The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-16
Educational Players
/ Are Very Ambitious


Like various other organizations,
the Educational Players, headed by
their dramatic director. Mrs. Emma
Sheridan Fry, are enlisted in the
cause Of improving the general aspect
and influence of the stage and its peo-
pie: but they are working along lines
of their own.
h The organization doesn't especiailS
seek to find worthy plays to produce,
nor undiscovered talents to exploit.
Nor is 1t a self-appointed censor of
plays. Nor is 1T a school of acting.
1t does not decry the methods of the
professional stage nor wage war upon
the quality of the professional actors
output, but 1t does diffetentiate its
own methods from all others and its
own work from the professional out
put and the usual amateur produc-
tions.
When the proposition was first
preached it was supposed that con-
siderable time must elapse before
those it was desired to interest would
come TO a conclusion to take part in
the movement and render the moral
and material aid that the project
needed 1t was an agreeable surprise,
therefore, to receive from so many
quarters the enthusiastic promise OF
interest and support Indispensable to
the complete success of the noval un-
dertaking. and the hearty responses
were not confined TO particular sec
ton or sections nor TO those, whose
calling or walk in life might lead one
TO suppose they alone should be the
logical patrons of such a project.
The Educational Players are wage
earners clerks. stenographers, book
keepers. statesmen. studying and pro-
ducing plays. under methods scientifl~
cally defined by their dramatic drec-
tor They hope some time to estab-
lfsh a playhouse for the people. The
playhouse will include a school de-
partment where people. young and
old, may learn the JOY of self-expres-
sion. where dormant qualities may be
reused, visions cleared impulses
regulated to chosen means of EXPIRES
sion. and character and personality
developed to make for practical hap
piness, efficiency and success. In other
words the educational playhouse
would be q training school in life,
"equipping the pupil TO fulfill the
duties of everyday life and citizen
ship"
The Educational Players have given
public performances of "A Midsum
mer Nights Dream" "PygmaIion and
Galatea.'' The Mystery Of Time" and
THE Weakest link
+ A class in the methods of the or
ganization is now being conducted by
Mrs. Fry every Friday afternoon in
public school SO, in Fourth street. east
of First avenue. The class was as
sembied by the call of DR. Edward w
Stitt, district superintendent of
schools, and consists of club leaders
from the various evening recreation
eenters DR. Frederic G.. Howe, di-
rector of the Peoples Institute. Is
sending representatives TO the class
from various settlements
IT is planned to equip the members
of The class to handle productions of
/ "Pygmalion and Galatea" in their re
spective Gentsrs and settlements. AT
la designated time, performances OF
the play will be given. and a prize
offered by Miss Anne Morgan will be
awarded to the cast giving the. best
representation of the play under Mrs
Fry,s methods. The People insitute
has also offered prize for 1riors
Their play Will probably be The
House of the Heart" by Constance
Mackaye.
In the training of the Educational
Players study liz more than one-half.
sometimes three-quarters of the prep
aration. Beforee "getting on their
feet the players read the play with
Mrs Fry, getting an insight Into the
characters concerned, their relation to
each other and to the play as a whole.
The action of a character is traced
throughout the play. all the knowl-
edge being deduced from the text.
Every effort is made to preserve
spontaneity of expression. Growth is
fostered In all directions, and to-guard
the player from the danger of his
responses becoming automatic he is
not permitted TO play part when
growth seems to stop.