Paris, 1913: The writer and critic Jacques Copeau, editor of "Le Nouvelle Revue Française", establishes "Le Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier", an experimental and alternative theatre intended to be free from the constraints of commercial theatre. It will become one of the most important theaters of the 20th century. In 1917 Copeau and his theatre were invited to USA, and in the next two year they will stage successfully numerous performances in New York. I like the way Copeau once explained Americans how his theatre survived the war years in Paris: The Vieux-Colombier was "but a small thing", said Copeau. "I am proud of this. It is because it is small that it is pure; because it is small it is only spirit, and so it must be pure; and being only spirit it has not been broken by the commercial difficulties of wartime." (Maurice Kurtz "Biographie d’un theatre").