The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-05-25
GLEA N INGS
SCREENINGS
ID ANpRHW z. KELLEY

- 49, AgeANNTAHAF r8Nf~-gNAA - 49,.
legitimate theater has passed
into history except for q
limited few hit shows still rum
ming on Broadway land the out
look straight ahead Il not
promising.
The advance agents and COM
pariy managers are coming in
from the road Is the touring
companies close and their re-
ports Of business for the tray
eling' stage attractions are any
thing but optimistic. The talk
ing pictures are providing such
healthy opposition that only Al
/ dramatic offerings and the
choicest Of musical comedies
have been able to successfully
eombat the competition.
4 close contact with the stats
ltpf the drama is kept by the
HTheatrical Press Representatives
Esf America, whose members de
llrect the publicity and financial
ffairs Of the speaking stage.
Thxough their monthly naaga-
ine, The Quill, Dom Wermuth
nums mp his observations after
d season on the road. Give ear
to Mr.. Wernuth and study
closely the remedy he suggests:
aMy diagnosis Of theatrical
eonditiona is brief. / only wish
1--we could get the ear Of those
swho need talking to, 70 that
there will be no delay about
sinaugurating reforms to remove
/. the clouds Of gloom and place
the show business in the hands
Of the gods. Thus far It looks
as il the producers would never
get together.
"But the movie magnates did
not hesitate to elect , car at
$150, 900 q year to use the big
stick. AS i result, You can
| walk up the main stem Of any
town and be compelled to wait
an hour or more for q 6O-cent
seat and lucky to find one.
''That is where movie people
have outsmarted the legit. Buy
your ticket to q movie enter
the door and Immediately you
are struck with the magnificerce
that surrounds you-see the
rilded architecture, the drapes,
the furnishings, and the snlartly
groomed ushers. It is . real
show place.
.sThen comes the show-a
comedy, 4 news reel, . bag of
tricks and all that. Finally the
feature picture which usually
Iks 50 hot that we nearly get
the odor Of powder. We hear
tle slightly controlled giggles
Eof shop girls and debs and we
Yourselves are fascinated.
9 After seeing the torrid
clinches of the Gilbert Carlos in
six reels, comes the spotlight,
like q gorgeous aurora and
focuses on Overture" for q
..second performance. To the un-
| critical ears, the music comes
| direct from Heaven. What an
overturel Often the orchestra
| is the real punch. After five
splendid minutes OF music
Ecribbed from d popular legit pro-
| tluction comes the jazz and the
presentation, in all it's glory.
For half dollar you get Won
sderful entertainment and a thea
ter that is . joy to visit.
ssWhat does the legitimate
offer to equal the screen? Why
aren't some Of the barns over
the country torn down or at
least patched mp? Why can't
there be just as much splendor
IN the legit houses? Fix up the
theaters, lower the scale to rea-s
sonable figures, and the legiti-
mate will have capacity, too.
tsWhy not try something like
this: Take IL Of the most COM
petent men in the business and
place them at vantage points
throughout the country. Give
them authority and finances to
rebuild the crumbling houses and
renovate the others. You cant
give road shows in barns. The
movies saw what had to be
roneand did it.
tsTaIkies to q great many peo-
ple react no better than the
player piano. But many be-
Iieve they are going to be a
real asset to the legitimate thea
ter il they continue.
ssI'H ask just one question then
sign off. Would you rather be
fascinated by the picture of q
beautiful girl or the girl in per-
son herself? There's only one
answer.
II do hope the editor Of The
Quill IS in love with the pro-
ductiou theater as much as ]
an, and that "The QuilP and
TPROA keeps hammering at the
producers until they start q new
era In show business"
&