The Washington herald., 1921-03-03

comedy and rescue the "tired busi-
ness man" from sheer. boredom,
says A. p. Waxman, general man.
ager for William Moore Patch,
Broadway's youngest producer.
American musical comedies have
been set down as often neither mu-
sical nor comical." said waxman,
and the American public is getting
tired OF the sort of Stuff that pro-
ducers have been handing them in
the guise of follies,' 'revues' and
burlesques. Nothing has contrib
uted to the lassitude Of the tired
business man more than the hetero-
gcneous. Kaleidoscope spectacle
that leaves him numb and dazed."
1t is a healthful sign when the
youngest general manager and the
youngest producer start out with
the laudable thought of respond
ing to the growing and insistent
demand for musical shows that are
really worth while.
I'VE want to give the public mu-
a convincing plot" said Waxman.
''Theatergoers are weary of the con-
ventional type of musical show that
has been handed out to them-im-
possible, unconvincing plots. poor
acting, or no acting at all, tin
panny music and mediocre singing"
Waxman. who Is at the WASH
ington. is here this week to pave
the way for Patch's new produc-
ton, ITS Up to YOU" which opens
Sunday night at the National. He
is the youngest general manager
who ever took a musical comedy out
of Broadway and he says that he
has something different.
Our idea Is a well-told story"
said Waxman, such as has charac-
terized such recent successes as
Irene Mary Sally and our own
three productions, The Sweetheart
Shop Take 1t From Me- and It's
Up to You All Of these have
drawn the public. because OF we'll
defined plots. The music, scenery,
costumes and comedy were mere
adjuncts.
OPPOSED TO SYSTEM
OF FEATURING STARS.
mas ca
tered to the tired business man, tired
for the only reason that he has been
subjected to the sort of show that
neither instructs nor amuses, but
simply bores."
1t is Patch's idea, waxman SAYS.
to promote a new school of musical
comedy which will employ music
merely as a vehicle with which to
carry the play along, to impart a
light and airy touch to the plot
We are also opposed to the star
system" said Patch. THE player
should be subordinate to the play.
and emphasis should be laid on the
story rather than on the player.
Good roles make good actors; no
actor is better than his role"
Above all, Waxman believes in
clean entertainment. american
theatergoers want a clean stage"
Waxman observed. The American
public on the whole is a clean
minded public. 1t is true that a
blue joke or an off-color situation
VIII bring a laugh, but after all, IL
is not hearty, wholesome laugh.
qua rather shame-faced grimace.
Theaters were never so prosper
Gus as they are today, Waxman
says. The theater is a necessity.
a social institution in the United
states. 1t has long since departed
from the luxury class. even though
Uncle Sam does still exact those
pennies for war tax. When times
are hard. people go to forget their
financial worries: when times are
good they go to be amused,
Asked why romantic operas, such
as Monsieur Beaucaire." do NOT
take in the United States, waxman
said that it was chiefly due to lack
OF convincing plot
UNREAL COMEDIES
ACTUALLY TIRE AUDIENCE.
The average romantic opera has
a wishy-washy plot. Writers of this
type of play do not seem to realize
that the necessity for a coherent.
convincing plot is all the more nee
essary in play where historical
period costumes are employed. To
the American theatregoer, a man in
business suit looks like a human
being. But confront him with a
man in velvet and lace with clank-
ing sword, and he balks. He is not
impressed. The thing is unreal, un-
convincing.
American producers are always
looking for talent, Waxman remind
ed. The field is big and one never
knows where a diamond is going to
be found.
Look at Douglas Leavitt, who
was wasting his time in vaudeville,
striking instance of talent wait
ing an opportunity for proper place
ment. Now he is one of the stars in
up to You,' with a future assured"
But the greatest need of all is for
authors of good. live. clean. vigor-
Gus plots. Waxman declares.
II often think" he said, "if men
like K. c. B., or F. P. A, who have
scored such a success in the news
paper world as writers of up-to-
the-minute columns-if these men
could only be trained to write plays.
what wonderful stun they would
turn out. Think of the wit and
humor they put into one of their
columns every day,-why one days
work alone. with a plot. would be
sufficient for a good musical COM
edy."
This observation called to the
mind of the writer a remark made
by Mrs. Maibelle Heikes Justice,
successful photodramatist, seen the
other day in Peacock Alley.
Il was standing in my window
the other night" said Mrs. Justice,
looking down on F street at the
throngs of Government employees
making their way home. Knowing
as I do the vast field that awaits
the photodramatist. in this country
] reflected upon the great change
that just little training in play