New-York tribune., 1920-04-25
Company of Thousand
Will Aid for Equity
At Metropolitan. May 9

Final rehearsals for the gala per-
formance Of the Actors Equity Asso-
citation at the Metropolitan Opera
House on May 9 begin this week un-
der the direction Of Hassard Short.
Details Of three Of the acts. showing
the scope and originality Of the per-
formance, were revealed by tho on
tertainment committee yesterday. These
acts include only few of the "cast
Of thousand stars" which will appear
during the performance.
The acts which are ready for an
nouncement are a stately piece of
pageantry, a dance number that in
cludes many leading dancers and a
musical number which will assemble
the leading women Of the most sue
cessful musical shows now running at
the theaters. These acts will not be
bits hurriedly snatched from tho diff
ferent theaters, but each act will be
new and distinct, and those appearing
in them will rehearse as though this
were to be a performance scheduled
for long run.
1t is promised that the pageant will
be tremendous and unique thing. 1t
could be produced only on a stage the
size Of that Of the Metropolitan. In il
lie foremost women characters in
Shakespeare appear out of the mists
of the years in shadowy procession
followed by the three allegorical char
acters, Memory, Art and the Spirit of
Equity.
The cast will include Ariel, Fania
Marlanoif; Beatrice, Jane Grey; Imo-
gen, Peggy Wood; Merry Wives, Fran
cine Larrimore and Helen MacKellar:
Rosalind, Blanche Ring; Desdemona
Martha Hedman; Viola, Crystal Herne; ;
Lady Macbeth, Helen Ware; Juliet
Margalo Gilmore; Ophelia, Marjorie
Rambeau; Cleopatra, Florence Reed; I;
queen catherine, Lillian Russell; I'll
tania, Elsie Ferguson; Portia, Ethel
barrymore; Katherine, Jane Cowl:
Memory, Nance ONeil; Art, John
Charles Thomas; Spirit Of Equity
Measured by standards Of salaries
1t obviously would be impossible tc
gather such a group Of stage notables
ior any other. purpose. The cost OF
the costumes alQne for this one feature
would finance an ordinary production
but the artists are paying for these
themselves in order that the fund fo,
the endowment of the Actors Theatel
! may get every possible cent. With
the pageant there will be incidenta
music by an orchestra Of fifty pieces
conducted by Victor Barravele.
There will be plenty of lighter mum
bers. For instance, there will be the
act of songs. Here almost every primo
donna in the current light musica
| pieces will sing the song with which
she is most intimately associated
Among those who are announced tx
take part in this act are Tessa Kosta
Peggy Wood, Christie Macdonald, vi
vionne Segal, Belle Story, Adele Row
land, Irene Bordoni, Eleanor Painter
and Blanche Ring.
There will be full chorus Of tw,
hundred of the best voices in tn,
Equity with this gathering of leadinf
ladies and the finale will have the full
chorus and all the voices of the stars
The chorus has been rehearsing fol
weeks.
The Equity Dance Carnival will in
clude Carl Randall, of the Ziegfeld Fol
lies, who will appear as Pierrot, will
Wilda Bennett, Of apple Blossoms,
as Pierrette. Louise Groody, of 9TH,
Night Boat" will be seen in a special,
designed Jazz dress with Hal Skell,
in Harlequin Jazz costume. Jame
Barton, Of the Winter Garden, will
dance in an Oriental costume. Adel
and Fred Astairc, of "Apple Blossoms, ),
will be in gypsy costumes. Evan Bur
rows Fontaine will appear in an origi