The Billboard 1923-09-29: Vol 35 Iss 5 (1923-09-29)

ELE EE { SEPTEMBER 29, 1923 WINNER OF PLAYWRITING FELLOWSHIP— ERNEST THOMPSON When George Denny, of the Carolina Playmakers of the University of North Carolina, York he paid us several was visiting New Visits, on one occasion bringing with T h ompson, Winner of the Edward Kidder Graham fellow p in playWriting, a prize of $500 nwarded to him by the Carolina Plavmakers to do grad uate work it the university thro the coming ERNEST THOMPSON year. After our two interesting visitors returned to Chapel Hill we wrote Mr. Denny, asking him for a photograph of Mr. Thompson and a bit of information about his; history. Mr. Denny responded with a passport photograph of Mr. Thompson and the following interesting facts: “Mr. Thompson is the author of ‘Mamma’, a comedy on Coueism, and ‘Wilbur's Cousin’, a comedy of college life. Both of these plays were presented by The Playmakers in Chapel Hill and taken on teur, ‘Mamma’ into Western North Carolina and ‘Wilbur's. Cousin’ into Eastern North Carolina. “Mr. Thompson is well known thruout the State of North Carolina as a musician and playwright. He traveled one summer on a ship making trips back and forth across the Atlantic, playing in Carolina’s famous Tar Baby Five, a jazz orchestra. At the end of the summer Mr. Thompson and his friends made a trip thru Southern Europe and Turkey, where the young playwright gathered ‘atmosphere’ for his musical comedy, “The Kalif of Kavak’, which was presented in Chapel Hill last winter.”” MEMORIAL TABLET FOR LOUIS CALVERT A memorial tablet in honor of Louis Calvert, the Shakespearean actor who died this summer, is to be unveiled shortly in the Little Theater at New York University, where Calvert made his last appearance on the stage. The tablet is the gift of Randolph Somerville’s students at the university, with whom Calvert appeared in Shaw's “You Never Can Tell’? two days before his death. Walter Hampden, who has accepted the chairmanship of the committee of professional actors who acted in an advisory capacity to the college players, will unveil the tablet. The tablet will be inscribed simply with Calvert’s name and the dates of his birth and death «and will bear Calvert's favorite Shakespearean quotation, the words of Brutus, when he says: ‘‘There are no tricks in plain and simple faith.”’ Calvert’s fondness for the part of Brutus is also to be commemorated by the Old Bensonians, founders of the Shakespeare Memorial Theater at Stratford, according to a letter received a few days ago by Mrs. Calvert from Secretary H, Jalland of that organization. Secretary Jalland wrote that the Old Bensonians were placing a memorial window in the Stratford Theater showing Calvert in the part of Brutus. LITTLE THEATER MARIONETTES Remo Bufano and Florence Koehler announce that their Marionette Theater, having gone the rounds of the vurious summer resorts, is now back in New York to begin its work of the new season. The plains of the Marionette Theater for this season are many and the troupe has already begun to work on them. Announcement of the new plays in preparation will be made some time later. The present and ready = repertoire 4 Furioso (of course)"*, “‘Two Slatterns and a King’’, “The Tinderbox’, ‘‘Lima Beans", ‘‘Little Red Riding Hood", ‘‘The Little Minunet’’, “A Japanese Farce’ and Cassian’’. The Marionette Theater is equipped to perform anywhere, at any time, all feast days and Sundays included. Its eycle of appeal embraces six of the seven ages of man -the cradle must he excluded. Also comprehensive talks on marionettes with demonstrations will be given by Remo Bufano, director of the Theater. Now that the marionette is beginning to be accepted in America as an item of value in the theater—not something merely to amuse the simple understanding of the Marionette Theater will produce piaye more serious and ambitious in character—but anon. Arrangements for performances or leectures are in the hands of Florence Koebler. onsists of “Orlando “Gallant Marionette child—the more VOU). (COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR NEW YORK OFFICES.) NYACK CLUB PR pl ICT © The Nyack Club Players, of Nyack, N. Y., presented their second bill of the season at the Nyack Club Auditorium September 8 Two one-act plays were “The Maker of Dreams’, by Oliphant Downs, and ‘‘The Suicides of the Rue Sombre’, a dramatization of a story by Leonard Merrick. The Nyack ‘layers as usual disf¥guished themselves in the way they mounted their bill. In scenery and lighting this group stands well among the best of the little theater groups that this reviewer gets a chance to see and the acting is on a par with the best of them. In ‘The Maker of Dreams”? James H. Blauvelt, Gertrude Meert and N. C. Robbins neatly put over this charming fantasy, which was directed by Hortense Ogden Gaylor. Cory Kilvert mounted the play with rare beauty and good taste. “The Suicides of the Rue Sombre’’ was Played by Arthur F, Buys and Gregory Spurr. toth of them caught the spirit of this lugubrious farce admirably. It was directed by given, the organization and plans of the group, and some of the New York City dailies even devoted some space to the activities of this group In preparing matter for the press, remember one thing: Put NEWS into your story. Your local press is not interested very greatly in personalities or personal items, but if your story can be made to contain real live news and the story is sent in while it is still news and not past history, you will find that the editors will welcome it. LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER'S HOURLY PERFORMANCES The little theater demonstration at the Kentucky State Fair, Louisville, week before last, conducted by the University of Louisville Players, marked the initial demonstration at Kentucky fairs of the little theater movement, which is fast gaining impetus in that State. The demonstration, which proved a_ great and drew a liberal patronage, was given in a ‘‘dramatic tent’’, which was erected on the fair grounds. Six one-act plays were success $100 TO THE WINNER! or actress who writes the Little Theater. lished in the order of its receipt published by The Billboard fore it behooves the writer who is the procession. ing and Scenery. spaced typewriting. Do not strive for literary style, structive value to little theaters, pioneers themselves write a book ences? ger; Walter Hartwig, director of book? NE hundred dollars will be awarded to the Little Theater actor AlthHo the contest does not end until November 28, contributions should be sent in early, as each article will be pub and sent out gratis on request. RULES OF THE CONTEST The contest is confined solely to little theater groups. tions by professional actors will not be considered. The subjects suggested are Organization of the Little Theater from the standpoint of problems overcome—Stage Lighting, CostumOnly one of these subjects should be chosen, to be treated from the standpoint of actual practice. The length of the article should not exceed five pages of double by its helpfulness and not by rhetorical flourishes. The object behind the contest is to secure information of con form, to be distributed gratis to little theaters requesting same. We have received many requests for books on the little theater, written from the standpoint of actual practice. The judges are Wm. A. Brady, the well-known theatrical mana New York Drama League; Kathleen Kirkwood, director of The Triangle, New York’s own little theater with a home of its own, Gordon Whyte, dramatic and literary critic of The Billboard. Address all manuscripts to the Little Theater Editor, care The Billboard, 1493 Broadway, New York, N. Y. Who are the Little Theater pioneers who are going to write the most constructive article on the in the Little Theater Book to be Thereproud of his group to try to head Contribu Please do not theorize. as your contribution will be judged which will be printed in booklet Why not let the little theater founded on their valuable experi the Little Theater Service of the and == William H. Ringgold. The program does not give the scenic artist credit for the setting. It should do so, CICERO. LITTLE THEATER AT GALVESTON The Little Theater of Galveston, Tex., has mide definite plans for the new season. Rehearsals for ‘‘Rollo’s Wild Oat*’ will begin in October, the play to be. presented during Thanksgiving under the direction of Peter Vincent directed this organization last year. week, Ames, who Three one-act plays will be presented during the Christmas holidays and a three-act play in February. The Christmas bill, it is said, may include ‘‘Jeanne Marie’’, “The Green Cat’ and ‘The Torchbearers’’ PUBLICITY FOR YOUR GROUP One thing a good many little theater groups overlook almost entirely is the matter of publicity—and then they wonder why everyone in their community has not heard of them and does not come around to their productions Your activities are of interest to your local paper. They will give you space in their columns within reason if you will only send them in a press story now and then Other groups are getting they have a press agent who knows his busi plenty of publicity because ness and is on the job, as witness the Little Theater Astoria, L. I Tho only recently organized, two of the local newspapers carried a story almost a column long about Group of given, three in the afternoon, at two, three and four o'clock, and three in the even ng, at seven, eight and nine o'clock, It was 80 arranged that every act played a different hour on each day, thus giving every performance a fair chance, Nothing pretentious was attempted in the production of the plays, They were simple and easily within the scope of the amateur. The scenery Was designed and executed by the students of the university and the properties were collected by the various members who took part in the demonstration. The Court Players, a recently organized little theater organization, located at 61 Schermerhorn street, Brooklyn, N. Y., will give its presentation Thursday, October 24. It will consist of three one-act plays, the titles to be announced later. Edmund Bischoff, Dorothee Delmhorst and Walter B. Kaspareit will each direct One play. Tietjen is art premiere Henry director of the Court Players. —_ The Brooklyn Theater Guild) announces its initial program of the season 1928-24. It expects to present “‘Rollo’s Wild Out", a three. act comedy, in November or December, It is extremely anxious to obtain new members and any talent that is interested in the little theater movement may address communications to the Brooklyn Theater Guild, 611 trooklyn, N. Y. Central avenne, A Little Theater has been launched in Quincy, UL, with Mre, Walter Wood, a student of Maurice Browne and last season a of the Minnie Maddern Fiske company, I Dice of the Gods, as director, and Mr Dan Orr, who has been theater mem bye prominent in the litt! movement in Houston, Tex n an aide. The board of directors includes Mesdame George Cottrell, Walter Wood, A. oO Lindsay, C. T. Dazey and the Rev. George Long A membership ticket includes admission te the productions, which are now scheduled for each month from Noyember to February, with addresses by visiting artists, —_—_ An organization known as the Children's Theater of Denver, Col., which came inte be ing during the past summer, gave jt« first performance at the Kroadway Theater, Dy nver, hired for that purpose, on September 15. “The Bluebird’, Maurice Maetertinek’s fairy tale was presented, two shows being given, one in the afternoon and one in the evening Eighty children took part in the production The little boy and girl characters of the story Were portrayed by Lonetta Murrow and Jean Mitchell, The Children’s Theater of Denver, made up wholly of youngsters, will give plays from time to time this winter in that city, Arthur Maitland arrived in New Orleans, La., September 4, to act as coach of the Little Theater du Vieux Carre and in an interview stated that the little theater movement is the only hope of the American stage. Mr. Maitland for the last five years was director and proprietor of the Maitland Playhouse in San Francisco, a theater seating 250 persons, which produced 240 plays in the five years of its existence, He will appear personally in sey eral plays this season at the Little Theater, including ‘‘Beau Brummel"’, ‘‘The Master’ and “Among Thieves'’, ‘written for the Lambs’ Club, of New York, by William Gillette and never produced elsewhere except by Mr. Maitland in his Western plarhouse. he new director believes the public prefers longer pie to the one-act plays and hopes to put on “The Yellow Jacket"’, ‘‘The Faithful’, “The Doctor's Dilemma”, ‘“‘As a Man Thinks’? and others of similar nature and character, 8 The Little Theater of Fort Worth, Ine., of which Hunter E. Gardner, Jr., is managing director, announces that its first production of the season will be “The Acquittal’’, to be presented about the second week in October. Thereafter it is hoped to give one performance a@ month until May of next year. Mr. Gardner writes that the group has oftgrown its first theater, erected years ago, and is opening the season in the anditorium of the local high school. “We have combined forces with two other clubs (musical) of this city, however, and shall launch plans this fall for the erection of a hundred-thousanddollar theater, which we hope will be completed soon after the first of the year,"’ says he. three Formation of a Little Theater organization in Springfield, ©., patterned somewhat on the lines of that in New York, was announced in that city September 12 by Lrle Johnson editor of The Springfield Daily News, who is taking an active part n the movement A temporary organization has been effected with Russell Snook as chairman and Mre. J. N., Robinson secretary It is planned to select the permanent officers at a meeting to be heid September 28. While the Little Theater State group in Spring field holds no hope of being able to establish its own theater, it Includes in its membership several who have won son °® note as mateur writers and players, and already local theater owners have announced their co-operation so that success of thegplan is assured. While pre! mindy plans limit the member ship to residents of Springfield, it fs understood that eventually the organization will out to county. branch include all! nterested persons in the Important among the activities of the Threshold Players thie season will be what is termed the High School Theater, created solely to present plays included in the curriculum of the English departments of New York high schools, . The plays will be presented thru the cooperation of the English Teachers’ Association and each will run three weeks, playing four Monday, Tuesday, Th and Friday i matine® to he allotted to ever matinees a week, irsday high school in the city for the benefit of its English students The first performance will be held early in October The plays will be performed by members of the Threshold) group in their new the Hleckscher Foundation Fifth avenue and 104) treet, under the direction of Clare Tree Major A popular adm ton home Theater price willl be charged attending these performance students , which also gre open to the public to’ be had _ Professional Dramatic Director tions, can be theatre provided seats are le 4 produce engaged for ming acon tt tittle group er dramatic club at a moderate galary Will co anywhere t er small tow ARTHUR MRADLEY, 406 Va. Avo, GS. BE, Washlagton, BD, hut ptef ve (B