The Washington times., 1929-02-09
lGS EEATLRED PLAYERS NV THE FIRST RUN P4OTOPAYS
GLEANINGS'
AND
SCREENINGS
Rr ANDREW r. KELLEY

this column drops INTO our
sanctum to say that the legiti-
mate theater is in for even
more melancholy days unless
something is done soon to IN
terest the youth of the nation
In the spOken drama.
"My kids Che has four) all go
to the movies regularly. The
oldest is ID and he hasn't
missed a week since he was
8 years old. Outside of little
plays put on at school he has
yet to see his first drama but
he can tell you the life history
of Tom Mix and if he had his
way Harold Lloyd would be the
next President of the United
States. The movies are creating
habit theater-goers among the
juveniles and the legitimate
stage is doing nothing to en-
courage young America to
attend. What's the answer :"
/ see considerable merit in the
argument and yet the occasional
effort to appeal to the young
made by the spoken theater
meets only half-hearted encour-
agement from the parents.
The answer is, Of course, sup
port for those ventures which
try to keep the legitimate torch
flaming. l hold no stock or
financial interest in Charles En-
erson Cooks Lafayette Square
musical comedy enterprise, but
have a keen admiration as
friend of the theater in a move
ment designed to bring the mod
ern musical comedy to the stage
at a price within the reach OF
the masses.
Producer Cook has assembled
an excellent company. He gets
the best possible musicals-those
which have proven merit as
established hits-and they are
presented with dancing and
orchestral and singing accom-
paniment which make them rank
high as entertainment. Here
then, is a real chance for those
who want to keep the lights on
at the Belasco Theater and en-
courage the spoken stage to
step up and give some practical
help. You will never buy good
musical comedy atIa lower scale
because it is noe possible in
these days of inflated values.
Incidentally purchasing an even
ing of Cecil Lean and Cleo May
field in "No, No Nanette" at
$3.50 top is better amusement
bargain than Joe LIE Blang can
hang up on his cut rate board.
Down on E Street, the house,
of Rapley has had an unusual
success in attracting youthful
patronage. l trace much OF it
to the established policy of clean
plays with the so cents Wednes-
day matinee and 75 cents Sat
urday performance fixed for the
National Players.
Apart from these stock organi-
cations little attempt is made
by the commercial theater to
interest the growing genera
ton in the spoken drama. That
is, in the way of pricing seats
80 that they will come within
the economic limitations Of the
adolescent's pocketbook. The
late Robert Mantell made a
systematic effort to attract the
attention of the high school
boys and girls and always in
sisted upon low price admis-
sions for these students Of
Shakespeare. In the present
season, George G. Tyler has
sent Macbeth" with it's Gordon
Craig settings into huge audi
forums and halls which will
make a low price possible, thus
bringing this classic within the
popular scale.
But instances of this kind are
remote and the bulk of the
work of interesting sprouting
youth in drama is gradually
falling upon the little theaters,
community centers, the high
schools, churches and amateur
dramatic organizations.
The Community Center plays
offer another real opportunity
to encourage a liking for clean
drama, presented under digni-
fled auspices. Parents may send
their children to witness these
programs with every assurance
the. plays produced will be en-
tertaining, and the competitive
spirit aroused by the elimination
contest plan sufficient incentive
for the actors to give their best.
Those who are hoping that
the development of the talking
pictures will reawaken interest
in the spoken stage in my judg-
ment are >clutching at a rain
bow. In their present state Of
mechanical limitation dialogue
pictures take on the aspect and
technique of a spoken play.
But the takers are going OUT
doors soon. Witness "In Old
Arizona" as a progressive step
in this direction. The problem
of voice modulation win be
solved and the scenes will ex-
pand beyond the studio sound
stages. Then the similarity to
spoken plays win probably dis
appear.
The legitimate theater must
help itself. One way is by
oreating interest in the drama
among these potential audiences
In the schools. But the friends