The Washington times., 1929-03-07
'GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

season that other commercial
managers find rather drab, sends
it's touring repertory company
to Washington next week for
the presentation of three plays.
On the eve of its tenth an
niversary, this amusement insti-
tuition which Alexander Wooll-
colt classifies, as "unquestion-
ably the most interesting thea
ter in the English-speaking
world" is fast attaining the
reputation of being the most
prosperous.
1t is a long span since those
spring. days of 1919 when a
band of valiant friends of the
drama and the better things in
the theater, banded together to
produce two plays for $4,000.
They persuaded 1876 persons to
subscribe at S. each and with
this $675 in the bank managed
to rent the Garrick Theater and
ring up the curtain on their
first play. Bonds of Interest"
was their initial production and
it proved a flop. However,
with the seat sale money,
enough was laid by to put st.
John Ervin's John, Ferguson"
on the boards. 1t ran for 1876
performances and was their
first hit. Incidentally it is one
of the plays to be offered dur
ing the Washington engage
ment.
Today the Theater Guild has
$4,000 subscribers. 1t has, /
am told, a waiting list of some
5000 more. These subscribers
have first call on seats for the
Guild production and the gen
eral public participates in the
seat sale after subscribers have
been served. 1t contracts to
give six plays in a season and
if they are successful, arrange
ments are made for permitting
audiences in cities outside of
New York to see the plays.
The Guild owns new theater
and has, if financial reports
are not misleading, a tidy bank
balance.
The success of the Washing
ton season is assured by the
guarantees of Mrs. Wilson
Greene, under whose manage
ment the plays will be given.
Sidney Towards "Ned Cobb's
Daughter" George Bernard
Shaw's opus, "The Doctors
Dilemma" and st. John Ervine's
John Ferguson" are the pro-
grammed plays. The touring
company includes Peg Emit
Wistle, Robert Keith, Brandon
Evans, Paul McGrath, Payson
Edwards, Elizabeth Risdon,
Warburton Gamble, Neal Cald-
we'll, P. J. Kelly, Beatrice Hen
bricks, Allan Mowbray and
others in minor roles.
In attaining its eminence in
the highly competitive theatre
cal industry, the Theater Guild
has been the object of attack,
sometimes inspired by rivalry
and possibly envious motives.
It was the Messrs. Shubert who
branded the Guild as a strictly
commercial venture and
"Strange Interlude" as an i'm
rcoral play. The New York
district attorney decided the
O'Neill nine-act play was harm
less enough. Columbia Univer-
sity awarded il the Pulitzer
laurels and the clamor subsidized.
Ironically Strange Interlude"
las since played a Shubert road
theater and the forthcoming
q. C. engagement of the roper
terry company will be in a play,
house in which these New York
producers have financial in
tcrest.
The count of commercialism,
it seems to me, is in part sup
ported by the prices charged
for "Strange Interlude" on it's
road tour. Playgoers have been
assessed 81 a seat and the
profits from this extensive trip
to the coast will unquestionably
surpass that of any STR light
dramatic attraction now travel
ing theatrical highways. How
ever, people in every city are
ready to pay the price, and the
Guild, with dividends assured,
just forgets the noisy cries of
not so successful producers.
Actors are wont to say that
the New York Theater Guild
is a cheese pairing organization
when it comes to talking salary.
But the fact that Guild con-
tract assures definite and pro-
longed seasons in New York has
won over most of the thespians
pursued by Theresa Helburn
and her associates for their
productions. And it assures the
chance to play before audiences
of the best people and type
attention in the dramatic pages
of the New York dailies, two
things no prudent actor de-
spises.
So to sum up, the virtues of
the New York Theater Guild
far outweigh its few faults. /
think l have witnessed every
production which the Guild has