SUNDAY, IMARCTJ 23, 1925 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE THIRTEEN SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 1q25 THE MICHIGAN DAILY 1'AG13~ THIRTEEN 6 a 4 ! t ly # T r rt Jiusic and Drama * ?t d M an. i _ -_. i !X Y j The American Prize - Pla) 46 -48 Bowery, New York By Irene Wlinemn 1 ish aid to those managers and pro- The New York Morning Telegraph, ducers who are seeking plays suit- -] I believing that America has started an era which will make it a formidable1 rival of all other nations in artistic products, is, as the recognized spokes- man for the theatre among the coun- try's daily publications, endeavoring to find new talent in drama and to this end offers a prige of $1,000 in advance royalties to the man or woman who submits the best full-fledged play to its contest editor on or before August 1, this year.J Because so many of the recent ex- cellent plays have come from persons but a few years out of college, and from some still on the campus, The Morning Telegraph is making an es, pecial appeal to the stud~nts of drama throughout America's various instituf tions of learning, although it by n,3 means considers others ineligible. The gist of this enterprise is, first, to en- courage the writing and production of meritorious plays by new authors, and, secondly, to give vicarious and unself- able to their own ideas and experi- ences. The :restrictions are few. One-act plays and operas, of course, cannot be entered, and musical comedies shall not he seriously considered, but an- other form of full-length drama, ranging from tragedy to comedy and satire will be welcomed. - One other restriction arises out of the Morning Telegraph's campaign for new ma- terial. Any person who has had a pro-, duction on Broadway is automaticallyI barred from the contest. If the win- ning contestant has previously listed his offering with a stock or company! producer and his play is bought or contracted for before August 21st, former Michigan student who is now studying music in New York City.) C * * *I Recently we attended a performance at the Thalia. The theatre is in the depths of the Bowery and a really impressive musty old house with graceful operatic balconies, paintings of Shakespeare, Meyerbeer and his ilk with flying blaclbirds and pink angels on the ceiling. We arrived late, at nine, and Bos-1 cetta was doing his tricks, one song after another, between which, when he changed his clothes, cats prowled the I 11 j i!i 4 ! ( I' , 1 and sang three more waltz duets in varying costumes which they changed leisurely-their act lasting some 30 minutes in all. The other performers were equally generous with encores, and the result was that Comm. Godono, matinee idoll and Bowery Barrymore, came on just shortly before midnight. By this time the audience was augumented by the East-side elite, who came in near-fur coats to hear the star. .. .. . He came on, accompanied by an orchestral fanfare, very John-I Drew, in the strippest formal dress, the pinkest of button-hole orchids,I the sleekest of black hair, the softest of black eyes, with the most lachry- rnose of tenors and the most im- passioned of gestures. He sang many, many song with lengthy intermissions By Max Ewing I forming a right angle, and Vuolo, (Editor's Note-The following ar- growing tender, promptly sat down on ticle is a description of an Italian the latter during an entire refrain. vaudeville house in the Bowery writ-. After this they left the stage-prob- ably to rest-and the cats and boys t n +,,,,,,,,, ,Tt rm y Ewng,., ,,,a,. ;came back. Finally they re-appeared ed the stage to a cat. The frequent repitition of "Mamma" led us to be- lieve that the songs were the Italian equivalent of that about the well-loved Irish matriarch. When he was through the "Drama in 2 Atti" commenced-"Gli Ultimi Barbari." Every speech was read first by the prompter, then repeated by the actors. The effect was often that of a round, for the actors would commence to repeat before the prompter had ceased. Occasionally too, if the speech was no longer than "Si!" the actress (or actor) might re- member it ,and get the word out quickly; but the prompter undaunted would call it out forte immediately after. We left at one A. M. before the de- nouement. There evidently, was no action in the play. It was psychologi- cal like "Exiles," it seems, and its import frankly escaped us-even though each speech was heard twice! Ring Lardner's forthcoming book, which was originally announced by Charles Scribner's Sons without a title, will be called, "What of It?" The Scribners also announce that Stark Young's new book is to be call- ed "Glamour: Studies in the Art of the Theatre." Both books are schedul- i f ;I;;>:: I There is a rugged simplicity about '' this man, and a rugged strength un- derlies his gentleness. He has an Katherine Cornell American's keen sense of humor, a who with Ann Harding and Leslie York stage. She has just completed twinkle in his eyes, and a smile so NIoward is the featured player in an engagement in the title-role of the infectious that it moves his audience Michael Arlen's dramatization of his Actor's Theatre production of Ceorge to rippling laughter. In his splen- famous novel, "The Green Hat." The Bernard Shaw's "Candida," and her lid art of dlelivering songs, each word production is being staged by Miss Cs other successes include "The Out- is clearly enunciated, each tone is rinell's husband, Guthrie McClintie, sidcr," "The Dover Road," and "Will fully colored. and will have its world premier this Shakespeare." Her appearance in evening at the Garrick theatre, Detroit. Detroit is especially fitting because Far away from the scene of his Miss Cornell is to-day one of the she was at one time the leading lady eventful triumph, Lawrence Tibbctt most prominent and promising play- in Jessie Bonstelle's repertory coin was born in Bakersfield, California.. eis of the younger school on the New Iany. Il is first professional engagement was ___ in a Shakespearean repertory con- __ _ _ _ _ ___ pany. This was followed by an en- i gageenmin spoken drama with the. . Civic repertory company, and in turn Tsucceeded by another with the Cali he Sensational Mr. Tibbett fornia onera. company. in 1922 Tib- the day on which the announcement empty stage and an array of boys of the winner will be made, such win- dressed as barbers or something ranI ner will be automatically disqualified up the aisles selling ice cream. from commanding the guarantee of Next came Vuolo and Narcisso. I $1,000 -royalty advance and a first- don't know which was which, but the class Broadway production. In such lady, whom we will say was Vuolo, an event, the prize and contract will was as big as Mme Matzetmauer and go to the second choice of the commit- Elizabeth Rethberg combined. She tee, unless it, too, has been self-elim- stood a little on the bias, Pisan fash- inated by previous sale or production ion, leaning forwards, and was dress- in New York. ed as a (loll in knee-length gingham The Morning Telegraph promises and a big hair-ribbon-conscientiously that the winning play will be produced ingenue. The 'pack-drop represented in some well-known Broadway play- a. waste flanked by rugged projections house, and guarantees, regardless of that might serve either as the Pyra- the outcome of the venture, $1,000 to mids or Gibralter. The blue moon- the prize-winning playwright, who light was turned on, and Narcisso will benefit otherwise just as any sue- came on in a canoe, recalling Lohen- cessful playwright, with full royalties grin and establishing the locale as and the utmost in the way of publicity. Gibralter. Then he climbeda canvas This contest is prompted by the de- wall and came on land. There follow- sire of the Telegraph to encourage ed a Tosti-esque waltz duet, during and help young writers to enrich the which he took the proposal position, dramatic stage of America. one knee on the ground, the other *4 . I i - - -- I --- Po ia iiag I It only took Lawrence Tibbett, bari- tone, native of California, descendant of generations of Americans, fivef minutes of actual singing, to arouse a hitherto unheard of scene of .enthus- iasm at the Metropolitan opera house. New York. That same night saw the news speed throughout America, over the Atlantic, to all the music loving capitols of Europe.. It was the first time in our country that such a splen- did triumph was accorded to an American. . . . And this was how it happened: Tibbett, not long with the Metropolitan Opera forces, was given! his first big chance in the role of Ford in Verdi's "Falstaff". At the end of the second act, he came for- ward with the other artists for re- peated applause and then the curtain fell, supposedly for the last time. Not so, it merely marked the starting of the "joyous riot". "Tibbett-Tibbett", were the shouts mingled with the re- doubled applause. Ile alone was the one whom the vast audience desired For fully fifteen minutes this kept up And still no Tibbett. Finally, in des- peration, a hurrying messenger found him sitting quietly in his secluded dressing room, he did not know they wanted him alone. But when he did appear there was no longer room for any doubt. Such pandemonium broke loose as has seldom been recorded in musical history. In but a few min- utes a young almost unknown Ameri- can had been lifted to fame's pinna- cles . . . Up to that night he had just been a young baritone, possessing a lovely voice . . . . a young man who seemed awkward in action and lack- ing in distinction and authority. And then he made his "Ford" a master- piece both dramatically and musically But it is only fair to add that this was made possible due to the fact that Von Wytmetal and Serafin gave bett determined to come to New York Eto further his connections in opera S tsinging. With him he brought his mp their iersonal attention and wife and twin boy5: to acconiplish brought out the best that was in him. the long trip he b'rrowed money on. "For the first time he was taught his life insurance, all he had in the what make up meant, how to stand, world; and took the risk. Five months . how to walk, how to listen. The re- later he obtained a contract with the sult was a splendid lesson in the need Metropolitan opera company in New of competent training and example." York, where an unprecedented tri- Art is an acucmulation of the ages. umph in the early part of his second For it tradition and study are neces- season placed him in America's hall sary. of fame. For Easter Wliat would compare with a gift of a Diamond Buy them and use our new Divided Payment Plan SCILANDERER & SEYFRIED JEWELERS 304 South Main St. .°a . . sp .... .. f ...______________________________________________"i You Need a Recent Portrait! =.~~-. --J Why everyone should have a recent portrait is simply this. -Mother wants it -Dad will enjoy it -The editor may call for it -Friends need the remem- brance. --Sweethearts ought to have it. Let Rentschler produce that portrait now. Be ready when the occasion demands your por- trait. Be ready with something really fine. Call Rentschler for an 'appointment today. between, during which he relinquish- ed for early publication. II A Place to Spend Your Friday and Saturday Nights By the end of the week, when you have seen the best shows in town, it is often a problem to know where and how you will spend Friday and Saturday nimts. Granger's Academy offers a solution to your problem. Here you can spend two enjoyable evenings dancing to the per- fect rhythm of the music furnished by Bill Watkins and his Granger Eight. Dancing every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. i' GRNEISAA)N Tell us what you think of the Rentschler cases this week. Theyre extra special! 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