The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-09
4 AVID WIG.
work Of the University % Pennsyfvania's
Undergraduate Dramatic Society.

WA---..A-A- ---..as- AA-aAa.
p""s N~a'
To THE EDITOR OF ~ SUN-s": VI an
alley. seduestered. modest. solitary. IN
heart OF Philadelphia. In q mouse iuii OF ira
dtfion ana atmosphere ana memories.
Tho alley IL Ounce street. and the house 10
the home OF the Mask and Wlg Ciuo OF Vne
University OF Pennsylvania.
We have peopled IT, says the ctno nus
tofian. with the images OF our individual
successes. On the walls there are pictures
OF all our plays, and downstairs In tine very
heart OF the gayety are the silent TESTIMONIES
OF our sorrow; the sealed stems oman rtVeteu
In their places, eloquent reminders OF tnehr
owners whom we loved. That Is the lestao-
lished Mask and Wig memorial. When q
member dies his stein Ia sealed; a silver cnain
fastens 1t In place where IL has always hung.
and q brief inscription tells the date OF ad-
mission to the club and the date OF death
That IL all-but to Mask and Wig It Is pro-
foundly eloquent
The homo or this college dramatic socisey
is full Of romance, but there 10 more OF general
interest in the history OF the organization.
as representative OF the work lone ey col
lege students-in the public performances OF
plays, in the size and cost OF productions
In the trips taken.
Mask and wig was organized In 1859, with
members from each Of the classes then In
college. For the nrst play "The KNIGHT and
thu Naiads" was selected. and under the
altered title OF -Lurline." with the original
name a. q subtitle. it was presented. June ..
isse. at the Chestnut Street Opera House In
Philadelphia. Tho audience was q friendly
and appreciative one, composed OF coiege
men and their guests. Playing 70 ti,$oo.
became evident to the club FOUNDERS tnaS
money could be q The continuance OF
the society was assured. and moro AMBITIOUS
lines were laid down for it's future.
"Inriin9~ WAS followed In IH1O DIV BEN
Franklin. Jr..' with two performances, potn
at the Broad Street Theatre, Phiadelphia.
In 1891 the same play was repe6ted ana MISS
Columbia" was given. with additional per-
formsnoes In Washington and New York.
The other plays OF the Dos were ME. and
Mrs. Cleopatra" The Yankee league.
KIM Arthur -kenilworth, No GentIeman
of France. Very Little Red Riding Hood
The HOUSE That jack Built" and Captain
Kidd, II. s. NJ During this period the ciuD
had extended It's itinerary. Will appearances
at New Haven. Baltimore and W~iliisrnsport.
Pa. In 1897 the first visit to Atlantic City
was made; and since then this has been an
annual event. the play always being per
formed there the Saturday before Easter.
Since the 'p0s the plays have been: ME-.
Aguinaldo OF Manila" ~Baa, Baa, Black
Sheep "Old King Cole" Sir hooinson
Crusoe. Alice in Anotherland, Mt. Hamlet
OF una and ~Shylock Il Co, BANKERS.
The 1905 play was seen twice at Atlantic City.
twice in Philadelphia. once at Harrisburg and
once at Washington. with an additional special
performance for the benefit OF the sufferers
in the San Francisco earthquake.
The work Of organizing and training the
cast for the annual play begins early in the
college year. In october comes the call for
the "prelim." or trial play. which occurs In
January. All through the intervening weeks
the undergraduates are kept hard at work