Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-08-21
Mew York
Letter

NEW YORK-This Is the season
when Broadway leaps over its
ordinary borders and flows in all
directions, like a Mississippi flood.
While gaudy night-club entrances
gather cobwebs, the summer edi-
tions OF these spots may be found
glittering along the Long Island
highways.
And the hundred-and-one sum-
mer colonies that lure the heat
weakened city jewellers are offer
ing headline attractions that would
stagger the most hardy bright
lights producers. II is as though
some Titan had dropped a hundred
or more famous ones from some
cloud, and they had rebounded over
the entire countryside.
With Broadway continuing TO
offer unemployment to even the
best Of players. it has been a bo-
nanZa summer for the seaside, hill
SIDE and mountain resorts. Every
place that even limited at having
a metropolitan colony now has a
little theater. and successes of the
theater mix literally with try-outs.
In fact. some OF the large pro-
cucers. uncertain Of plays mat lie
on their desks. have used this OPP
pcr.unity TO see what they look
ike Oh the stage. Ordinarily. this
would be an expensive experiment.
A troupe would have 70 be organ
lied. wages posted and a try-out
arranged in some nearby town. But
this summer. the cores Of hastily
organized stock groups are glad 10
get new material.
Thus. you will find. Cape Cod
has none other than Grace George
appearing at the head Of its list
and giving The First Mrs. Fraser"
which ran months and months on
Broadway. Susan Glaspell, who won
the wears Pulitzer play prize, may
be found giving other products ID
a group in Westport. Peggy Wood
who has been in London so long
that the American theater despair
cd at getting her back. may be
NNA NN "
found performing IN and around
White Plains. Leo Bulgakov. who
has been n leader in the newer eX-
detrimental movements, IS 70 be
located ". Shurry. Me Valley
Stream. Southampton. woodstock
and scores OF other resort spots
offer headliners that Broadway
would be glad 10 star.
But the income from the sum-
mer colonies and from Broadway
are quite different. Performers
whose salaries would run into three
figures were they featured IN the
bright lights. are willing to take
a very nominal wage to spend the
summer in the country.
And no longer are these sub
urban groups OF the "arty' or little
theater" persuasion. Hits are now
more easily available, with 2 gen.
erous trimming OF the second
rights prices.
Speaking OF theatrical matters.
there's a gag On Broadway that
stage conditions were 50 bad that
ticket scalpers had been observed
giving away passes.
And whatever may be the results
of the much-discuSsed repression,
certainly II has driven from the
New York streets these perennial
nuisances, the sidewalk ticket
hawker. Also II has hit hard the
various agencies that act as ticket
brokers.
With only a dozen shows-per-
haDs less by this tlme-left, there
is little percentage in the turn
over commissions. Usually. with the
boards crowded bv varied selec-
tions. business is likely 10 be brisk.
Hotel ticket racks, they tell me,
are hardest hit.
And even Joe Leblang's, which
often resembles a busy railroad
station at train time, Is relatively
quiet.