The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-03-08
EFFORT MADE
FOR REVIVAL
OF LEAGUE TO
STUDY DRAMA
Promoters of Community
Movement Hope to En-.
courage Local Dramatic
Talent to Expand.
NOT FOR HIGH BROW
eY FORREST DAVIS

sv FORREST DAVIS
''Make-believe" is an inherent
tendency of man.
Children love to act. They
admire pageantry.
Give a little girl a couple of
dollies, a long dress and a stage
setting of battered furniture and
she will evolve a domestic
drama.
Her brother and his friends
will take an empty hay NOV, q
discarded sheet for curtain,
household odds and ends and
give a show for which they'll
charge six pins.
Turn to Dramatic Form.
All children turn to play-acting art
lessly. They are devoid Of self-con-
sciousness until reminded of self by
their elders and they love to clothe
their grotesque conceptions Of life in
dramatic form.
But adults, in this land OF the free
and home OF the brave, have sought to
repress their play instinct. Only in
scattered groups is found true self-ex.
preston in terms Of the play.
A host OF ideas were loosed by the
Little Theatre idea. Most of them
are not so pretentious, not so open to
the criticism of being high brow"
which is damning term In the ears
Of the average man.
In New York, Of course, the Wash.
ington Square players and the Port.
manteau players have scored financial
as well as artistic successes through
the evolution of the ideas Of Winthrop
Ames and his compeers, but in Chi
csgo-recently the Little Theatre com.
pany became insolvent.
Grangers Present Plays.
The effect OF the movement has
been far.reaching. for all that. In the
Northwest. farming communities have
appropriated the idea and bands of
grangers are presenting plays in COM
munity centers. Plays dealing with
farm conditions. with the soil, have
made this phase of the movement sue.
cessful.
In a New England city a band OF
amateur players. recruited from pro-
fessional and business ranks, gives
shows in a civic play house and, be-
cause the Thespians wander from 10.
sen to Augustus Thomas occasionally,
their venture succeeds.
Remember "Ye Old Deestrict Skule'
and the others that enjoyed popular
favor a generation ago in every ham.
let in this broad land.
They, and the other home talent
shows" past and present were pre-
cursors Of and no ware akin to the
Little Theatre movement
Take Kate Douglas Virgins "Old
Peabody Pew which has been given
in several Richmond churches recent
" BY Second English Lutheran church
folks. Their effort was first cousin
to that Of the most approved band OF
Little Theatre players.
Richmond Lacks Organized Effort.
Save for efforts in the high school
and college. Richmond has had no or
ganized attempt to develop dramatic
skill or culture.
The Drama league which now Is In
a state of coma, has sought to estab-
lish a drama center; to provide for
working out of a modified Little
Theatre plan. i
Leaders in the league feel the need
for development Of band OF amateur
players Especially since Richmond Is
cut off from enjoyment OF the best
things on the legitimate stage.
An effort is being made now to re-
vitalize the Drama league; to link 1t
with the community music movement
SO that both arts, closely allied as they
are, may be developed in Richmond
coincidentally.
This can be done. The community
movement can be crystallized into a
vehicle for promotion OF both arts.
At the same time that the best things
in the musical world are brought here
at a reasonable cost, the best plays
can be introduced to Richmond.
Argue for Home Talent.
There are persons who contend that
there is no need to bring outside
musical talent to Richmond.
Keep the money at home to de-
velop local music. orchestras and
choruses." they advise.
As well seek to develop plant life in
a subterranean chamber. Unless a
plant pushes through the soil and re-
ceives the inspiration and warmth OF
the sun It perishes.
Without an inspiration and apprecia-
tion that comes from hearing the
worlds greatest artists. local music
remains local music 1t develops so
far and no farther.
So It is with the drama. Until per-
sons can appreciate the drama, can
understand the consummate art Of the
greatest numbers Of the time, they
are in no position to interpret intelli-
gently.
So, the Drama league Is to take on
new life. 1t is to become an integral
part Of the community art movement, |
which means. in effect, art for the |
people.
It is to bring the loftiest in the
drama to Richmond. And all these |
things will be added.