The New York herald., 1922-05-24
Equity's $93,3OO
i to Back Theater
7 for Productions
Forty-eighth Street Leased for
q Year on Pledges of
Forty Players.

/ Following a meeting of forty actors
and actresses at the Ambassador Hotel
yesterday, at which guarantor COM
,n1ittee composed of well known theat-
.rical stars pledged sss,3o0 as financial
backing, the Actors Equity Association
announced that its long cherished ambi-
tion of an actors theatre is about TO be
realized.
"A years lease. from August next. on
the Forty eighth Street Theater was
signed during the afternoon by repre-
sentatives of the Equity. II also was
announced that Equity will stage at
least five productions of an artistic ma
ture. besides inaugurating Equity Fes-
tival Week" when at the elimination of
>fhe season different bill will be pre-
sented at every performance comprising
examples of the better and lesser known
plays of Shakespeare, OF ancient and
modern dramatists and of the best ex-
amples of every type of theatrical work.
sThe organization will be known as
"Equity Players, Inc"
Equity funds are not involved in the
project, since the guarantors' commit
tees fund will assure the success of the
venture, it was announced. The guar
antors' committee will be open not only
to Equity members but to those inter-
ested in the theater throughout the
country. In addition. large group of
subscribers for seats-not to be con-
fused with the guarantors' committee
will be organized from those interested
In the movement. Each subscriber will
be entitled to special seats for the series
of plays.
No opposition to the regular theatrical
manager is intended according to Frank
Gilmore, executive secretary of the
Equity. who explained that the project
'is rather intended to be of assistance to
them by increasing the output of plays
and the movement of theatergoers."
First" he pointed out, managers
may secure plays Of proven success
without assuming the dead lift of initial
production. as Equity Players. Inc. will
only maintain each production two
months and will then, If the play sue
eeeds. pass Il on to regular manager
second new ideas and methods will be
tried out. the results OF which managers
may use in producing their own plays
third and most important. the project
is intended 10 stimulate theatergoing and
-fo increase the number OF those inter
ksted in the stage"
= Francis Wilson. president emeritus OF
the Equity. will be president of Equity
Players, Inc The season will open on
october 15, the casts viii be varied ac-
cording to requirements and a group OF
experts in all branches of production
svill be asked to serve in an advisory
capacity.
= 'The Equity approaches its task
humbly but with a will to win," said
Mr. Gilmore who presided yesterday.
..Fhe motto assumed by Equity Players,
Inc., is 'to all the glory of the theater."
:according to Mr. Gilmores statement,
which in part follows:
''In the Equity Players, Inc.,' the
Actors Equity Association launches an
enterprise that will. we believe, tend to
7ncrease audiences for the better class
plays The average theatrical manager
of to-day is perhaps forced TO handle
his enterprises on a purely commercial
basis, his own taste and preferences be-
Ing subordinated to what he believes Is
u safe investment.
- 'In view of the enthusiasm with
which the project has been greeted a
ruling has been made whereby subscrip-
'tions for seats will be placed in the
The guarantor committee will be com.
posed of those who wish to stand be-
hind Equity Players. Inc, and advance
sufficient funds TO finance the initial pro-
duction plans. These guarantors will
be reimbursed from the first prohts OF
the corporation.
Z Among those who underworld the
fund at yesterdays meeting were Lii
liam Albertson, George Arliss, Lionel
Atwill. Constance Binney, Roland Bot
.tcmley, Vera Bloom, Marshall Birming-
Ham, Albert Bruning, Alexandra Car
Isle, Joseph Cawthorn, Lyster Cham
bers. Charles Cherry Jane Cowl Au-
gustin Duncan, Dorothy Donnelly, Wal
lace Eddinger, Gilbery Emery. Kath-
rrine Emmett William Farnum, Elsie
Ferguson, Frank Gilmore, Ferdinand
tsottschalk, Louise Closer Hale, Alice
Fisher Harcourt, Jack Hazard. Alfred
Hickman, De Wolf Hopper, o. P. Heg-
Cie. Daisy Humphreys. Harrison Hunter.
Violet Heming. Doris Keane. Margaret
Lawrence. Edith Wynne Mattison. FL
Icn MacKellar. Grant Mitchell, May
Naudain. Nance O'Neiil, James T. Pow.
ers. Florence Reed. Grant Stewart
Henry Stephenson, Efie Shannon. Gene
We've Tobin. Paul N. Turner, Brandon
lyman, John Westley and Malcolm
Williams.