Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-09
''BETTY'S DILEMMA"
Given by High School Students Be-
fore
LARGE ANDPLEASED AUDIENCE

LARGE AND PLEASED AUDIENCE
A large and warmly appreciative au-
dience in the New Century Club room
last Friday evening, greeted the young
comedians, members of the High School,
in their pleasing presentation of the
comedletta, "Betty's Dilemma.
Coming in just as the witty pink tea
knitting scene was in process, the
Scribe discovered that Betty's ''dilem-
ma" had been passed on to him, for in
his mystification he was forced to con-
clude that either the title was a mis-
nomer, or he was too dumb to see the
point However, he learned later that
the opening scene, which he had missed,
had disclosed the fact that a society
dame who was to have chaperoned a
lot of young folks, missed fire, and Bet
ty, Miss Clara Brady's well assumed
character, to save her sweet face had
to draft her cook in as a substitute
chaperone-this same make-shi cook
chaperone, was, by the way. confessed
ly the fins st character impersonation of
all the bright and well-pIayed parts,
and vas done by Miss Letitia Pool,
primly attired in plain. solemn black,
with hair twisted into hard knot at the
back Of her head and looking well,
but for her palpably youthful face. say,
at least IS I! And just think Of it,
shocking all social proprieties by act
ually drinking her tea out Of the saucer
Some of the tableau-like scenes We're
pretty and spectac cular in their rainbow
hued costumes, as, for instance, when
the four Misses Betty Shallcross, Elva
freeman, Susan RatIedge, and Helen
McWhorter gave their "Fashion Re
view" illustrating the val ious past
modes, Miss Lulu Ratledge meanwhile
tunefully singing appropriately de-
scriptive verses about the costume Of
each lady as she mncingly came upon
the stage keeping step with the piano.
Between the first and second acts
Miss Lulu Ratledge sang in fine voice
'Absent" and as an encore, Garry
Me Back to Old Virginia" Standin :;
demurely before the curtain with the
footlights flashing upon her glistening
rose silk costume, the singer presented
a lovely picture. But pretty faces and
lovely dresses were as plentiful as
blackberries" on that field day Of Youth
and Beauty!
The dialogues and cross-f fires of small
talk were spicily commingled with witty
local ''hits" which were received with
the laughter which bespoke the hits well
made.
The guests Of this house party were
Misses Leone Ladley, Lydia Redgrave
and Grace Brady who added their quota
to the enlivening ''small talk" and
Miss Florence Kohl played the part Of a
housemaid very naturally.
Miss Jessie Shepherd and Miss Louise
Ratledge deserve great credit for skill
fully coaching the players. and arrang
ing the beautifully set stage.
June McWhorter "starred'' in his
role of policeman, himself and Claude
Fouracre and Frank Jones as ''wit-
nesses,' all dressed out with ferocious
mustachios, threatening to arrest
the young ladies for auto speeding.
William Meyers ably played the part
Of the dude with his monocle, spike tail
coat and plug hat, and also scored a
success with his 'Shadowgraph Show. !"
The five young men Claude Fouracre.
Frank Jones. June McWhorter, Percy
Donaghay and William Pinder made a
real hit with their song "Shovel Snow,
their FIVE big wooden shovels swinging
n unison with the chorus Of the song
This clever bit won an encore.
Miss Clara Brady sang very sweetly
two solos whose rendition was compli-
mented by as many merited encores.
Pools Orchestra. Mr.. Frank Pool as
cornetist. Messrs. Clarence and Howard
Pool as violinists and Mrs Frank Pool
as pianist, maintained their well-known
musical reputation, and Miss Pleasanton
sustained hers as piano accompanist for
the singers,
Everybody was highly pleased, indeed,
some of the encomiastic words the
Scribe heard were so very compll-
mentary he will spare the young play
ers' bushes by giving but one-"All
our Academy students show real tai
ent for dramatic representation. - There
fore, says the Scribe, "Do it again
Young ladies and gentlemen. The pro-
ceeds go tn that worthiest OF benefits
the Red Cross.