The Open Road

By W. R.

The Theatre Guild Cannot, in All Honesty, Confine Itself to Manhattan For the first time in its brief but illustrious history the (Manhattan) Theatre Guild has sent a company on tour. Headed by Basil Sidney, the players are already operating in important cities; Baltimore witnessed their opening, Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Toronto and more will have glimpses of their wanderings. He Who Gets Slapped by Leonid Andreyev, Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen, and The Devil's Disciple by G. B. Shaw compose their repertory. They give all of these at each stand--time permitting.

The Theatre Guild has done what the hard heads and cold hearts of the Theatre agreed was impossible. They have proved themselves artists unredeemed and yet have made their art pay under the box office grating. Opening in April, 1919, with Benavente's The Bonds of Interest, the organization made its first memorable success with John Ferguson by St. John Ervine. Listed among their most notable successes are the following, a list which any financially-minded manager might inspect greedily and which many a layman will recognize with the quickening touch of well remembered evenings: John Ferguson, by St. John Ervine The Faithful, by John Masefield Jane Clegg, by St. John Ervine The Dance of Death, by August

Strindberg

Mr. Pirn Passes By, by A. A. Milne Liliom, by Franz Molnar

He Who Gets Slapped, by Leonid

Andreyev

Back to Methuselah, by G. B. Shaw R. U. B., by Karel Capek Peer Gynt, by Henrik Ibsen The Adding Machine, by Elmer L. Rice

The Devil's Disciple, by G. B. Shaw

With such an important contribution to American art, the Theatre Guild could not, in all honesty, confine its production to Manhattan. Traveling companies of some of the above plays have gone on the road, it is true, but under different management, and not always the balanced group of players who read their lines at the Garrick.

Accordingly the Guild has embarked upon the dangerous seas of touring repertory. In Basil Sidney they have selected a singularly able actor as the company's cornerstone. Preliminary reports indicate that the tour is finding favor. Open hands and crowded houses are the portion of its deserts.