Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
Inauguration Week
At the Playhouse
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

Accepting the doctrine "all the
worlds a stage" the really big
drama of the present hour, one
which has been rehearSed not
merely all Summer but for many
years, is offered by the statesman
star who will interest not only the
throngs of visitors tomorrow, but
a Nationwide audience as well.
Inauguration day is an epoch
making date in American history
and the ordinary forms of public
interest, whether seriously poetic
or not, fade into comparative in
significance.
The theaters Of the District of
Columbia, however, are confidently
making preparation for entertain
ment on the usual lines, with an
effort to place the best obtainable
for both stage and screen at the
disposal of the public during hours
when sightseeing must necessarily
leave room for few hours Of re-
taxation.
A very important change in the
Sheater situation here will be in
PRODUCED coincidentally with the
new governmental regime, when
Keith's Theater, which has been
dark for months, throws on the
electric switch to blazon the an
nouncements of the Savoy Musical
Comedy Co. The transfer of this
merry singing and dancing organ
ization gives the Emerson Cook
management the benefit of larger
seating capacity, which will be ad-
vantageous in case the organiza-
ton can 60 on steadily toward the
attainment of a regular stand
ing room rule.
For an extra added attraction, 4"
as Keith's was fond of saying
when at the height of its vaude-
vile career-the Savoy manage
ment has secured as leading song
stress Patti Harold. She is an
other Of the distinguished ex-
amples of heredity in the theater;
the daughter of Orville Harold,
who occupied the enviable position
Of leading tenor of the Metropoli-
tan Opera Co. The lure of salary
took father and daughter for a
time into vaudeville, but both re-
turned to the Interpretation of
classical music.
The examples of distinguished
n OF fo
numerous as apparently to contra
dict q very general idea that true
artistic genius is not, save in rare
instances, a hereditary gift. Pos
Sibly environment has a great deal
to do with the ease experienced by
children OF theatrical parentage in
adjusting to the requirements of
the stage They learn the tradi-
tons of the theater as a part OF
the home conversation and often
listen night after night to Shake
speare instead of a bedtime story
A conspicuous example of stage
talent as a family tradition is pre-
sented by Ethel Barrymore. Per-
hapS her public expected a little
deferential stage fright at first
and even resented vaguely the en-
tire absence of self consciousness
She delivered her speeches with
fine intelligence, and with such
self forgetful naturalness that il
was difficult for many auditors
specially those with a little linger-
ing taste for the old time vocif-
erous declarations. to realize
that she was really acting
She was merely being her
self, and it was a lucky &C
cident, they thought. that hel
personal identity so neatly fittec
into the role. In fact. some Of
those not very discriminating ir
their analysis suspected thai
Ethel was cheating Just little bit
This impression was heightened by
a certain roguish CLINT of the eyt
which made it appear that If,
seemed a rather pretty bit of mer.
riment and that stage playing wa.
80 easy a matter that she couls
not understand why any ous