The Show shop

   This four-act satire by James Forbes opened on 31 December 1914 for 156 performances at the Hudson Theatre in a Selwyn production. Zelda Sears played Mrs. Dean, a monstrous stage mother hell-bent on having her daughter Bettina star on Broadway. Bettina is in love with Jerry Belden, but Mrs. Dean will not allow them to marry until her dreams for Bettina are realized. Jerry gives a producer $5,000 to stage a play certain to fail on its first night. The terrible play is a hit, however, forcing Bettina and Jerry to quit and marry, a decision Mrs. Dean finally accepts now that her dream has come true. Patricia Collinge and Douglas Fairbanks were well applauded as the lovers and critics appreciated the backstage humor.