Evening star., 1932-08-28

w YITH the passing af August,
n the theatrical season OF 1882
wv 80 will ere long be under
way. A few productions are
In the offering and with
Autumn In the evening air, actors ana
producers, always theater conscious, pc
gin to feel the urge to get back INTO
harness. The present Summer In new
York. which Is the fountain-head OF
things theatrical in America, has been
an exceedingly lean one, void OF any
outstanding offerings or volume OF b'lsi-
ness. While in Chicago, with every
legitimate house closed, a condition has
existed such as passes the memory OF
the oldest footlight fan. In New York
a single little play, Another Language"
first produced at the wane OF last sea-
son in the Shubert-Belasco Theater,
has won out to a remarkable degree,
still carrying on to capacity audiences.
This attraction has been one OF the
very few successes.
Speaking of the Shubert-Belasco
ThAater, rumor has it that this long
popular playhouse may be in the dis
card next see son, at least, as far as being
open to travelling legitimate companies.
Should this come to pass, 1t will be
cause of genuine regret to washing
tonians, who have found pleasure In the
intimate charm of this Lafayette Square
landmark The years have mellowed
into 1t something that. for better
name. we term atmosphere. The old
building has an indeflnable charm of
warmth and feeling only acquired by
long years Of sympathetic care. For
over a quarter Of century the theater
has been under the management OF the
Messrs. Shubert and the late David
Ial local eyIiid-
arce Of Stoddard Taylor. Attractions
of late have not been as plentiful as
of yore, a fact that will result during
the coming season in the darkening
of many stages which heretofore have
cast their beam Of brightness.
A bronze tablet on the front Of the
Belasco bears this legend: "On this
site, Commodore John Rodgers built an
elegant house in 1881. In it, on April
IA, 1865, an attempt was made to
assassinate w. H. Seward, Secretary OF
State, by one of the conspirators who
murdered Abraham Lincoln the same
night. The Hon. James G. Blaine after
ward bought the house and died here"
It therefore appears that 101 years
have elapsed since Commodore Rodgers
obtained the site where the present the
ater now stands. Life, we hope, went
on more III bllC OAN AAOhlC Al
those early days than in its later tragic
years.
At that time, what later became
known as Lafayette Square. was but
cow pasture. The few buildings near
were the White House, st. Johns
Church, the Decatur residence, Gen.
Daniel Slckle's home and possibly the
Daniel Webster mansion. The latter
was subsequently removed to maxi say
for the present United States Chamber
Of Commerce building.
An interesting story relates that Com
modore Rodgers obtained the plot OF
ground for his house from Henry Clay
in exchange for a much priced and
coveted jackass which had been pre-
sented to the commodore by a member
of the Spanish nobility during one OF
his soiourns abroad. Who knows, per-
haps that donkey was clay" in shrewd
Henry's hands. for, according to an ex-
tract from the life Of Commodore
Rodgers. it was apparently more prof
ttable than an idle bit Of land in vii
lage forlorn Of aspect in that remote
day. In any event, history relates that
about 1885 Rodgers moved to house
which he built on Madison place, facing
Lafayette Square, almost opposite the
home Of Stephen Decatur.