The Washington times., 1908-10-13
Ben Greet Company TO Pre-
sent Repertoire for Play
grounds Benefit.
MRS. ROOSEVELT
WILL BE HOSTESS
Admission TO Grounds Will Be by
Ticket and Public Is Ask
ed TO Assist.
2 of Washington have never

The people of Washington have never
had an opportunity 10 witness a the
atrical performance under more ideal
conditions than that which viii be af-
forded them Friday and Saturday Of
this week when the Ben Greet players
present their productions on the White
House grounds.
Because Of her great interest in the
Washington Fairgrounds Association,
and realizing the necessity OF raising
a considerable sum OF money with which
to carry on the work, Mrs. Roosevelt
by donating the use OF the White House
grounds for the occasion will virtually
be the hostess II IS due entirely TO
her efforts that Mr.. Greet decided to
ccme to Washington, and the play
ground officials and society leaders who
are cooperating are determined that
the performances will be a financial as
well as an artistic success.
David Belasco, with all his resource
fulness and ingenuity. could never hope
10 surround a production with scenery
as appropriate as that provided by
nature in the rear of the Executive
Mansion. There Will be no need fO- the
usual stage carpenter; no shifting Of
wings TO create the deluSiOn that
forest has sprung into existence where
but a moment before there were bare
walls.
The players will find Friday that
there is a stage upon which no i'm
proVemenJ could be wrought by the
scenic artist. The performance will ue
given on q knoll, which will serve aL-
mirably for a stage. Immense treey
will furnish all the scenery that Is
necessary. Directly in front Of the
natural stage IS the large space Of
smooth lawn upon which chairs VIII
be placed, and, CUriOusly enough. in the
rear Of this low lana there is another
knoll which viii serve for 81 gallery.
making IL possible for these in the rear
of the open-air theater 20 see equally
as well as those IN the front row.
Admission by Tickets
There has been a general misunder-
standing as to the performances. The
general public not only viii be admitted
10 the grounds but Is earnestly re-
quested to give assistance in max
ing the performance a success The
Friday performance is designed esne-
ciaIIy for adults. Admission to The
grounds viii be by tickets only. These
tickets can be purchased from T.
Arthur Smith, at III r street north
west. For the Friday performance the
admission tickets will cost q. reserved
seats s., and a limited number Of boxes
for $25.
II is this performance that nearly all
of the society women now IN Washing
ton viii attend. II will be the last Op-
portunIty 20 gather at an outdoor func-
Ucu, and doubtless pretty gowns VIII
add beauty 20 the natural scenery.
Saturday morning the school children
Cf the city Will be given an opportunity
90 witness She performance at greatly
reduced vTiCcs. Realizing that many OF
these children would be unable TO Dur
chase the higher priced tickets for
Friday the committee in charge Of tho
affair decided so sell admission tickets
Tor Saturday at p cents. with reserved
been made so that rain viii IN no way
interfere with the performances. If the
weather is UnfavOrable the perform
anCeS VIII 10 given ar the EelaScO Thea
ter, and reserved seats sold for tho
White House grounds viii call for cor
responding seats in the BellSco.
Plays TO Be Given.
The plays to be given are Pandora
and the Box Of Mischief and Midas
and the Golden Touch" adapted from
Nathaniel -Aawthorne's Wonder Book.
The first play opens with a process
sion Of children to a village festival
They proceed singing 10 the music of
flutes, Earps, and cymballs They come
back 10 Cancc upon the mountain side
with Thee and Pandora. She, naughty
little maid, when LETT alone with the
beautiful box that the gods meantime
have deposited for safety at the house
of Greek nObleman, the father of
Iheof peeps inside, contrary to the
command Of Quicksilver. the messenger
Of the gods, when out fly all the dread