The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-06
MECCA FOR COLLEGE SHOWS
THE ONE TOWN
THEY HOPE TO BOOK,

THEY dOfE ~ bOOh,
Fer There They May BE sure OF an Audh
ence OF Smith College Girls, Win
Possibilities OF Pleasant Meetings
Amherst First to Visit the Town.
NORTHAMPTON, Mas June As the
home Of Smith College this town has more
than one claim to distinction, moi the least
of which 10 that II is the Mecce for n.
college show. With the exception Of New
York, which 10 the earthly paradise Of al
stage folk. amateur and proSsasional. ne
city 10 20 invaded by college dramatios,
Every year the booking list Of the theatre
has the appearance OF . New England
collage directory.
Ths residents OF Northampton do not
provide the patronage; they are no more
interested In the college play than the
people Of other New England cities. IL
b the hope OF playing TO q balcony gilt
tering with Smith girls that brings these
college players TO Northampton. for the
Smith girl whom she goes TO the theatre
sits In the balcony, that is II abe has no
escort. When you consider that Smith has
1.500 students 1t is easy TO imagine that
Il would b q difficult matter to provide
escorts for all.
1t is Amherst that Is responsible for tho
prominence g Northampton Ia tila scaet.
ule Of the college play. The town OF
Amherst was set down six miles from
Northampton and the trolley has made
the trip popular. Ths time when Amharst
first produced Shakespeare for the edi-
hcation of Smith is. as college traditions
60. beyond the memory Of nam Her
annual appearance there has now become
an event. This year Smith gave the
Amherst production Of AS You Like It
q generous sendof on its Western trip
and again this month celebrated its home.
coming with an even larger audience.
Amherst was not long permitted 10
enjoy this field alone. Actors Of other
colleges began to look toward Eorthsmp-
ton with envious eyes. Boston Tech ap.
peared with her annual -show.' oon-
sisting of embyro engineers In the guse
Of ~pirouette dancers. chorus ladies and
comedians. The Tech show, made q
hit, and has been coming Y Q since.
Harvard caught on and sends down the
Delta UpsiIon fraternity with it's scholarly
revivals of Old English comedy. and also
tba ri Eta club.
In 1905 Wesleyan. which Ii In the ear
lier stages Of tho development OF drsinst
les, appeared at Northampton With The
Girl and tho Gnduate.' a musical show
with it's soene laid at Smith. Its sucoess
was 80 tremendous that the Dramatic
Association took heart and recenuy
~journeyed there with its first attempt
at classic comedy, The Good Natured
Man. only to learn that Smith giris are
more interested in hearing themselves
discussed than in dramatic literature.
Columbia achieved instantaneous sncosss
this season in her musical ahow. while
Yale Is to make her bow this month. II
Williams overcomes her stay at homo
tendencies II h probable that the Cap
and Bells will make the attempt, while
Pennsylvania has already enlisted as .
candidate for Smith favor. '''F
Northampton's only theatre is unusual
not only in its position by itself in the
midst OF small parklike areas at the foot
OF the college hillibut also In the fact that
II VA a gift TO the municipality and is
at present conducted by the city fathers.
lNeT6 ID bOffictlihiB hho ~
vailing, as both the theatre trustees and
the college authorities recognize 6e
possibilities Of trouble. Occasionally .
play slips in which ~startles the seventeen
dienifed holders Of trustee passes nj
causes them to seek a hurried conferences
with the manager, but not often u Il "a.
Under such conditions the college show 10
welcomed. The theatre manager signs
a generous contract, with an assurance
OF good business, while the news OF TIE
engagement is rapidly spread among the
girls on the campus.
When the college men arrive ON he
afternoon OF their performance there II
a rush TO the telephone booths. Those
who are fortunate enough to possess ~
least a telephone acquaintance WIN q
Smith student call up the campus houses,
and in a few moments a dozen engage
ments are made for dinner or the thsss:-vS
An exodus from the hotel follows ana the
stag mana ger begins to worry as TO how
he Is going To round up his men IN time
for the attentions Of the makeup artist.
A lttls later the advertising manager
feels the effects Of the movement Ia ne
shape of requests for passes. Az tne
performance those who have only bret
parts accomplish wonders IN the speed
with which they resume their. normal
appearance and from seats out In irontI
smile indulgently at the attempts OF their
less favored brethren.