Page 30 - 1911 November - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 27

his eating and altogether not a particularly pleasant person to have
for a traveling companion. But later my brother entered into con-
versation with him, and all at once discovered that he had a won-
drous soul. He knew his Wagner better than his name, and had been
saving for eight years in order that he might attend one of the fes-
tivals. Even then his ticket was for several days following but
he was going up to be as near as possible to the goal of his dreams,
and to breathe the enchanted air.

In America, in the ghettos, and Little Italys, and Fatherlands of
our big cities—there are theatres presenting not the dramatizations of
one comic supplement, nor blood and thunder melodrama, but the
classics of their tongue and our own. Some very creditable perfor-
mances of Shakespeare have taken place in the Yiddish theatre in
New York—a play house which gave to our theatre syndicate one of
its most gifted players, Bertha Kalich—and one who is still true to
the ideals of her apprenticeship, for she has given us an inspired
portrayal of Maeterlinck's "Monna Vanna," and we are soon to have
an opportunity of seeing her in a play called "Sold" by one of the
prominent Russian dramatists of the day—a play which purports to
be a second "Doll's House." Conreid, before he turned his attention
to opera managed a German theatre in the more obscure part of New
York, which presented German classical drama—and all of these
theatres have succeeded and are thronged.

But for the same class of Americans there is nothing but moving
picture shows, vaudeville, and cheap melodrama. And yet the great
success which attends all Shakespearean productions, and really fine
drama when it is offered by the cheap stock companies seems to
prove that i f the better class of literatures and amusement is placed
within the reach, the public which raises the popular bill will call
for more.

I f the tired business man would attend one performance of serious
drama or grand opera for every evening spent at a musical comedy or
vaudeville—if the mothers would take their children to Shakespearean
revivals, and Gilbert and Sullivans operas rather than to melo-
drama or worse—if the cities would offer the best drama of yester-
day and today and of all tongues at a ten, twenty and thirty cent scale
of prices, I believe that a tremendous stride would be made toward
creating a popular demand for what is fine and inspiring and high.

Now I do not wish to leave you with the impression that I con-
sider that America's best literary expression need necessarily come
through the drama. I would in no measure restrict it. Let it take
what form it will. My contention is that in the present day the
drama is a most potent educative force, and one which makes an