tistic; they served as an alternative to commerce. But there were many problems from within the group from the beginning. These problems only escalated in the late 30s in addition to their $60,000 debt, and they would quickly lead to their demise.
             The rise of talking motion pictures in the 1930s also had a significant impact on Broadway. As early as the 1931-32 season, 20% of legit theatres were being used to screen motion pictures (97). Because of this, producing a play on Broadway became a much more difficult task. The money to be made in Hollywood was also enticing many New York directors, actors, and writers to Los Angeles. It became increasingly more difficult to secure top name talent because of their Hollywood commitments. Also, the selling of a Broadway play's rights became very important to Hollywood. This is because a play previously produced successfully on Broadway was more likely to lead to a success on the screen (148). Many producers on Broadway were unwilling to produce a play that might not lend itself to the screen.
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