The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-17
CLASS PLAY At
STATE NORMAL
SPLENDID PRODUCTION OF THE
PIPER, THE pRAMATizED YER
SION OF THE PIED PIPER OF
HAMELIN, BY THE MEMBERS OF
THE SENIOR CLASS.

The contamination Of several weeks
Of incessant rehearsals, learning lines,
situations, music, dances and general
stage department. the seniors Of the
state normal school, assisted by the
required bevy Of children, and an or
chestra, was realized when they pre-
scented, last Saturday night, the first
of two performances of their class play,
The Piper, by Josephine Preston Pea
body, in four acts and five scenes. The
play was given on the stage Of the
school auditorium with an investtture
Of beautiful scenery, correct costumes
and attractive electrical effects.
The production va all that could be
desired and the large audience when
filed all parts of the large o was
not slow in giving due recognition the
very excellent performance deserved.
Any performance, in which children
and little tots participate seems to ap-
peal in a larger sense to the grown
ups. They have a natural art of their
own. ~instinctively they do that which
they are called upon to 10 with an
ease and grace of manne which elders
have to attain by close application.
And SO it was on Saturday night in the
beautiful presentation of Mrs. Pea
body's dramatized version Of Brown
ing's Pied Piper of Hamelin.
A prominent feature of the produc-
ton was the incidental music supplied
by the normal school orchestra, under
the skillful direction of ]. Harold Pow
ers, the supervisor of music, with Miss
Lee, his assistant, at the piano. There
were about a dozen pieces. The airs
were catchy and kept the audience
keyed up with interest from beginning
to end.
The curtain rose upon a darkened
scene and put Of a large circle of light
| appeared Miss Philadelphia Sharp, who
delivered the lines of the prologue WITH
a beautiful and clear speaking voice
every word plainly audible. She was
arrayed In a clinging costume of white
and silver.
Without in the least detracting from
others in the caste, the men and wo'
men of Hamelin, Miss Eleanor Nc
Laughlin as the Piper; Miss Edne
Ems, Michael, the wore eater, anc
| Cheat, the devil. Miss Esther Birth
vode, performed their impersonation'
| of these difficult characters with mark
| ed ability and exactness. Particularly
should be mentioned the rather re-
markable perfectness of Miss Nc
| Laughlin's delivery of the lengthy lines
which she showed herself so capable
of handling-especially in the third act
in the scene with Veronica, the mothe
Of the little lame boy, Jams, an
Michael, both Of whom gave excellen
support.
There was a splendor about tn
performance, the scenery. costume
and properties which reflected a grea
deal Of credit on the school and stag
management. 1t seemed as though no
a detail was overlooked. The play wa
staged by Miss Hayes, head of the de
partment of reading and expression
and in this line she disclosed how we
equipped she is for the position sh
enunCiation of all in the caste who ha
lines to deliver were points whic
demonstrated how we'll the work L
this department is done in the Moor
head normal. The dances were taugh
and directed by Miss Freer and tn
chants, which were heard from the dis
tant village church, were prepared b
Mr.. Powers.
The climax in the last act whic
brought back the children was Yer
beautifully portrayed and the audienc
left the building feeling that they ha
seen and heard something worth while
OF the children in the caste Eleano
Amidon as JAMS, the lame boy, was D
the nature of things the most promi
nent and In the character h SHOVE
natural ability n no attempt to owe
/ 90 IllS part. WILL Jams "OAO INA
Anderson, Stella Anderson, Sara
Sharp and Tia Eklund, assuming tn
parts of Hansel, Lise, Trude and Rud
The .''other children" We're: Mary Alic
MCLAUGHLIN, Sadie Schlattman, Emm
Johnson. Ida Hendrickson, F1orenc
Euren, Burton Anderson, Bruce Rob
ertson, Jessie Tovaas, Harold Nord
strom, Lawrence Norton, Doroth
Powers, Curtis Ballard, Wallace Rob
!, ertson, Florence Williams, Lillian Wi
liams, Helen Paxton, Edna Edin, Mab'
Paxton, Anna Anderson. Theresa An
} derson, Wilbert Feltus, Chestine ken
t dali, Grover Wilson, Jack Malone,
Grace Witherow.
, The performance will be repeatet
exactly as it vas given on Saturda
i night, this evening. The curtain WI
rise at S:15. The production is sue
that it deserves a filled house tonigh
Not only is it a feast for the eyes, bl
it is an intellectual treat which shoul
not be missed.
.a k--