Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-22
OLD PLAYS ARE
SQUEEZED OUT
BY NEW ONES
Phase of Russian Life Re
fected in Drama, The
Green Pin.
OTHER STAGE GOSSIP
BY DIXIE HINES.

NEW YORK, April 22.-The cur
rent week, and the week immediate
" preceding, have been almost free
from new productions. A play down
at the distant Neighborhood Play
house has made an appeal, and a
matinee performance of vodoo
play uptown has some interesting mo-
ments, but not enough to make it
serious contender for the popularity
stakes.
In Taboo" which was staged for
matinee performances by Augustin
Duncan, Mary Hoyt Wiborg has writ
ten a play which has some interest
ing features, and Mr.. Duncan has
staged it intelligently and effectively
with a cast made up largely of ne
groes. Margaret Wycherly acted the
sole white character among the
women.
The theme is careful study OF
negro. the scenes being laid on a sugar
plantation in Louisiana with cut back
10 the coast Guinea in Africa. The study
Of this fetish worship on the negro mind
and the picturesqueness with which 1t
was manifested have been the subject
of her study, and she has written with
some imagination and Mr. Duncan has
caught the spirit with fidelity. II is
morbid at times. it Is also picturesque
and appealing, and as a novelty will
rank high, but 1t is not likely to achieve
any real distinction as a success.
SATIRE on RUSSIAN
LIFE IS PRESENTED.
The Green Ring" a play from the
Russian Of Zinaida Hippius, IS q biting
satire on Petrograd family life.
daughter seeks 70 reunite mother and
father after eight years separation, and
is somewhat confused ny the fact that
each has an affinity which makes the
task difficult. Each wants the daughter.
but neither wants the other. The title
Is derived from the name taken by a
group Of young srgumentatiye students
who meet and discuss world and do
nestle affairs with easy familiarity and
settle them In accordance with their own
ideas. They might easily have been
separated from the play and still
justified themselves. As 1t IS. the Neigh
borhood Playhouse, which is far distant
from the New York play center. seems
to have scored pronounced success with
Ian MacLaren. Pamela Gaythorne and
little Joanna Roos, the principal players
in the cast
NEW SOCIETY WINS
APPROVAL On BROADWAY.
The Play Producing Society, of which
Ruth Helen Davis well known composer,
dramatist and member of the literati is
the director, is a new group Of stage
proponents and they have already made
two special productions which indicate
their manifest comprehension OF what is
most deshed for current stage consump-
ton. This week they are doing THE
Idiot" from the Russian OF Dostaievsky
with a special and a thoroughly COM
petent cast. The purpose OF this so
ciety is to produce plays for limited
periods with the view of Judging their
popularity and availability for perms-
nent presentation on Broadway. The
plan is quite feasible, and the new So
ciety already has won high approval from
the leaders of the stage. both as 10 the
art and the technical, as well as the
commercial side.
Richard q. Herudon is another war
rier to come forth with a plan for a per-
manent repcrtory company in New York.
and as he is the owner and manager of
the Belmont Theater, his plan will I'M
questi0nably receive the serious con-
sideration of all who believe that in the
repertoire theater lies the solution of the
present unrest In the theater Mr. Hern-
don has not announced his plans as yet.
but it is known that he has associated
several groups of players, directors, play
wriShts and others into one common
cause. and that their aims shall be to pre-
sent plays in an intelligent aud effective
manner in the way they were once pre-
scented in here and are still being pre-
scented at the Coincide Franchise in Paris
and the Leasing Theater in Berlin.
METROPOLITAN CLOSES
4 LENGTHY SEASON.
The Metropolitan Opera Company has
terminated it's season, and after a short
Engagement on tour, the members of
this world famed organization will each
engage in the pursuit already selected
Rosa POnselle, the soprano. whose won
derful rise in the operate world re-
mains one of the high spots OF interest
with music lovers here and abroad, will,
after singing in Atlanta with the com
pany, begin a long concert tour of the
United States. She will visit many cities
which have not heretofore been included
in her itinery.
The Players Assembly, the group Of
well known players which were banded
together some time ago to present plays
on permanent basis. and whose first
production, ''Montmartre," has boon sin
gularly successful, will make one more
production this season. that of 1.-THE
Night Call" a mystery melodrama. This
organization has achieved the unusual
distinction Of bringing success to its
very first effort, and has already been
accorded the enviable position 1t earned
in the minds of the skeptical play goers
of New York
Avery HOpwood makes the announce
ment that he will use London as well
as New York in the future as a profuc-
ing center. He is now abroad. and will
produce at least two new plays in Lon
don even before New York sees them
Hereafter, either New York and Lon
don will simultaneously share this dis
tinction, or else some will be produced
IN New York and others in the English
metropolis.