New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-17
The Theater Guild:
A Story of Ideals
!, And Achievement
Continued from page oncy

= must be remembered that this
asterprise started on cooperative
footing unique in the New York thea.
FAR. There were no high priced di.
reetors, actors, staff and so on. Their,
vers no salaries at all. The directors
stsked everything on their hopes and
the power of their brain and vision.
and the actors came in because thew
kelisved in what the guild was trying
10 do. During the actors strike the
Garrick was the only theater entirely
outside the whole thing, because it rep
resented exactly what the actorseas 9
whole some day hope to realize
Enthusiasm, Group
Action and Economy
Theresa Helburn, executive director
Of the board Of directors, playwright
With two productions due next season
under the Klaw banner, admits that
shs found IL hard to believe now that
.he wonders Of that first season were
true.
1--WE did, / should say, by just three
shings-enthusiasm, group action and
economy. First and perhaps most inn
portant, we had faith in the value of
our idea and we believed in ourselves
II We had hesitated, or questioned
when obstacles arose, we would have
joined all who knew of us and were
predicting failure. Working together
was our salvation. You can stand a
good deal more and work a good IDEAL
harder as group than individually.
But cooperation was also the hardest
thing to get used to. We shaved to-
gether through all the trials and im-
psrceptibly gained a solid foundation,
both in partnership and public at
iendon.
"The third item In our success, econ
omy, was necessity. We didn't have
any money, so we had to do without.
Doing without overhead and debts
brought us one great reward: we were
not afraid to fail. We could take
chances and experiment. That is the
real reason Of our success, perhaps
that We were so situated we dared ex-
pertinent Our economy has helped us
in another way, too. We had to elimi.
nate the non-essential, and so were
nearer to attaining beauty"
This is all very well, you VIII say,
but how did they build their scenery
WITH no money? Scenery does cost
something. The best tale Of where the
scenery came from Is told by Bill
Noon. property man at the ~Garrick.
Got Their Scenery
From the Lamber Garret
Bill Moon. George Brousseau, car
pentsr, and Mike O'Connor, electrician,
lad been with the Copeau players and
rhen the Theater Guild succeeded the
French company these three men de-
tided to throw In their lot with the
rev managers eve didn't know where
cur money was coming from" BEL said
the other day, sand there were plenty
Of people to tell us there Youldn't be
my, but the guild bunch looked like
lard workers. And, any way. who
gould take a chance If 1t. wasn't the
trench and the Irish Z"
When Bonds Of Intefest," the FIRST
play, was put on, the guild had Just
sls75 in the bank. That amount
youldn't buy any stage settings TO
,peak of, so Bill Moon and hia side
partner, George Brousseau, brought out
The old scenery that the Copeau play
CTS had left behind with instructions
that it be placed on some junk heap
md left to It's fate. The guild found
mother use for it. First it was
chopped to it's bare bones. Then Rollo
Peters and Lee simonson got together
md designed setting appropriate to
The sophisticated Spanish comedy
which should utilize what raw material
t,ey had. This feat was somehow
rccomplished and when the whole thing
lad been reprinted the stage set was
Ill that could be desired.
Bonds Of interest" ran for the four
weeks 1t was promised to that loyal
Land Of subscribers who had pledged
their support. It left the resources of
The guild we'll over the ragged edge.
Two plays were due their public, how
ever, and two plays the board Of man
ayers was resolved there should be.
New York was then, if only New York
had known, treated to the novelty of
aplay which cost exactly $500 for set
ting and props. And no one who saw
John Ferguson" will ever forget the
simple beauty and effectiveness of that
Production.
The Spanish Scenery
Became an Irish Cot
1t cost $3.50 for hardware and 60
cents for props, according to Bill Moon.
The Spanish scenery was chopped up
Ill over again and cottage walls made
1t. There was no money now with
Which to indulge in paint, so the old
paint left behind and some the guild
asd bought for the first play was mixed
s0sether, making new color. When
" was put on the cottage walls 1t pro-
seeded to peel off again, but that didn't
natter, since the house was supposed
:" De a poverty stricken old one, any