America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

Arthur thought for a moment and said to Isabella:

"We need to think of a solution."

"What method?"

"We need more publicity."

On December 7th, the New York Herald published Arthur's new article.

The title is: Why You Should Watch "Yes, Mayor"

You might say that fifty cents is too expensive for me.

You might say, "I don't have time to go to the theater."

You might say, with the economy so bad right now, who has the time or inclination to watch a play?

But I want to tell you that it is precisely because of the economic crisis that you should watch this show.

Because this play is about why we get into this predicament.

If you have fifty cents and two hours, come see this show.

I promise you won't regret it.

After the article was published, the response was somewhat better than before.

That day, the theater sold forty-eight tickets.

The next day, fifty-two tickets were sold.

But we're still far from our goal of 350. And the mocking voices are growing louder.

……

On December 8, the New York Mirror published a satirical article titled "Mr. Kennedy's Empty Theater".

The article writes:

According to reliable sources, "Yes, Mayor" has performed poorly at the box office, selling fewer than two hundred tickets so far. It seems that New York audiences are not buying into Mr. Kennedy's films.

Perhaps Mr. Kennedy should consider changing careers and becoming a full-time social activist. At least in that field, he wouldn't need to worry about box office returns.

Alternatively, he could consider making theater admission free. After all, not many people are willing to pay to see a show these days.

This article was widely circulated and became a source of amusement for many.

Arthur walked down the street and even heard people talking about it.

"I heard that the reporter who wrote the article is going to act in a play?"

"Yes, I heard that tickets aren't selling."

"I knew it, writing articles and acting are two different things."

"Besides, who's in the mood to watch a play at a time like this? I don't even know where I'll get my food money for tomorrow."

"That's right, fifty cents can buy two loaves of bread."

Hearing these words, Arthur felt very uncomfortable.

But he didn't show it; he just silently walked back to the newspaper office.

Sean followed behind him, watching his back, hesitant to speak.

Back in his office, Arthur sat in his chair, staring at the box office statistics on his desk.

So far, a total of 176 tickets have been sold.

With seven days until the premiere, there are still 174 tickets needed to fill the theater. Moreover, as the criticism grows, the rate of ticket sales growth is actually slowing down.

Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He can't give up. He's already come this far; he can't back down because of some ridicule.

But he also knew that if the theater wasn't full on opening day, the mockery would escalate into even fiercer attacks. He needed a turning point. A turning point that could reverse the situation.

……

On the morning of December 9th, the rehearsal at the pier proceeded as usual, but the atmosphere was somewhat somber.

The actors had all seen the reports and knew the box office performance was poor. Although they didn't say it, their eyes all showed a hint of worry.

Lawson tried to boost morale: "Ignore those reports. As long as we rehearse and perform well, the audience will come."

But his words sounded somewhat weak and powerless.

Just then, Lawson came running into the basement, panting, waving a newspaper in his hand.

"Arthur! Arthur!" he shouted, his voice filled with excitement. "Big news! Look at this!"

Arthur looked up, took the copy of The New York Times, and his eyes fell on the eye-catching news on the front page. His heart skipped a beat.

The headline reads: George Bernard Shaw announces he will attend the premiere of "Yes, Mayor".

According to The New York Times, renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw announced via telegram yesterday that he will personally attend the premiere of "Yes, Mayor" on December 15.

In his telegram, George Bernard Shaw stated, "I have been following Mr. Kennedy's work closely. His plays are courageous and truthful, just what this time needs. I am honored to witness its premiere."

This marked the first time George Bernard Shaw had publicly announced his attendance at the premiere of an American play. The news caused a sensation in New York's cultural circles.

Arthur was stunned after reading the article.

Is George Bernard Shaw coming? Coming to New York in person? To see one of his plays?

Lawson excitedly grabbed Arthur's shoulder:

"My God, Arthur, do you know what this means? When George Bernard Shaw comes, the whole of New York will be in an uproar! Everyone will want to squeeze into the theater, even if it's just to see this big shot sitting in the audience! He's showing his support for you with his actions, which is more powerful than a thousand articles of praise!"

Arthur took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.

This is indeed a huge turning point.

……

The news spread like wildfire, instantly igniting the entire city of New York.

The New York Times, the New York World, the New York Herald Tribune, and all the major newspapers reported the news on their front pages.

George Bernard Shaw will attend the premiere of "Yes, Mayor," and the New York cultural scene eagerly awaits his presence.

Nobel laureate publicly supports American theater for the first time.

Kennedy's play wins the favor of a master; tickets for the premiere are in high demand.

The scene at the Providence Theatre's ticket windows has undergone a dramatic transformation. The day before, the theater was nearly empty; now, long lines have formed.

On December 9th, the theater miraculously sold 12 tickets.

This number exceeded the total of the previous four days. Williams had to put up a notice on the door:

"Tickets for the premiere are sold out. Please wait for further notice regarding additional performances."

But the excited crowd refused to disperse, and some even shouted:

"We can stand and watch!"

"We can sit on the ground!"

"Please, let us in! We just want to see George Bernard Shaw!"

Williams was caught between a mix of happiness and frustration, and could only explain to the crowd again and again:

"There are really no seats left, there are really none left."

On December 10th, the queue outside the theater grew even longer from early morning. Some people even lined up before dawn, just for a ticket to the encore performance.

The overwhelming demand forced Williams to announce two additional performances on December 16th and 17th. Tickets for the additional performances also sold out within an hour.

But just then, a new problem arose.

Williams received a phone call.

The call was from the city hall, and the caller identified himself as an official from the "Building Safety Inspection Department".

The other party said, "Mr. Wright, we have received a report that there are safety hazards in your theater, and we need to conduct an inspection."

Williams paused for a moment: "Safety concerns? Our theater has always been safe; there has never been a problem."

"That was before." The other person's tone left no room for argument.

"The situation is different now. Your premiere has a large audience, and there are distinguished guests like Mr. George Bernard Shaw. We must ensure safety."

Williams quickly asked, "When will the checkup be?"

"Tomorrow, December 12th, at 9:00 AM."

"But our premiere is on the 15th, and if problems are found during the inspection, we won't have time to fix them," Williams said anxiously.

The other party coldly replied, "That's not our problem; we were just doing our job."