Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16

NV oblivion, Manager Steven E.
Cochran rings down the last
curtain on the National The
ater Players stock season in Washing
ton. It has been very delightful and,
Manager Cochran says a very profit
able season. The efficient company
that has been entertaining lovers Of
the spoken drama since early Spring,
and with no show of tagging public
interest even during the dog days, has
probably reached its peak of artistic
excellence and will compare with any
organization Of its kind anywhere.
Through its work Washington has been
permitted to see for the first time
number of entertaining plays that won
high popularity, but never reached the
National Capital by the regular route.
Edward Arnold. one of the players,
made no mistake in his farewell address
last week in reminding the audience
that you are going to miss the Ma
tional Theater Players" Manager
Cochran has taken his company to the
auditorium Theater in Baltimore in the
hope that their success in Washington
may be repeated there, and his pro-
gram farewell of last week intimated
that in such an event the company
might be converted into a permanent
organization, which would play in Bal
transfer its activities to the National
Theater here during the Summer stock
season. A mighty host of we'll wisherS
here will watch his experiment with in
terest and, as the boys at the base ball
game would say, will squeeze" for him
in the hope that his project may be
crowned with success. 1t really means
something to play lovers OF Washington,
because our Legitimate" theater seems
to be threatened with humiliation by
the movie takers.
WASHINGTON has now had its
w first full-fledged film drama with
SPOKEN dialogue. musical accompani-
nent and synchronized sound in every
department There are many more TO
follow. and quickly, at that, for, IN
spite of ali sorts of dread forebodings,
the movie producer seems to nave
taken a hitch in his trousers and made
the mad plunge into the world OF
sound. regardless of consequences. After
he had done SO he discovered that all
theaters were not provided with sound
picture equipment. and he promptly
met the situation by announcing that
productions would be made both noisy
and silent. It seems a wise decision,
for the receipts from the smaller thea
tiers enter largely into the sum total
required to pay the cost OF produc-
ton and to develop the profit, for
which. after all. the producer Is
principally in business. 1t cannot be
denied that the first sound picture
has attracted large audiences and won
much in the way of favorable COM
ment. Whether this be due to the
novelty of the thing, or to merits that
VIII continue to appeal, remains yet
to be seen. Public taste. theater man
ayers will tell you, is tickle thing.
And on the other hand there never
has been a new and daring project
undertaken that did not have its &C
companying chorus of evil prophecy.
The sound picture advocate admits |
that there are still defects in the |
"talkie," but that they are rapidly |
being overcome. so that in time per-
faction will be attained, and then the |
play lover will not care a rush candle |
whether his play is being unfolded 10
him by f1esh-and-blood actors or talA-
ing wraiths of the screen. Certainly |
The perfection of the sound and syn
chronizing devices will bring the bless |
ing of better music to the smaller |
theater, for ii will be easily possible |
to employ in the studios the best mu-
sicians. even artists. to furnish the |
music for a production, whether it be |
''talkie" or silent drama as of yore. |
The "talkie' also may Danish from |
public appearance the bad actor, even |
though it limit the opportunities Of |
the good one, but it is doubtful that |
much can be hoped for from it to
ameliorate the condition of the stage
struck YOUTH male or female.
X X X X
TODAY, for the first time, the famous
Aim production devoted chiefly 10 |
the achievements of the aviator will |
be shown to the general public in the |
National Capital. We are told that its
actors-those Of them, at least, that |
furnish the thrills and fright shudders
50 popular with the movie lover-are
their exploits In the airplane, and
that even the National Government CO.
operated in the making of the picture,
which appropriately Is called Wings"
1t is easy to understand how made
quately those who have never had the
experience of simply taking brief but
peaceful fight in a lighter-th an-aIr
machine ever have realized the perils
Of those daring aviators of the World
War, or of their contribution to world
peace. Wings" should provide great
AWAKENING 70 bIlctu rTOIu all tIldt HAS
been said and written of this great
picture. no one will make mistake
in going to see it.
X X
I INDER the auspices of the Moving
Picture Guild Washington is to see
also the film production called Dawn"
which purports to unfold the life story
of Edith Cavell. the English nurse who
was executed by the German military
authorities during the World War. This
picture as originally produced. was
banned even in England and was bitter
DANCING.
JOSEPHINE JACKSON PRIVATE DANCING;
single lesson, 81; six, S.. Class dances Fri
day nights, 8 to II. 1885 10th NV. Pot. 3d.