The New York herald., 1922-10-15
y THROUGHOUT the ranks of the
theater = greater interest is

Shakespearean production made in
this city in the last twenty years.
When it became known that the bust
ness of selecting a cast would begin
one day last week more than five hun
dred actors crowded the entrance TO
the Plymouth Theater, where Arthur
Hopkins functions as q director. II is
reliably reported that every American
actress under the age Of thirty seven
has been reading the role of OphcliC
in the hall bedrooms and minor fats
of New York in case the lightning
should happen to strike.
The curiosity centers on two ques-
tons: Who will be the OpheEtdP And
in what manner has Robert Edmond
Jones designed the Elsinore? AS 10
the Ophelia, II may be guessed that
it will be some actress who never
before has attempted the role. Rumor
has been lowering uncertainty over
the names of Peggy Wood, who. how
ever, is booked for new play by Zelda
Sears next month; Genevieve Tobin. a
Hopkins protegee not yet committed to
any other play, though repeatedly mem
toned as candidate for Miss Adams's
old role In Peter Pam; Vivian Tobin,
her younger sister; Rosalind Fuller,
known chiefly as a singer of ballads,
and Mary Ellis, a young actress who,
as it happens, is definitely cast as
Nerissd in the Belasco production OF
THE Merchant of Venice"
AS for the setting. II may also be
hot IONS ~ ~
tinued In the strain--the severe strain
in which he set the stage for Lionel
Barrynore's Macbeth" After the
howl that went UP on the first view OF
that distracting investiture. Mr.. Jones
was quoted as mutterng that he would
continue so TO design the sets 1oi
Shakespeare's plays until the public
should catch UP with him. even IL 1t
killed Arthur Hopkins In the process.
On the other hand IL is fairly well known
that, mingled in that howl, were "A rev
acid remarks from John Barrymore
himself SO IL seems altogether unlikely
that the new Elsinore will bear any re-
semhlance to the distinctly molar Dun
shane which riveted the eye throughout
the first act of Macbeth or that the
ghost of Hamlets father II. indeed. nc
Il embodied on the stage at oil. VIII
seem kin at all TO those three members
of the Klu Klux Khan which danced
around the caldron in the witches scene.
The Ziegfeld "Follies' threaten this
wear TO be more OF a Broadway instttu-
tion than ever. The aim OF Ilorens
Ziegfeld, Jr., is to have them run Tor 2
whole year, a Ia sally" at the Ne"
Amsterdam Theater, instead OF limiting
their stay here to the conventional SIX
| Iftae-
ithe-roads with his blessing. The biz
show IL booked up to January at the big
house. and may run longer than that II
the fates are kind and the present busi-
ness clings to the revue. The reason
generally ascribcd for this. aside from
the fact that New York seems inclined
10 look upon the "FolIies" with favor
for more than four months. is that con-
ditions on the road have become posi-
lively funereal, and while the "Follies
has always cut a wide swath on tour j;
was deemed best TO keep IL here rather
than run any chances Of its curling up
in the provinces.
Stald Philadelphia seems to have felt
the blight OF the warm spell. and during
the past week the only shows there re-
ported TO be doing good business were
Sam H. iarris's Rain and his night
blooming sally" In Boston George VI.
Cohans Little Nellie Kelly" is said 70
have been the only recent hit, knocking
the bottom out of the market for the
other shows The sad. sad condition
seems to have extended as far out Of
Manhattan as San Francisco. Oliver
Morosco is giving w the two theaters
at the Golden Cate which he took over
only q short time ago with typical Cali
fornia eclat.
Morosco plans to be represented here
In force soon. Leo Carrillo is 10 come
for a showdown i'm Mike Angelo on
November II at n theater that mas not
yet been spotted. The sporting Thing
10 Do" Thompson Buchanan's latest. Is
also slated 70 sit astride OF Broadway
presently. Enid Bennett. the film star.
who was announced IA having come
back 90 the stage in this comedy but IN
San Francisco-thOugh hardly any one
seemed 70 remember that She had ever
been on the atage--will be replaced in
New York by Frances Underwood, who
served as counterpoise TO Leo Ditrich-
stein IN Toto" and Face Value
E. Ray Goetz is another manager who
plans a strong movement on New York.
Persons Unknown" by Robert Housum.
which was called THE Star Sapphire"
until Coetz couldn't stand that title any
more. will be allotted 20 Springfield and
New Haven next week. with Martha
Hodman and John Miltern among thC
persons whose identity Is known lt Will
come to New York II given elbow room.
Goetz's musical comedy tentatively
called "Hayseed"- though because Of
Goetz's association with A. II. Woods
this title will probably perish miserably
erc Iong--is set TO open In Atlantic City
on October 80. and has designs on
Gotham. provided some manager as yet
unknown 10 fame Will reiinquish thea
ter for rs crying need. 4. l.. Thomas
and Brian Hooker wrote book and lyrics
aud George Gershwin and William DAILY
assembled the music. Meanwhile Irene
Bordoni in "The French Doil' IS said %
have been fascinating considerable
money In Cleveland during the past
week. according to underground rum.
biings.
The Love Chid." woodss newest pro-
duction. has been Hedging It's feathers
lately IN Springfield, White Plains and
Hartford. without having been viewed
once by its foster parent. The manager
will sec Il this coming week when e
plays In Providence and decide whether
he will allow Il out IN New York the
following week.
Pauline Frederick will drop out 81
Chicago on November with The
Guilty One" and fight that will on
tour The last week passed without
any announcement from \. H. Woods
once more that he would produce The