The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-07
rice Players.
Pleasing City S
Play-going Folk

4 gentleman of distinction In Rich
nqoud's best financial and social CIR
cles--a pfaygoer of artistic apprecia-
ton. keen Judgment and high Ideals
concerning tho modern stage-pa d
Price Players. the Academy's new
spring and summer company. great
compliment when he walked up to the
box office the other afternoon.
II came on the opening night to sec
this company in an old play, rather
too familiar. but 1t was so delightfully."-
done and so significant OF worthy
policy that / personally sen: thirty OF
my friends during the week. Make
season reservations for me. l shah
urge everybody ! know to make
theirs But VIC all prefer the new
things--~at least, those that have no:
been done here by stock companies"
And novelties will follow hereafter
during the stay of the superior and
distinctive company assembled by +
i, Price, n manager with taste and
understanding bred OF long associa-
ton with the best there is In stage
art His enterprise 10 shown by cffer-
Ing Richmond real theatrical, pre-
mier tomorrow night, the very first
production anywhere of Colleen" a
brand new comedy of Irish and Lon
don life, by Catherine Chisholm Cush :
ing. among the leaders in American
playwriting and with success after
success to her credit. including Billie
Burke's Jerry" Henrietta Crosman's
THE Real Thing" May Twins Wild
DIV by Proxy" the Scotch comedy,
kitty Mackay." and decentralization Of
The ''Pollyanna" glad books.
1t Ia chiefly because she wanted t.
sec Patricia CollinEe create tho de-
Iightful role OF Norah. the Limerick
lass. and because of her kindly regard
for Manager Price. that Mrs. Cush-
ing decided to have the latters play
ers make the initial production of her
we'll beloved Colleen" She has per-
sonally supervised the production and
says she is delighted with the cast
and the work of Mr.. A. J. Edwards.
the very experienced stage director.
A Comedy OF Youth.
Colleen" Is called a comedy of
youth. joyousness and charm, with
dramatic moments and keen Celtic
wit Its scenes are divided between
Norah's sunshlny little tahtched
cottage in Ireland. Limerick,
and the environment of a fashiona BILE
town house near London. There are
droll peasants, pretty Irish lassies.
courtly English aristocrats and stall
wart young fellows in khaki 1t is,
above al. play of youth. sparkle and
enthusiasm, and not to be COMPOUNDED
with stereotyped Irish drama, peo-
pied with cruel process servers, and
ballad singing heroes. Mrs Cushing
Is original. up-to-the- minute and quite
frank in exploiting her own hobbies.
There Is keen interest In Colleen"
and the new players. Pleasant antici-
patton is aroused by cast which in
cludes such definite personalities as
lovely Patricia Collinge. herself Dub
lin born; Richard Dix as her young
man" Terry; Arthur Hohl and Will
liam L. Nolte as young Englishmen
of manners; w. A. Whitecar and Hell
en- Tracy as English aristocrats: Marie
Baer as the Hon. Lady Kathleen;
Pacie Ripple. Louis Haines. Catherine
Booth and Mona Kingsley. as quantity
humorous Irish peasants. And there
Is Reggie Sheffield. the boy actor who
will create the mischievous Patsy.
He has played in london with Charles
Hawtry and Sir Herbert Tree, and
nuite recently in the New York re-
vival OF Merry Wives of Windsor"
With Thos. Wise. Viola Allen and Hem
riotta Croaman. Mabel Strickland. Z
1872 member of the cornpsny just -