. The art theatre; a discussion of its ideals . t to them. But I do not base thecontention on mere theorizing—although I wasconvinced of the soundness of the theory of plas-tic setting several years ago. I have seen bothsorts in large and small, and the plastic is so farsuperior by every measurement that its time issure to come. In at least two of the most pro-gressive theatres in this country, the Arts andCrafts Theatre in Detroit and the Los AngelesLittle Theatre, not a single painted-perspectivescene was used during the season of 1916-17;and I doubt whether a painted drop has beenshown in t
. The art theatre; a discussion of its ideals . t to them. But I do not base thecontention on mere theorizing—although I wasconvinced of the soundness of the theory of plas-tic setting several years ago. I have seen bothsorts in large and small, and the plastic is so farsuperior by every measurement that its time issure to come. In at least two of the most pro-gressive theatres in this country, the Arts andCrafts Theatre in Detroit and the Los AngelesLittle Theatre, not a single painted-perspectivescene was used during the season of 1916-17;and I doubt whether a painted drop has beenshown in the Chicago Little Theatre in all theyears of its existence. And these are only signsof a widespread development. Practically everymember of the small group of deeply-thinking,far-seeing artist-workmen on the American stagehas repudiated the painted-perspective theory andmethod. Certainly Raymond Johnson, SamHume, Norman-Bel Geddes and Robert EdmondJones have—and that represents some of thesoundest opinion on this side of the Atlantic. I150. The Question of Stage Settings think that Joseph Urban alone among the im-portant stage decorators in America occasionallyreverts to the easel-painters system. in The plastic method of setting, which has solargely replaced the pictorial method in the pro-gressive theatres of both Europe and America,implies primarily that the artist shall work withthings in the round instead of painting their sem-blances on a flat canvas. Such objects and back-grounds as he can bring to the stage in character-istic form, without suggesting a display of virtu-osity, are brought there; such others as cannot beshown in plastic form are suggested by concretemeans, and not by pictorial representation. If achurch scene is needed, the artist does not painta picture of a church for a background, but setsup a single pillar or archway, which in its archi-tecture and its arrangement of aspiring linessuggests the calm dignity and heavy solemnity ofa church. If a fore
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