The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-30
A Little Talk About MT. Poli, His Thea tres, and the Cultur- al Condition of Our Town.

lation and larger minds build on a larger plan Our town is burst ing out. It is taking on maturity. Pavem ents, parks expanding, pIaygroupds increasing, schools generously planned are signs of the new time. Bank buildings of line and art replace old ones. Theatres come all at once; much finer, and better than those that were known.
 Dave builds fine house on State street. for his exclusive and exacting trade. Po1i, greatest in dividual owner of theatres in the world, builds three. very modern, large and beautiful. Here are four houses.
 What shall they be used for? The fate of three Is determined. Two are for pictures. One is for pictures and vaudeville. In two the art aspirations of the people are served, and well served, in the sphere of music. Strange that moving pictures have brought such a development in theatres and music; the finest and largest theatres; the best music.
 
 Poli has a fine theatre, not quite completed, which remains to be dedicated to a use? What shall the use be? More pictures; with more music? A stock com pany? Our people are we'll serv- ed with pictures, with beautiful lighting, with magnificent organs and splendid music. A first class stock company Is g. wonderful asset to the life of a community. A first class stock company would be a, gain.
 
 Our people ought to have a theatre for legitimate drama, to which the best plays will come and be seen in the best away. Bridgeport has no narrow philos- ophy. Our town is a part of the world. It gives and takes. Sends its own wares abroad. receives the argosies of the world. But convenience, and the happiness of the people. their minds and their pocket books, require a theatre in which the best plays will be. available withoua a long jounrney.
 The people of our town go to New Haven or to New York, and even to Stamford, to see the real drama. This Is not flattering to the pride of our town, nor to it's spirit.
 There are two ways in which e town may have the best the stage has to offer one way Is common in Europe. where the theatre is often endowed; that is supported from the public purse. In America this way has not been travelled: at least not often, nor 1n many communities. The Amer ican depends upon private enter prise for his art. In our town Poli Is tue source of that enter prise. He has the theatres. He can do it. He ca.1 do 1t better that anybody else. But Pon can not endow a theatre. He cannot operate theatres. more than a little time. unless they pay.
 He Is big and energetic, works on grand scale; Is more public spirited than the vast majority of big men, but he is bound by the iron law of business. If the enterprise won't carry itself, he can't do 1t. There you arei If our town wants a real theatre, with real plays, 1t must support the theatre; it must go to the plays.
 
 Comes the San Carlo Opera Company, giving Madame Butter fly. under the direct supervision of that wonderful woman, Mrs. Pon. who aids Elena, queen of Italy; whose charities are broad, and whose kindness is without limit. The proceeds go for the aid of devastated Italy, a matter in which our town is interested. Charity begins at home. But charity springs from sympathy, and 'syupathy Is as wide as the world, and as deep as ocean depths-
 The offering is So wonderful, the cause Is so deserving, 1t may well be that Polrs mind will be powerfully influenced by how many in our town will see Mad anne Butterfly. This great busf- ness man, finding a sparse atten- dance at so splendid an attract son may well suppose that our town does not want the best; that the culture Of our town stops