The Sunday Oregonian., April 21, 1912, SECTION FIVE, Page 3, Image 65

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PLANS NOW BEING MADE IN METROPOLIS FOR
ANOTHER BIG SEASON IN THEATER BUSINESS
- - - - - - ' ' '
Famous Lena Park May not Be Open TM Summer Two More Theaters Converted into Moving-Picture Houses William Gillette to Appear at
Head of New Organization Maud Adams Expected to Appear at Empire.
WE ARE NOW THE AU
THORIZED AGENTS FOR
CELEBRATED
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IEW YORK , April 10. (Special.)
The bankruptcy or Luni Par.
Coney I.!nd pioneer big place.
rtuiM manager generally to agree
that there 1 something wrong with
the Summer ahow busineaa.
Th owners of the land, who have
disnoaaeaed Mr. Thompson for non
pa) meet of rent, may run the place
theciaelvea this season. They are now
advertising for a tenant, with but small
chances of finding one.
It has been the Invariable rule that
-White Cities." in tills section of the
country, have one successful year, fol
lowed by numerous lean ones. The at
tractions apparently pall upon the peo
ple after awhile.
For example. Luna I'ark did a good
bualneaa lust year, that Is the attend
ance vii' larae. The trouble was, that
after the Initial 10 cents at the gate,
the visitors failed to come across, and
attractions that cost heavily to put on.
did not take in enough to pay for the
gas.
Fred Thompson, a few' years ago,
seemed to be one of the coming man
agers. Luna Pitrk was booming, his
wife Mabel Talleferro, was starring
successfully in 'Tolly of the Circus,"
and several other plays were bringing
In the coin to Thorarson. Now he
hasn't any plays, any Oina Park, and
his wife has secured a divorce.
neraU Saiare Film Tkeatera.
Two more theaters have fallen Into
the hands of the. moving picture men.
these being the Herald Square and
Weber Fields.
The Herald Square 'Theater Is the
most notable of the local playhouses that
has gone In for films. It was original
ly opened as the Coliseum, on January
10. 1574. and then was the home of two
panoramas. "London by Day," and "Par
Is by Night." The Coliseum structure
was taken to Philadelphia at the time
of the Centennial and New York'a rirst
aquarium put up In Its place. Later the
building was nsed as a circus; next It
was a variety house; Harrlgan Hart
had It as their home for number of
years, and at one time It was also a
dime museum. Of late years U has
hern run by Lew Fields, who baa
booked It through the fchuberts.
"Weber's Theater was the home of
Comedians Weber and Fields for many
years. Before they took it. the place
was run as a music hall on the old
Koster A Bial lines, but did not make
a success. Weber's has been closed
most of the season, and aa a straight
theatrical venture has not been a suc
cess of late.
Before Charles Frohman sailed for
Furope the other day. he outlined his
plans for next season as follows:
"All my stars will apear In New
Tork next season limew plays. I plan
especially long engagements In New
York for Maude Adams. Ethel Barry
more. John Drew, Uillle Burke and
Madanie Naslmova.
William Ulllelte ar.
"In London I shall meet William Gil
lette, to complete details of a high
grade stock company for New York. Mr.
Gillette will appear as stock star at the
head of an organization thoroughly
modern In personnel and equally modern
In Its repertoire. To that much I al
ready have Mr. Gillette's consent. In
Ms last letter to me he writes: " "If the
plan goes through. I shall hold myself
ready to p!ny a small bit aa eagerly as
a leading part. The scheme will neces
sitate frec,uent changea of bill and the
production of many plays, bnt they will
he productions as rigidly simple aa Is
consistent with truth.
"As far as Maude Adami Is concerned,
when Mr. Drew finishes his engagement
at the Empire Theater. 1 expect Miss
Adams to take control of the stsge of
that house for many months. I shall
nave an Interesting-announcement to
make later concerning the nature of
her next Empire Theater season."
All records In the line of long theat-
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rlcal Jumps will be broken next month,
when the Winter Garden Company will
move from Fiftieth street and Broad
way, direct to Tokio. The engagement
In Japan will be limited to nve weeks.
It Is expected that the company, which
will sail from San Francisco May 18.
will number 110 people.
Angustus Thomas, one of the most
successful of playwrights, gave at the
Lamb's Club the other day his theories
of rehearsal:
"To begin with." he said. "I proceed
upon the belief that the most valuable
asset a dramatist can have Is the good
will of the company. These ladies and
gentlemen are his Interpreters, and no
matter how accurately he may secure
the mechanical rendition of his own em.
phasls and Inflections, there -Is still
something wsntlng toward the perfect
performance If the temperament of the
actor Is not behind the character.
Good Will of Actors Heealre.
"After the good will of the company,
the next Important consideration Is the
company's health. The old-fashioned
stage manager believed that time and
attention to rehearsals was superior to
this. In too many quarters it Is still
the habit to give no Intermission for
luncheon, but to allosr members of the
company, during their waits, to refresh
themselves at the stage door with a
hastily snatched sandwich or a bottle
of milk. This is a very possible expedi
ent for a day or two. but when persisted
In for the three or four weeks of prep
aration. It results In producing a com
pany of almost nervous wrecks and the
play faces the great trial of Its first
night, handicapped with a phalanx of
Invalids.
"Nobody who has not undergone It,
knows the terrific strain of a first nlgbt
upon an actor. Nat uooawm once said
to me. 'A first night Is a horse race that
lasts three hours.' It could not be more
graphically described. For three hours
the people are under the nervous ten
sion to which a bettor Is subjected In
the half minute of a home stretch."
Broadway is Interested In a report
that Robert B. Man tell and Miss Mar
garet Anglln will appear together next
season In Shakespearean and classi
cal repertoire. Miss Anglln has usually
played modern roles, principally of the
emotional kind, but this season she Is
appearing In "Green Stockings." a
comedy. In 1895. however, she ployed
Ophelia to James O'Neil's Hamlet, and
In Australia In 1908 appeared In "The
Taming of the Shrew."
lie Star Cosablaatloa Dae.
Mr. Mantell has played Shakespeare
for many years. Until this season his
leading woman was his wife, the late
Marie Booth Russell. Both stars are
now touring the West at the head of
their own companies. If they appear
as co-stars In Shakespeare, they will
have the second organisation of Its kind
In this country. Julia Marlowe and E.
II. Sothern have., the other, and have
been remarkably successful.
Miss Pauline Lord, who has one of
the principal roles In "The Talker,"
now playing at the Harris Theater, la
a niece of former Clovernor Lord, of
Oregon. This Is the young woman's
first appearance in Now York, and
her portrayal of an exceedingly diffi
cult role has been most favorably com
mented upon.
William Harris, the oldest of theat
rical managers, believes that we have
too many theaters. , In a recent Inter
view he said:
"It Is a erase. That's the only word
that expresses the present situation in
New York. Speaking from experience
an experience of 60 years I don't
hesitate to say that we are theater
mad. When this craze started, nine
years ago. New York had 22 theaters
of the so-called 'legitimate' class. I'm
leaving out the vaudeville houses. In
the past six years 13 theaters have
been built- At the present time 10 are
either planned or building. This means
that New York by next year will have
45 flrat-class theaters."
"yadlcate Members Theater Men.
"At the time we built the Hudson,
New 'Amsterdam, Lyceum and Liberty
Theaters." he confessed, "we were
drunk with money. Times were so good
that we became reckless. But this was
before the time of speculators who were
not theatrical men. Bear this in mind;
There is not a man In the syndicate
who was not brought up In the thea
ter. As a result, to speak personally,
we have all been conservative. We
realized at the beginning how far we
could go. We built theaters in New
York a few years ago only because we
had to do so to protect ourselves
against others who were Jumping Into
the game. We thought we were acting
wisely, but as a matter of fact we were
doing a very foolish thing. The me
tropolis grows, and It Is only reason
able to suppose that everything grows
accordingly. But authors haven't grown
with the metropolis. In this fact, more
than in any other, may be found the
explanation of the theatrical situation.
"I'm in a position to sell theaters."
continued Mr. Harris. "If any . one
wants a theater, let him come to me.
I can offer him a house for much less
than it would cost him to build one," ,
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SWEDISH PLAYWRIGHT SOUNDS NOTE
OF PESSIMISM IN ALL HIS WORKS
August Stridenberg's Plays Classed by Some aa Unpleasant Berkeley Theater Is Scene of First American Pro
duction of "The Pather" London Symphony Orchestra Makes Hit.
BY EMILtB FRANCES BAUER.
IT Is likely that the figure-to tower
through the season ahead will he
that of August Strindberg, the
Swedish playwright who has been very
long in making his way into America,
that Is very long for the quality of his
writings and the significance of the
man. This does not mean that there
will be , a rush on the part of Charles
Frohman, Klaw & Erlanger, Liebler &
Co., Shuberts or others of the important
men who provide the theatrlcal feasts
for the great audiences of this country.
Strindberg will make his way into
America as did Ibsen, Maeterlinck,
George Bernard Shaw and others of
those few men of letters who had a
message distinctly different from plays
along the beaten path. Shaw in Borne
of his kindlier moments classified some
of his plays as unpleasant. Strindberg
has been less kind and so, indeed, were
Ibsen and a tew others. It is doubt
ful that Strindberg feels his plays to
be unpleasant or his Ideas, in a cer
tain sense, warped, he only sees life
through very dark glasses and he has
not the sense of humor which was the
saving clause in the case of Shaw.
We may, after a study of Shaw, Ibsen,
Rostand and Strindberg, calculate on
the difference between the cynic, the
realist, the satirist and the pessimist,
and perhaps we will find the pessimist
the most disagreeable, especially the
pessimist who never was permitted a
life that would make anything but
pessimism possible.
"The Father" Is Presented.
The first of a series of plays to be
presented at the Berkeley Theater, a
tiny auditorium and stage fitted only
for works which must be seen in the
most Intimate manner, was given on
Monday night, and this was the first
time probably that a Strindberg play
has been offered in English, although
occasional performances of his works
have been given in this country by
Scandinavian companies.
The work selected for the introduc
tion was "The Father," the soenes of
which are laid in Sweden in a small
army post. The plot concerns the Cap
tain of a cavalry company, his wife
and daughter, the three of whom are
at odds about the education and future
of the girl. The father has always al
lowed himself to be Influenced by his
wife and now she will not brook his
Interference.
She resorts therefore, premeditatedly
to influence him by suggestion and de
liberately undermines his mind, which
was originally perfectly normal. ,She
accomplishes' this merely by conveying
the idea that only the mother can be
positive that the child is hers. She
creates such, a strong suspicion in bis
mind that he becomes obsessed with
the matter to such a point that she has
him declared Insane and his affairs
are placed in her hands. Throughout
It Is obvious that the writer under
stood the torture of being torn by
boubts, also that he knew the lengths
to which suggeslon can carry.
play la Gloomy One.
In this play, as in many others, the
gloom Is almost inexpressible, and the
Ingeniousness almost devilish. One can
hardly feel him capable of writing in
a negative manner, that is. in a man
ner which expresses a mere subject.
His works are the outcries of his own
tortured soul and he has never forgot
ten the episode In his life, when, at
the age of eight, he was suspected of
having drunk some wine that was miss,
ing, and, to escape punishment, he was
compelled to state falsely that he had
taken It.
Strindberg is now about 63 years old
and it is believed that his health is
failing. He shelters himself In Stock
holm, where he studies with ardor and
writes from time to time. Here he re
ceives visits from his five children,
from three marriages, but he prefers
to live alone with his flowers and
music, to which he devotes much of his
leisure time.
There are no novelties of special im
portance this week in the theaters, but
there are some Interesting announce
ments, none of which are more so than
the forthcoming revival of "Robin
Hood" with a grand opera cast in
nearly all the roles. Walter Hyde, of
Covent Garden, will sing the title role;
Bella Alten, - Maid Marian; Florence
Wickhazn, also of the Metropolitan, will
appear as AIlan-a-Jale; - famine Man,
the well-known light opera star, will
eome back to Broadway as Dame Dur
den: George Frothingham will have his
original role; Edwin Stevens, well
known in the West, will sing the part
of the Sheriff; Basil Ruysdal, of the
Metropolitan, will sing Eugene Cowles
old part: Will Scarlet and Anne Swin-
rburne will sing the part of "Anna-
belle." This will open at the New
Amsterdam May 6.
London Orchestra Liked.
It was a colossal enterprise to bring
an orchestra of 100 men from London
to America for 32 concerts, but this was
perhaps Justified by putting at the
head of the London Symphony Or
chestra Arthur Nikich. whose name
remained behind him when he left the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, some 20
years ago. y
His was a royal welcome Monday
night when a modest-looking, reserved,
rather small man made his appearance
on the Carnegie Hall stage in front of
the London Symphony Orchestra, one
with which only "guest" conductors
have appeared, and Mlklsch has been
Its conductor for a long series of con
certs every season. There was conse
quently absolute unity between tho
conductor and his musicians, one might
go further and say rightfully artists.
Nlklach made a programme that
should have pleased an audience with
varied tastes, although there is no
doubt that even in Tschalkowsky he
could have found something more valu
able, as of all Tschalkowsky, "Fran
cesca da Rimini" Is perhaps the most
theatrical in effect.
Beethoven's "Leonore" overture No.
S, Brahms' symphony No. 1 and the
overture to "Tannhauser" were all
played with the rarest qualities, ad
mirable phrasing, poetic insight and
a singular clarity of line especially in
the Brahms' symphony. In which on
detail was overlooked. It may be that
In the last movement, Mr. Niklsch held
back the triumphant note a little too
long for the sake of the tremendous
climax, but it was a noble and inspir
ing performance, one which brought
the house to a veritable storm of ap
plause., Metropolitan la Closed.
The Metropolitan has closed and all
the Interest is already centered upon
what the coming season will offer.
Most of the artists of Importance have
been re-engaged and there will be
some Interesting additions among
which may be mentioned Frieda Hem
pel, the German colorature, who will
come for 40 performances; Jacques Ur
lus, the young German tenor, who will
come not to replace Burrian, bat with
him; Mile. Borl, a. noted Italian dra-.
matlc soprano, and among the works
promised are "Nero," the opera of
Bolto,. yerdl's son-in-law, which he has
been writing for nearly 20 years, and
which he has only completed for the
purpose of celebrating the 100th anni
versay of Verdi's birth next Fall.
It is said Oft no work has been
promised so often and delayed unless it
might be Rostand's "Chantecler." Mr.
Gatti-Casazza has been waiting for this
work for the last 11 years, when ha
first arranged all the details for tho
first production of "Nero" even to the
scenery and to Toscanlnl, who had been
engaged to conduct it. Even the roles
had been distributed. But this, the lm
pressario now refuses to do until he
will hold the score in his hands.
It Is stated that there has been no
deficit this season In the Metropolitan
Opera Company.
Love Lyrlca of a Ranch Girl.
(Robert V. Carr. In the Popular Magasiaa.)
IlfTRODUCED.
Twas at a dance a week ago
That first we met; he bowed quite low
When he was Introduced. "May I
Have the next waits?" he asked. Oh, why
Did I refuse and toss my head.
Yet half regret the words I said?
"It's taksn. and the next is. too."
And then he turned around and flew.
Why did he back away so free? i
Why didn't he try coaxing me?
"STRAYS."
He rode up to our ranch today.
And claimed he's looking for a stray.
He talked for quite awhile to dad
Looks funny that the fellow had
To take up nearly half a day
With talking of a single stray.
But finally away he went;
I peeked and watched him as he sent
His horse along Just like he's glad;
And then like him I talked with dad.
INDIFFERENCE.
Last night he stopped in and he stayed .
To supper and he sat and played
Some cards with dad and joked so free.
Yet somehow me he did not see.
I wonder If he thinks I care
One way or other when or where
He Is or what he ever thought!
But still 1 think he hadn't ought
I'm sure I do not care a cent
Yet I stayed up until he went.
DUMBNESS.
Cn Sundav night he called, and I
My bestest best did try and try
To entertain him with the news.
The stereopticon and views.
And played the organ; yet right there
He sat and twisted In his chair.
And looked at me I had to laugh
As helpless as a real young calf.
His words seemed In his throat to stick
I wonder If the poor boy's sick!
SWEETS.
Today he came a-rldlng down.
And brought me candy from the town;
And then I asked, "Is this for me?"
And then he said. "You bet it be!"
I felt so queer I let him stand
And for a moment hold my hand.
"That candy's sweet," he said, "Is true.
But there's none made as sweet as you."
And then I laughed and looked away.
For there was nothing I could say.
DREAMS.
I dreamed of him last night and thought
He came to me and quickly caught
Me In his arms and told ma all
Those love names that a map may call
The girl he thinks his heart's desire;
And then I dreamed a prairie fire ,
Came sweeping up on every side.
And he saved me, and then I cried
Upon his shoulder strong and nice.
And then he leaned and kissed me twice!
My Hopes.
Ainslie's.
My hopes are like argent strands
Transmuted by a mapio moon;
My hopes are all like shining sands
Some distant Eldorado knows;
I gather them within my hands.
Their wondrous gleams and glows.
I gather them within my hands.
To me my life's most precious part.
The argent strands, the shining sands.
And hold them to my heartl