The New York herald., 1921-01-11

Tinkling with melody and pictorially
charming, Forty winks." musical fan
tasy, was given in the ballroom of the
Plaza Hotel yesterday afternoon by
members of the Spence Alumnae So
ciety to help them meet the increasing
expenses of their home for orphaned
babies at 232 East Sixty-second street
and to open the amateur dramatic sea-
son. The matinee audience was large and
appreciative. Last nights audience at
the second performance was larger. To-
night there is to be a third performance
and the trio of presentations of the
merry piece should go long way tow
ard helping the Spence graduates to meet
the $4,000 it costs them a year to con-
duct their splendid charity.
The Spence School graduates have
given some creditable dramatic and
musical plays in the past but Forty
Winks' will go into their dramatic rec
ord as the best yet. In spots it ap-
proaches professional standards with
music by Mrs. John L. Tonnele, Jr.. Clasg
of 1911, and book and lyrics by Mrs.
Connor Lawrence, also of the 1911 class
of the school.
The idea of Marjories dolls coming
to life in the nursery and taking the
heroine (Miss Cynthia Bigelow) to the
garden OF the Fairy Queen miss Ade-
laide BeddalD may not be new in musi-
cal fantasy. but with a book in which
Mrs. Lawrence shows a real sense Of
humor and with music in which Mrs.
Tonnele proves that she can write in
gratiating melodies Forty Winks''
stands out as a winner among produc-
tons by amateurs among the young
women of New York siciety. The MEM
bers Of the large cast are all capable
and in some instances proficient.
| In the book are some lines that yes
terday afternoon took amusing hold on
older persons In the audience, such as,
| for instance. the side remark by the
Fairy Prince (Iiss Susan Steell) that
nothing usually Is expected of old maids
but the unusual" Miss Steel possesses
dramatic soprano voice that many per-
sons at the first performance hope TO
/ hear again. 1t is n voice OF wide range
and beautiful quality. and Mrs. Dana
| Burnet, who rehearsed and is directing
! the performances, wisely gave her q
number OF songs on the programme.
! Miss Carrie l.. Reick, the Jdck-in-
the BoT, made hit in the prolog u..
with a topical song in which she ad-
vised her hearers to pretend your
troubles arc all bubbles" An rides
cent bubble ballet (the Misses Dorothy
quinn, Martina Ottley, BETSY Flagg
Adelaide Beddall. Ada Helnze. Lillian
Remsen. Genevieve Cawthra, Allen Gray
and Dorothy Thompson and Mrs. w. ].
Warburton) supported her In the num-
Der. There was another good number
called THE indigo Blues (sung by Mrs.
b. Tappen Fairchild. Jr.. with the sup
port of the Indigo Ballet. composed of
the Misses Gertrude Ogden, Helena
Ogden, Clara Workum, Laura Mabon.
Dorothy Clemons. Helen Dudgeon, Susan
Coppel and Margaret Stout). They got
one of the best laughs OF the afternoon
"a laugh of reminiscence--by turning
themselves into, white wraiths at the
close Of the prologue and becoming
spi,f Of the Past. each labelled with
an ingredient of the erstwhile cocktail.
In the first act and in the second.
back in the nursery again, there were
other episodes as merry and colorful.
The Misses Dorothy Clapp. Mary Field,