Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-25
FROM TOWN HALL TO LITTLE TE4EATER
BY FREDERIC J. HAsI<I,

WARRINGTON. D. c.. February 81
Broadway has ceased to dazzle the
wheat belt. The tired business man
no longer has anything on the farmer,
who can drive TO the town hall almost
any night In the week and indulge his
dramatic tastes to the fun. Not only
that. but he can become an actor him
self. playing anything he pleases from
the nero to member Of the i,oila n
populace. lie can write play and di {.
rect It's staging, paint his own scenery
and supervise It's building. Even when
he is merely spectator, he has Ger
tain pride and sense of ownership in
the drama which is mover enjoyed by
the most faithful metropolitan first
niGhtcr.
Much o! the monotony of rural life
has been dispclled by the simple cX.
pedicnt OF the amateur theatrical The
town hall. which for years waH in use
only for church sociables and an occa
sional performance Of Uncle Toms
Cabin 10y Il nondescript road company.
has come into it's own. II is a center
Of social activity now. Hero the fam
ilies OF the surrounding farms Join
in the production of plays and paEto-
mines. often written ami staged by
themselves.
The popular idea OF the modern
farmer is that Of a jovial Individual
who motors in to see the latest comic
opera His house is lighted with cleo
tricity ana heated with hot water; his
servants sweep II with vacuum clean
ers aud cook his dinner on the irclcss
cooker. II is not for farmers such as
these that the little country theatcr
has been evolved. II is for tho many
farming districts where recreation for
the main consists in reading the cOuu-
~ paper and playing checkers, while
ms VIE ptruses the woInan's magazine
and drives to church on Sunday. where
there is Il scarcity Of young people be =.
cause they have gone TO the city TO
escape the dulIness.
Ltttle Thenter Solves Problem.
For these districts tic transiorrla-
ton Of the town hall into a little tho
nt"r is the answer TO an old problem
IN" farmer can forget The rcsponsi
bilitics OF agriculture in his interpr--
,a,ion OF Rip Van Wrinkle. and his
vile has no thought OF the hired hands
or tho sick heifcr while she portrays
Mrs. Wigs Of the Cabbage Patch"
Mr.. \. g. Arvold was the first TO
establish little country rheatcr in
tho North Dakota Agricultural College
at Fargo. North Dakota Is "a farming
state with hundred and forty towns
having less than three hundred per
sons. The usual lack az social inter
course exists. The moving picture SHOW.
mas invaded the country To 4 slight
degree but the movie is essenti;.Ily,
means OF individual entertainment.
ahordinE little opportunity for social
intercourse and the fostering of com =
munity spirit.
Such was the state OF affairs when
Mr.. Arvold began his experiment with
the little country theater. The col
lego donated room on the second
floor of its administration building.
which was fitted with stage lights
and rows Of chairs. all OF which are
available in the average town hall or
church. The students started To give
theatrical performances and invited
the people from the surrounding farms.
They spared no effort TO entertain
their audiences. Since 20 per cent or
the population OF North Dakota is
either forcignborn or OF foreign par
entagc. special plea 10 their interest
was made by specializing on nationality
programs In which folk plays. folk
songs and music were featured An
admission Of i've to fifteen cents was
charged. to pay for scenery, costumes
and incidental expenses
The experiment worked. and !s work