The second type picks
more Of its audience from among
those who have money and thirst
for culture.
The Little Theatres have varied
as much in all of their details. One
is beautifully housed with luxur-
ious fittings. Others play in reno
waited saloons or even in stables.
One gives only one act plays; an
otner only American plays; still
another clings to European drama.
These differences have made the
history Of the Little Theatre move
ment uncertain. In every case a
Little Theatre project ID started by
artists Of various kinds who feel
that something is wrong with the
commercial drama. Sometimes the
group Of players ID justified in its
assumption that it knew what its
audiences wanted, and the Little
Theatre hourishes. II they are not
able to attract enough people who
are Interested in what they have
to offer. the project fails promptly.
The Washington Little Theatre,
in many ways typical Of the average
venture Of this sort, has certain
points Of distinction. notably its