The Washington times., 1928-11-29
FL MS DON I
F RICH T E N
HEGFEID
By FLORENz ZIEGFELD

Like Paul Jones on the Bon
Homme. Richard the legitimate
theater will never surrender--it
has only just begun to fight.
Beset on every side by mass pro-
duction OF cheap amusement it
has nothing to fear, from sound
or silent motion pictures. tele-
vision, radio, records, or any Of
the scientific marvels that carrv
their messages into the homes Of
the nation. The thea&er has III.
ways been beset and the theater
has always won out. 1t has
glamor color, personality. vitality.
the fascination OF three-dimen.
sional life. No shadow show and
no routine of canned sound can
ever replace the singing and
speaking stage in opera or drama.
Personality is everything in the
theater. Good actors viii always
love applause and they will al.
ways be applauded. Direct per.
sonaI contact with audiences is
the breath OF life to an artist.
No true player will ever be con-
tent with d sound.proof room and
q mechanical register as q stage.
welcome the movies and the
talkies for they fill q great mass
necessity; they reach the mil
lions directly and cheaply; they
have their undoubted place: they
will grow better and better, but
their best will be as inferior to
the hest OF the legitimate and
operatic stage az are timed
strawberries to the ripe, fresh
product of the garden. Sound
pictures interest me and ] may
take a part in their production
myself because see IN them
means OF making the movies
more artistic and more realistic,
but i sense their limitations.
Z Now 10 the time for producers,
authors. composers and actors TO
come to the aid; OF the time.
honored stage which has brought
US such a magnificent heritage.
There is a great demand for fine
productions in comedy, drama,
revue, music play and operetta.
think that I have proven that
with my own "Rosalie," SHOW
Boat" and The Three Musket-
eers." which have been. playing
to capacity for record runs on
Broadway. These shows cost me
over 100000 to produce and
$1O0, 900 a week to maintain.
tWhoopee, my latest musical
production. starring Eedie Can.
tor. has so far cost: me over
100000 to stage and the weekly
expense is so great that there is
nj % "
business.
Rio Rita" is another example
familiar to Washington of how
port what they like In its third
year it Is touring the leading
cities. There is a public for
everything in the theater.4 No
monopoly exists tor any brand sof
entertainment. Consumer loyalty
is based strictly upon the i'm.
mediate pleasure given. II created
the revue type of show in 1907.
watched the rise and tall OF
degraded and vulgarized the
"Follies of 1925" the twenty
OO\OALuN SNltlOAAs W UC NLluOISQ III
January will break fresh ground
and" have a story and logical
conference. 1t will have nothing
in common with the low. ssordi6
and lecherous revues of the pre-
sent day.
In Paris and London the revue
is as dead in it's finest Towering
as in New York. The I1ucksters
of the theater have gone too far
and outdone Paris in nudity and
filth. The class, the charm. the
distinction, the eliquence have
departed leaving only the drags
of what was once a superb exposi.
ton of all that was lovely and
distinguished in the theater
Never despair of the speaking
stage. When you look around
and see that brothal plays and
crime documents have following
then be sure that what Is fine
and of good report will also find
its. public which dispises vicious
mediocrity.
What the public want is genuine
distinction and intelligence in the
theater coupled with beauty not
tn cav noapntficauna5 xvhnra ~ ~ -