The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-11-14
RED CROSS BENEFIT BRILLIANT WITH.
DANCE, DRAMA, SONG AND TABLEAU
Four Months Work Produces Program of Great
Entertaining Quality and Charm

A capacity house Witnessed last
evening, what was in many Ways the
most pretentious amateur production
ever staged in Skowhegan There
were sixty-f people in the cast. The
drama, songs, dancing and what may
be designated by none other than the
good old fashioned term "A Play
were all interwoyen in a truly Won
derful program. The event dates
from day in June. Mrs. J. p Oak
and her daughter, Miss Pauline, de-
sired to do something, in large way,
for the local Red Cross and placed
their services at the disposal of this
organization in an interview with the
president, Carleton P. Merrill. 1t is
needless to say that the offer was
eagerly accepted and preparations
were at once begun. Perhaps the
most interesting fact, and the one in
which local people will take the most
pride, is that, with the exception of the
Bernard Shaw Comedy, every part OF
the program originated in Skowhe-
gan The play "a Gala Night at
Tuppers Corner" including the melo-
drama, Loves Victory, or Carmen
cita's Revenge" was written by Miss
Pauline Oak and the dancers receiv-
ed their instructions from her. Pro-
fessionals could not have reached the
excellence of this play, and could
scarcely have produced the wonderful
results seen in the various dances. The
author, in addition to unusual talent
for dramatic things, knew the local
work. They we're able to write the
parts for the people who were to take
them, and to select young people for
the dancing with unerring judgment
as to their ability for work of this
kind. Skowhegan people have been
entertained at various High school
and other functions by performers
who have been trained by these two
talented ladies The present pro-
gram was. however, the most varied
and elaborate, and perhaps the most
successful of anything that has come
under their care.
The program was published in full
last week but that of itself served
only to convey to the public the names
of the performers and the titles Of
the various songs, dances, etc. Of
which the evening was made up.
The (A) number brought up the
curtain, showing the interior of the
Grange Hall at "Tupper's Corner"
The seats were ready for the audience
and Hiram Muggins, the local theatri-
cal manager, soon opened the ticket
office and was ready for business. The
scene at the ticket office, as the au-
dience fled in and occupied the seats,
was simply human nature as 1t might
be seen in any rural community in
New England. Each character was
we'll portrayed and the whole scene
was one of splendid humor. After
the citizens of Tupper's Corner had
been comfortably seated, a brilliant
overture was rendered on the Grange
Hall organ by the most talented or
vopiot OF sdTTha COrnnp' The curtain
on the Grange Hall stage then went
up and the moment was evidently one
of tense expectancy.
The Melodrama Loves Victory, or
.Carmencita's Revenge was evidently
much appreciated by the Tuppers
Corner people, and of course, no less
so by the audience in the auditorium.
Between the acts of this play. two
specialties were introduced one be-
ing "a Drunkards Dream given by
Thomas COburn, an intensely tragic
defamation but making really com
edy in the general scheme OF the even
ing. The other specially was i am
a Devil with the Ladies sung by
Harold Pooler, retaining the costume
of Mr.. Hardscrabble"
The melodrama itself was wonder
fully entertaining. 1t was very
mellow" and at times intensely
tragic" OF course, the Tupper
Corner audience followed the plot
with bated breath, horror struck at
the yillainy of the villain and the VII
lainess, full of admiration for the
heroine and sympathy for her un-
fortunate family and enraptured by
the yalorous deeds of the hero. True
to the circumstances as they are al
ways found at an entertainment oil
this kind. the floor of Tupper's nall
was cleared OF its settees Immediately
at the close of the program, and every
body present joined in a country
dance.
"Silas Peasleys the most elderly
character stayed to this function IN
spite of the protest of his daughter to