Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-30
DR.. ARTHUR n. QUINN
Talks Of the Repertoire Theatre


THE principal achievement Of the roper.
L toire theatre is the development OF the
American playwright. according to DR..
Arthur II. Quinn. of the University OF
Pennsylvania. the recognized authority on
drama in America.
The repertoire theatre" said DR.. Quinn.
(which | think is better name for such
an institution than municipal theatre, can
play all important part in the education OF
the public by giving the shows which We
should see. Its first requirement is thor
oushly competent director. who would give
his entire time and attention to the UNDER
taking and lie should be paid good salary
Associated with the director should be
an advisory committee. made up OF persons
who not only know plays. but know what
has been produced and something OF the
history Of the drama. US well rs the value
Of new plays.
- Needed in Philadelphia
why don't we get better plays in Philn-
dcphia? That is not easy to answer. For
one thing the theatrical people themselves
are a little afraid Of Philadelphia audiences.
and famous actor once told me that he
was not going to put on a certain shake,
spearean play here until the performance Of
it was more finished But good critical
Judgment does not account for the fact that
we have so few really good plays.
"A repertoire theatre could start here in
several ways. One would be literally
endowed theatre. with such managing
director and an advisory committee MS ]
have outlined. No move which could be-
made would \" more significant for the art
life Of Philadelphia. IT would not only let
people see good plays. an important thing
in itself but it would encourage the Amcri.
con dramatist to write such plays. This
pan would ncressitatc profesSona COM
pany entirely. The other seemingly feasible
way would be to start upon smaller scale.
keeping down the expenses TO the lowest
possible limit consistent with good perform
ances and using some sem! professional
actors.
Writing Plays Most Important
But the creative effort tho writing OF
plays, is the most important. Every project
along these lines which has succeeded has
had one or more playwrghts connected with
II. Let us see why success has come to two
Of them in New York, conducted along very
different lines. The Theatrical Guild has
been successful because 1t has had tho serv.
ices Of a body Of very expert stage people
! VIII" not only wrote plays. but built up
| public.
The Provinretown Players achieved
| their success along totally different lines.
| This began with q group of semi .profes'
! Of their expenses being not large They
began in a modest way. with definite pro-
| sram--to produce plays by American
authors. The ProvincetOwn Players have no
theatre license and they run as o club and
not as a theatrical venture. and this. Of
! course, helps TO keep down expenses AS is
| necessary. as their house holds only about
| 200 nersons. Both these organizations now
| MAY constantly to crowded houses
.'Iikc the Theatrical Guild. the PROV.
ipcctown Players had playwrights associated
| with their ventures. Eugene O'Neil made
| ,he ideo n success md Susan ClasDcll bcIned
greatly.
Needed IN Philadelphia
"A theatrical project along one of these
| TWO lines is needed in Philadelphia. The
| great thing is to have at least one play
| wright associated with the movement as well
| az competent actors. None Of the theat trCal
projects in this city have ever looked TO
| The creative end: they all concerned theT,
| selves solely with production But IL we
| want TO encourage the theatrical art. we
mus, encourage our dramatic writer's first
! OF all.
There have been great many American
,,,vs written within the last few years. bu,
The publr must be educated TO think in
tbc terms Of the dramati.t. This has not
l"cn the case thus far; persons who 60 to
than they do about the creator Of the play
the writer's are doing. ] know of several
men in this city who have recently written
plays--and they are good ones, too--and In
J Of excellent dramas already written. To