The Washington times., 1929-10-05


In addition to the 900-odd dol
lars, they had as capital an unpre-
ccdented faith that their audiences
were intelligent and they have
made that capital pay dividends
by winning the investments of
subscribers in IL large cities Of the
country. At a time when other
managers say that the road is
dead, killed by movies, the Theater
Guild has four successful touring
companies in addition to the two
presenting Strange Interlude,"
headed, respectively, by Pauline
Lord and Judith Anderson.
Theresa Helburn, executive d.
rector of the Theater Guild, and
one of the original hopeful group,
when asked why the Guild had
conquered the road just when
other managers were giving 1t up
as hopeless, said:
"Our idea of the way to redeem
the road is to reverse the usual
order. Customarily shows are tried
out on the road. New York Is our
tryout town and only shows
which have been proved here are
SCuL. ouL VI Io"Ils W.
don't send out second companies.
We try to send out as nearly as
possible the original company
which made the New York sue
cess.
Two hundred actors-eight diff
ferent troupes-that makes II
sound so sort of wholesale" Miss
Helburn shrugged. THAT really
isn't fair. Fifty or rs of those are
small parts and the plays we are
sending out are not lik, new pro-
ductions. We are really not en-
larging our creative program at
all. We feel that we can only do
a certain amount of creative pro-
duction and we are sticking to
our schedule of five or six new
plays a year.
I'm sending companies on the
road. we are simply drawing on
the production we have made in
the past. Arms and the Man and
The Guardsman' went out with
almost the New York company.
The changes in the Marco Mil
lions cast were made while that
was playing last year and almost
no new rehearsals were required.
For instance, we are not calling
in many actors, as people might
Imagine. In addition to our acting
company, whom we have under
contract for three years or more,
e have another group OF actors
which we draw upon, who have
played with US in the past, whom
we would like to have under con-
tract il we could take the respon'
sibility of keeping them con-
stantly employed.
incidentally the Guild has al
ways made it a practice to share
profits with its actors. In the
early days salaries were very
small and percentages a gamble:
Now salaries have increased and
percentages due to subscription
plan more stable.
During the first seven years we
concentrated on the play for the
plays sake. The good play was
not nearly so established as 1t Is
now. The second phase empha-
sized acting, ensemble acting,
versatility. After all, we are in
this thing for the love Of it. We
must do something new or we
go stale. So in the third phase
we went to Chicago and discov-
cred America. The realization
that there were vast untouched
audiences outside Of New York
has given US fresh kick, fresh
vitality"
The original directors Of the
Theater Guild were Lawrence
Langner, Philpi Moeller, Helen
Westley, Lee Simonson and Mau.
rice Wertheim, Rollo Peters and
Aug lstin Duncan, with Miss Mel
burn in an advisory capacity. Mr..
Peters and Mr.. Duncan dropped
out in the early days. Otherwise
the same group still directs the
destinies of the Guild with Miss
Helburn executive director.