The Billboard 1924-08-16: Vol 36 Iss 33 (1924-08-16)

The Billiboard AUGUST 16, 1924 Zs * he Dramatic Stage —. <<. ay, JarceComedy-Iraged John Emerson Returns Equity President, Back in This Country After Trip Abroad, Says “Our Drama Leads the World” .iew York, Aug. 7—John Emerson, president ef the Actors’ Equity Association, returned from a trip to Europe yesterday aboard the Mr. Emerson left shortly after Equity came to an agreement with th: uberts) When d to comment on the present theatrical sitelared he was not in touch with wait a few days before he Homeric ase nation ! de it and wanted to said anything Mr. Emerson, tho, was willing to speak about theatrical conditions in Europe. He stated: “] bave no desire to wave the Stars and Stripes, nor to be considered in any sense a ‘one hundred per cent American’, but it is quite obvious to even the casual student of theatrical affairs abroad that America has become the leader of the world in the field of dramatic production, and that there has developed in New York City the most progressive and the only really cosmopolitan theater to be found aprwhere today. “In the capitals of Europe, while the theater much of its pre-war charm and seems to be a lack of initiaproduction of plays, which makes js regain ng excellence, there even t : best of their stages appear almost ir 1] as compared with that of New York. “During the past two seasons we have had produced in New York not only plays of American and English authorship but also the finest products of the best playwrights of Germany, Czecho France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Scandinavia and Ireland—a record yot even remotely approached by any city of Euro Moreover, the quality of the American productions has, on the w been of the highest order. “This is, of course, due to a variety of In London the theater has won back f its former distinction and glamour, and plane, but 0-e, the acting is still on a very high there is ch a deplorable lack of free capital in England for new ventures and the rents demanded for the theaters are so exorbitant that great hardihood is required of any manawho ventures beyond the old, established, € aa and secure lines of endeavor. “In Paris one may still see some of the finest acting in the world, but in the subject matter of its plays, as in many other things, France <« as always, the most confined and provincial country in the world, its playwrights still contenting themselves for the most part with the same old themes, dealt with in the same old way, utterly oblivious of the great problems which are stirring the hearts and jmaginations of the writers of the rest of the — terlin has completely lost its former leadership in the newer art of the theater, and from present indications there is small chance of its ever regaining it. “The most vital and productive spot theatrica'ly in Europe is Budapest, at least so far a« playwriting is concerned. Vienna has come back marvelously in the vast two years, and is doing very interesting things in the theater, but this is due largely to the inspiration and influence of Max Reinhardt whose company at the refurbished Josephstadter D’ANNUNZIO EXPECTED HERE _— New York, Aug. 8&.—Gabriele d’Annunzio Italian poet and playwright, is expected to visit this country next fall to supervise the production of a play written by him and to be staged by Max Reinhardt. Morris Gest will sponsor the presentation in which Ida Rubinste'n, the French actress, will have the star role. The title of the Italian drama will be made known following @’Annumzio's present conference with Reinhardt, Gest is arranging to have the dramatist deliver a series of lectures here, also in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Cleveland. Tt is probable that Ida Rubenstein will play the Madonna in the reopening of “The Miracle’, prior to her appearance in the 4’Annunzio drama. Theater has developed a quality of eneemDiacting which would make even the Moscow pla ers look to their laurels “Reinhardt, however, is very fond of Amer ea, and, unless I am much mistaken, his bes efforts in the future will be devoted to his wor here. The one thing the New York stage <adly lacks is a genuine repertory theater What a boom it would be if Reinhardt aa be induced to organize and direct one."’ Due to Frank Gi!llmore’s illness it is probable that Mr. Emerson will take over some of the litter’s duties until he returns to his desk. RETURN OF “THE MIRACLE” New York, Aug. 8.—When reopens at the Century Th¢ ris Gest's “The Miracle’’ ater August 18 Morspectacle will be seen exactly as it was for 200 performances last winter and spring. The entire company of 700 has been rehearsing night and day for the last week and will continue rehearsals thru the coming week to put the production in shane for its new premiere. In the six weeks that have intervened since ‘“‘The Miracle’? was closed, the Century has been thoroly renovated and the costumes and properties have all been restored to their original freshness. Rosamond Pinchot, who created the role of the nun Iast January, has returned from her vacation in Europe and will again be seen in this role. KARYL NORMAN’S NEW SHOW New York, Aug. 8.—Karyl Norman is to star n “That’s My Boy’’, a new comedy drama which he wrote in collaboration with Edcar Paulton. The production will be sponsored by Joseph M. Gaites and is scheduled to open October 3. One of the features will be the Kentucky Serenaders, a dance orchestra now appearing at the Ambassador Hotel in Atlantic City. Norman, who has been headlining in vaudeville as **The Creole Fashion Plate’’, will play the part of both leading lady and leading man. He will be obliged to make ten changes of feminine attire, to say nothing of wearing an assortment of clothes while p'aying the latter role “THE SWAN” TO REOPEN New York, Aug. 8.—The Frohman manage ment announces that *“‘The Swan’’ is to reopen for a Iimited engagement at the Empire Thea ter beginning August 25. In arcordance wth new Equity cast Eva Le Gallienne will again be seen in the leading role of Alexandra. Basil Rathbone and Philip Merivale will return from Europe in time to begin rehearsals With the exception of Henrietta Watson, who r places Hilda Spong, the cast will be the same as that which appeared at the Cort Theater season. POLLOCK LEAVES FOR LONDON New York, Aug. S8.—Channing Pollock has left for London to take charge of his play, *‘The Fool’’, which opens there at the Apollo Theater September 10. With him went Mrs. Pollock. their daughter Helen and Sara Sothern, played the cripple in the original Broadway production As'de from Miss Sothern the cast will be made up of English actors. Following the opening of ‘‘The Fool’ Pollock and his family will leave for Paris, where they will remain for a few weeks, They will sail for home about October 1, WAGNER LOOKING FOR PLAYS New York, Aug. 9.—Charles Wagner is lukewarm abcut reviving “The Blue Bandanna’’ which paradoxically enough was frozen out of the Cort Theater after a torrid engagement of two weeks. Instead of returning Sidney Plackmer to this play Wagner prefers to present his young star in a new play if one can be found to fit his talents. Then, Wagner is in quest of a vehicle for Mrs, Fiske, who starred under his management in ‘Helena’s Boys’. last who too, 4 Department oi WS £OPINIONSY Conducted by GORDON WAYTE (COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BILLBOARD, 1493 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, N r Ser) STEPHANIE D’ESTE | ssional actress of rare charm and distinction, who is playing the role of Salome in Kathleen Kirkwood's presentation of Wilde's tragedy of that name at the Triangle Theater in Greenwich Village, A young profé and New York. Since The Triangle has graduated from the little theater class to the experimental, Miss Kirkwood has had the pleasure of introducing many clever professional players in types of roles they like to play. Miss D’Este is one of these, and the exquisite delicacy of her Salome commends her for up-town honors. CAST OF “OLD MAN MINICK” New York, Aug. 8.—Winthrop Ames bas begun rehearsals of *“‘Old Man Minick"’, the pew comedy by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber based on the latter's short story of the same nume, Prominent in the cast are 0. Ms H ggie, who wi!l play the title role: I’hyllis Pova who Was seen in “C heaper To Marry’’; Antoir Perry, Ann Wins'ow, Mary Hubbard, Beatrice Moreland, Jessie Graham, Lavinia Shannon, Frederic Burt, Sidney Booth, Ralph bent r, Charlies R Burrows, Albert Hyde, John Clements and Emma Wise DERWENT LANDS TWO PLAYS New York, Aug. appeared in “The Victoria’, arr ved from companied by his sister, author and playwright. The English actor brings back with him two new plays, one deal ing with the periog of Napoleon I, entitled ‘Greater Than a Queen’, by Miss F, M. Ranthe other, “The Apostle’’, is an adaptation rom a French play written by Paul Lyson. &.—Clarence Derwent, who Last Warning” and “Queen London this week ac Elfr da Derwent, an kin; ¢ { BROOKS TO PRODUCE FARCE New York, Aug. 8.—Walter Brooks is rehearsing a three-act farce comedy by Sydney Stone and Eleanor Maud Crane, called “Their First Baby’, which will be given its first performance in Stamford, Conn., Frday, August 29. Stone is coauthor of ‘“‘The Love Scandal’, presented earlier in the season with Norman Trevor and Edith Taliaferro in the leading roles. Brooks is considering the production of two more plays by Stone, one a domestic comedy and the other an emotional drama, ANOTHER CONNERS COMEDY New York, Aug. 9.—Richard G. Herndon has accepted a new comedy from the pen of Barry Conners, author of ‘‘So This Is Politics’’, now known as “‘Strange Bed Fellows’. Allan Dinebart and Claiborne Foster, who were seen together in Samuel Shipman's ‘‘Cheaper To Marry”’ and again in “In Love With Love’’, will face each other for the third time in this piece, Dinehart will undertake to stage the play as well. CAST OF “O MADELEINE” New York, definitely settled on Aug 9.—While A. HI a cast for “0 Woods has Madeleine” the producer is not so sure about retaining the title of Otto Harbach's newest farcical version of his ‘“‘Naughty Diana’’, which failed to ma ture as a musical comed Engaged for the principal role re James Gleason, Hobart Cava naugh, Allyn King, Marion Ballou, Theresa Max well Conover Dorothy Mackay is a possible candidate for the leading feminine role Stephanie D’Este Introduces a New Version of Salome to Little Old New York Down at Kathleen Kirkwood'’s Triangle 17 ter in Greenwich Village a beantif tragedienne by the name of St: mnie DY} is portraying a new and stirring Salor I an Original version, for Stephan DiI never sfen anyone play t » a wonld give wor'ds, if she possessed them see our own Mary Garden in the part An \ ire sure that our own Mary Garden wo pland Stephanie D'Este ehould she dror it the Triangle, I name of Stephanie D'Este is not kno n New York, except to those who noted their programs that «he played the «ma'l of the Gentlewoman in t John Barrymor duction of ‘“‘Hamlet"’ But we predict thet er long one of our savacions produ ers Ww Miss D'Este as Salome and eajole her to an Wn theater to give the »n gages ‘public a thrill. Being an exot beauty herself and a preme mistress of posture and pantomim Stephanie D’Este’s Salome has @ touch of «xo charm that wonld make the most hard+ ned former decide that after all Salome should tolerated as an object lesson of the futility o base passions. But a8 we are concerned mor with Stephanle D’Este than with a juetificat of Salome’s presence on Broadway we hasten to add that her long dark eyes have an alluring Oriental slant and a subtle trick of opening and closing. Hee profile is Grecian and her bands and feet afe eloguently eapressive. Her voice, Iike her eyes, is subtle, and her enunciation is clearcut. Im short, she bag a’! the requisites of a etar, except @ nice little contract, which we hope a certain producer we have in wind will provide, altho he is biiesfully unconscious of our hope. Stephanie D'Este was born fn Holland about twenty years ago of English parents She made her first appearance on the stage at the age of 9, playing child parts in Shakespearean presentations, While studying dramatics at the Hierbert Tree School she had voice instruction from the famons Mrs, MacKern, who also taught Eva L ne, At the ter member of a Gallier der age of 16 Miss D'Este was a k company doing two bil’s a week, presenting ench melodramatic thrillers as “Lights o' London”, “‘The Dangers of New York", ete. She was also a member of a French company, speaking» the language of Fra with ease and fivency. She also conn Dut ind has a working acquaintance with other languages While Miss D'Este prefers dramatfe roles she enjoys an occasional fling at slap-stick comedy, reca g that e had great fun playing the of a colored woman and expressing the ! t day she may enjoy the lark of playing the Pig Woman in St. Bartholomew's **Fair’’ I many <« r Fnglish players Miss D'Este came to America | * the theater f London ar till recovering from the war Now that she is re and has fallen in love with America she proposes to remain, paying occasional visits to I fon to e her par «. Sb defined America as the land of activity and England as*a nice land in which to b i2zy She had a bit of stock experience in America ‘filling in’’ with the Marion W x ( on Long Island. She has also done Salome and other classic roles with the Co-Opera Company in Cl go While engaged with this company she became ill and spent ver months in a Agter her recovery kept the wolf away from the door by as at ! She returned recently to New York and found herself engaged by Miss Kirk wood to play Salome Miss D'Este ex derg it a great privilege to by with the versatile and creative Miss Kirkwood, who designe nd creates background ghiting fects, costumes and directs her own produ tions with ft! ease of—well, of a well seasoned reporter operating a typewriter They med all of the costumes ‘n’ everything for ‘‘Salom down at the Triangle, transforming derly t into ancient helmets so cleverly that even tl costume artists present at the performance didn't penetrate t! disguise of t derby We are curiously watching Miss D'Este's career and hope to see her some day & Cleopatra, ELITA MILLER LENZ. MISS ARNOLD IN “TANTRUM” §.—Roberta Arnold is re“The Tantrum’ York, the Aug. leading role in New hears ing the comedy by William Dugan and John Mechan which was tried out last «pring In addition to Miss Arnold the cast will include Charles Kennedy, Joe King, Will Deming, Roy Gordon Vera Maxwell and Frank Merlin Gordon ft places Vineent Serrano, who ereated the lead ing male role during the preliminary tour of the play “The Tantrum'’, which will be produced by A. L. Jones and Morris Green, in association with Dugan, went into rehearsal this week under the direction of Meehan.