Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-03-31
"She Stoops TO Conquer"
Was SpIendidIy Presented
By the Snow Hill High School Students Last
Friday Night. Every Participant and The
Faculty Deserves Hig hest Praise

The production of the vlay. "She
Stoops to Conquer, took place at the
Opera House last Friday evening. and the
High School students taking part in the
comedy achieved notable success The
characters were happily cast, and the
classical play was given with faithful
ness 20 type and locale fidelity of man
nerSpnd CUSTOMS, minuteness of detail,
accuracy of setting, and with a smooth
ness and unity of action that surprised
the large au&ence.' and spoke volumes
for the training and coaching Of the
youthful actors anisietresses
Some had gone TO the performance
from a sense Of duty. some with an air
Of tolerance, q in superclious mood,
as If they diIngi expect the youthful
Thespians to do much with the spark
ling comedy Of Goldsmith; but their pre-
conceived ideas were soon shattered.
and they were completely routed out of
their studied Indifference by the bril-
lance and smoothness of the perform
ancr'' showing that those who had count
ed on seeing only mediocre production
had reckoned without considering either
the latent histrionic talent IN tie High
school, ~or the capable. earnest and
painstaking trainers
Throughout the performance, one was
forcibly impressed with the vast amount
of detail and hard. earnest work that
devolved upon the coaches TO train the
actors in their respective roles, and to
weld the characters into harmonious
whole. creating the atmosphere of the
time. reproducing the historical setting,
and delineating types true to the period.
so that the actors fell naturally into the
characters Of the play, and the plot
itself developed along easy, spontaneous.
and natural lines
The play was given in conjunction
with the course Of study in English in
the High School. and right nobly did
the students respond to the call of the
principal and teachers. Time was when
English was taught in a different way.
but today The play is the thing. and
back Of the Thespian students in Eng
lish. correcting pronunciation perfect
ing enunciation; teaching expression;
dilating on the purity of language of
the classic, eXpurgating the text; strv-
ing for ease and poise of manner: urg-
ing on TO greater individual effort and
to higher sustained action; simplifying
the subtle situations: explaining the
unities of time place, and action: call
ing the entrances and exits. the risings
and slttings; accentuating the lights and
shadows; dtrerentiating between the
light and the grave. the comic and the
serious; arranging the necessary ad-
juncts of scenery and the important
details of costumes. IN fact, pulling the
strings of the divers and complex prob
lens, and resolving them into simple
situations, were the instructresses in
English Mrs Benton II. Whaley. Miss
Julia A. Bratten and Miss Laura A.
Easey.
Demosthenes had his Aristotle. Sir
Henry Irving his Marlowe; Madame
Sarah Bernhardt her prototype in Mrs.
Siddons; and the High School students
had trio of equally earnest, conscien-
tious and painstaking monitors. trainers
and instructors.
Goldsmith may have had in mind just
such person as Olin Trader for Mr..
Hardcastle or Ethelyn Bowen for Mrs.
/ llardcastlc. the excellent old-fashioned
gentleman : most excellent up-to- date
wife Clifford Sturgis was cut out for
the part of Tony Lumpkin, and the
mischievous fellow. by his drol antics,
clever acting and thorough understand.
ing of the role. kept the pot of humor
boiling. and the audience in a roar VI
laughter whenever he occupied the
stage Miss Hardcastle was created
for person of Miss Nellie Trader =
temperament, and she interpreted the
part with charm, piquancy. and natur-
aness. As the charming Miss Neville,
the wayward heiress, Elizabeth Mock
won applause and the sympathy of the
audience in her Irritation with her cousin.
Tony Lumpkin. and her heart affair
with the irresistible Hastings, Sarah
Hayward as Dolly. the maid Of Miss
/ Hardcastle. was conscientious and
satisfactory in her portrayal of that
part. The playwright has been fortu-
nate in having star actors appear in the
role Of young MARROW, but we venture
to say that there never has been one
who looked more the part of a noble
lord and gentleman than did George
/ Truitt As one one of his trainers ap-
preciatively remarked: "He set his cos
tune off to perfection, while his court
ship of Miss Hardcastle was all that