The Denver Jewish news., 1923-02-14
Theatre and Jews

The Worlds Work by fhat 1eiloW bur
ton j. Hundrick the charge Is made that
Jews have commercialiZed the theatre.
He reyamps the charges usually made
in Life of other days Jewish man
ayers" ne says. have done nothing
to foster the artistic side of the stage
As if to give Hendrick the lie comes
the announcement by OTTO II. Kahn
that Morris Gcst, who is one of those
Eastern European Jews to whom Hend-
rick takes so much objection. is to build
II theatre which will be devoted wholly
to the encouraging of American opera,
drama and music. as well as to intro
ducing here such foreign productions
as for one reason or another might not
appeal ia the ordinary producer. Mr..
Kahn is behind the venture. the guiding
principal of which is to lie art and not
profit.
Discussing Mr.. Gest's plan at length,
Mr.. Kahn said:
Mr. Gest is looking for site on
which to erect theatre of his own
1t is part of his plan that the hos
pitality of that theatre shall he extend
ed to the best in foreign dramatic ART,
for it is right, and truly serviceable TO
American art that our artists and pub
lie should have the opportunity OF be-
coming acquainted with the best that
foreign art has to offer. But the MAN
purpose is to serve American art.
..Gest's theatre is TO be place where
young America shall particularly have
its innings-not only American dra-
matists, actors, scenic artists ana so
forth. but American singers and COM
posers. not of course in rivalry to grand
opera, but supplementary thereto. And
young America will make good; for
talent is talent here. throughout this
vast country. profusion of tnlent,
awaiting only guidance and adequate
opportunity"
This is by no means the first time
that Jew or Jews have taken steps
for the promotion of the artistic side
of the stage. In Germany. in Austria
and elswhere Jews have been in the
forefront of the artistic development of
the theatre. The life-work of Emanuel
Reicher, now in this country, is the
story of the growth of the German
stage. Over in England. Sir Augustus
Ha rris. Collins, Lewis Waller and 9th
ers to numerous to mention have ele-
waited the English drama.
A group of puhlic-spirited men, hend-
ed by Otto II. Kahn built the New
Theatre, now known as the Century
IThsAre. The success of the opera is
due to men like Heinrich Conried and
Grau. David Belasco and the Froh-
mans have done more for the stage
than any other group of managers.
The names of Adolf Sonnenthal. Max
Reinhardt. Sarah Bernhardt, the i'm
mortal Rachel. the famous company
known as the Meininger which is man.
aged by Jew, occur to one as among
"a host of Jews and Jewesses whose eff
forts have made the modern drama
what it is today. The unscrupulous
scribbler, Burton ]. Hendrick, does not
There appears to be subtle connec-
ton between the Jew and the stage.
Almost insitnctively the jew is drawn
to the theatre and so keen II critic and
observer as Alexander Wolcott says
that Jews. and East Side Jews at that
have made possible in this city the
highest art productions. Go to any
theatre which bills play of the high
er class and one will find the audi
ence almost exclusively composed of
Jews-natives of and the sons and
daughters of Jews from Eastern Eu-
rope.
Jews flock to the best concerts in the
country. They love the high-brow mu-
sic and the greatest musicians and con-
ductors are Jews. 1t is therefore not
ut all surprising that a Jew. and par
ticu1arly one hailing from I2Issan-
Poland. should conceive the idea Of
building an art theatre. There may he
no money in it, but then the artistic
has an appeal which transcends none
tary considerations. The man who
brought to America the Chauve Souris
and the Moscow Art Theatre, though
it was doubtful whether they would be
paying ventures, was impelled by his
artistic sense and by an appreciation
of the beautiful 1t is but natural that
this man should harbor schemes for
the perpetuatiOn of the artistic in our
midst. He will have an uphill fight
He can but demand at the very outset
upon limited audience. We believe
however. that he will ultimately sue
ceed because he will cultivate II pub
lie.