National Theatre, "The Trial of Mary Dugan" and "Silence"
setName: label: See more items in
content: Phillip Graneto Broadway Theater Collection
label: See more items in
content: Phillip Graneto Broadway Theater Collection / Series 4: Broadway Theater Programs (New York, New York)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1924-1928
container: label: Container
content: Box 2, Folder 20
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This production of Bayard Veiller's play The Trial of Mary Dugan starred Ann Harding and Rex Cherryman and ran at the National Theatre (now the Nederlander Theatre) until June 9 th, 1928. The play is a courtroom drama centered around a young woman on trial for murder. She is suspected of having murdered a wealthy lover who supported her financially. She is defended by her brother, and found to be innocent. The play was staged to create the feeling that the audience was watching genuine court proceedings. During the intermissions, the curtain was kept open, and actors playing officers of the court moved about the set as though they were still doing their job. The play was adapted for the screen twice, once in 1929 and once in 1946. The 1929 film  version came under fire from censors because of the relationship between Mary Dugan and the murder victim, who were romantically involved but not married. In the later adaptation, this plot point was altered, so that the victim was never involved in a romantic relationship with Mary, merely in love with her, and on the point of confessing that love when he was murdered.