The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-23
[EACH DOUeHBOYS
| THE ART OF ACTING

lHt All Ut AClIhG
With the American Army Of Occu-
ssaons coblenx, Feb. 17.---Miss Dor
any Donnelly. one of Americas best
|nown actresses, who reached the ZEN
a OF Der career few years ago by
- performance of Madame X" has
r1ved here e take charge Of the
sss 81 osxan4z,IE nv s 90 1h. :,
heatrfcal companies and teaching
hem how to act From her head
uarters here she Is directing stan
professional coaches and with the
o-operation Of the 7. NJ. c. A in
ar6 h furnishing necessary thcatr!-
costumes and properties
Il b Mis- Donneily's Job to see that
ae soldiers Of the American army OF
ccupation are not forced to fall back
pom German music and German the
trical companies during tho tnfre-
1ort periods when most excellent per-
primers and musicians are not sup
lied across the Rhine by the Over
pAs Thsater league and the Y. n. G.
Thus early in her work hero Miss
ornetly has discovered that the Ger
aAn artistic peril IS not OF serious
oment; the soldiers are developing
o only histrionic ambitions but real
FANATIC ability. They are putting
performances of everything from
Box and Cox TO Hamlet" and
heir own orchestras are playing
EerythinE from "Jusx Baby's Prayer
Twilight" and THE Darktown
t<utters' BAR TO chamber music or
20 highest class
II the average theater-goer back
ome was asked what theatrical man
ger stood highest for Art, with cap
A. fr the theater. he would likely
Ryne -gyathrcp Amcs. Yet when 10
tph Yandon Smith was sent over to
rance last May by the Overseas
heaicr league TO organize the soldier
lent into con- panics to entertain
heir companion Mr.. A-nes said--and
. Is quoted exactly--'sEow, don't try
nv high-hrow stuff or them" The
sneral impression was that the Yam
% wanted to be amused In the most
enental way but Mr.. Smith soon dis
1vercd that there was a time and
acc over here for the Thigh brow
mfr and the pageant OF Jeanne
Ar" which he put on at Brest, was
tended by more than $4,000 Ameri-
kn soldiers who sat enthralled for
purs-
Mr.. Smith arrived IN France with
10 trunk containing four banjos. two
litars, the manuscript of thirty plays.
] comedies, and ten negro minstrel
pgtumeA Today in Paris. under Mr..
uith's direction, this trurkload has
tcwn to the following startling fig
Fss:
e.lio costumes,
.s4s musical Instruments,
E.S2a plays--many of them serious
dramas,
1855 pieces of sheet music
.Ssa makeup sets,
400 wiga
These theatrical properties are
knded out to the soldiers AS they want
fern by the y NJ c. A., which con-
icts it's big theatrical departm emit
pre- In Parts in building given over
that branch OF the work. In ad
lion, there Is weil-knowu Paris
estorer with fourteen sewing won
working under her at work al, the
mo on more costumes and any play
and Hamlet has actually been
me many IlfH cS--N&su DC outuAtg0 Oh
Eort notice.
There liz big demand for musical
ssraments. The four banjos which
ere brought over mere as starter
lew to many hundred and right now,
Z some reason. the Y. M. G.. A. is
BIT able to obtain more OF these In
ruments although there is "A con-
ant call for them. whenever and
herevcr the soldiers organize an or
hcstra they are supplied. on request.
ith.- instruments, music, and II need
4 music teach sr.
When the theatrical department of
A Y. N. c. A Was first started min
rel costumes were made az a begin
(nx. Hundreds OF first part" suits
kve been turned out and they are all
to the same destgrs-white trousers,
ne shirt and crimson sash They
st about 50 suit
An the boys moved up from rnfn-
reis to the drama it was necessary
provide more elaborate costumes
ID now the dealers in sccond-hand
5wna. IN Parts< report TO the ''Y'E
Nry day with what clothes they have
offer Evening gowns, made orig
ally by the hest-known Partisan
Odixtes 81 a cost of thousands of
Anca, are bought In at a standard
ice Of 81 each. The '-Y" costume
pArtnent clears them and puts them
70 good condition and Worth gowns
= being worn today on the soldier
eges In France and Germany