The New York herald., 1921-12-25
Amateurs Start
Dramatic Season
in Own New Plays
why Divorce Presented by
Comedy Club-'Ready Made
for Junior League.

TIME members of the Amateur
Comedy Club started their an
nual season of private per-
formances a week ago with three per-
formances of a new play by Mr.. Jesse
Lynch Williams called "Why Divorce?"
with Mrs. S. Hinman Bird, Miss
Eleanor Little, Mrs. Herbert Groes-
beck, Jr., who was Miss Amy Bradish
Johnson; Mrs. Drelincourt M. Martin
and Messrs. Henry Clapp Smith, Ken
meth NJ. Murchison and Philip Kobbe,
all dramatic standbys of the club, in
the cast. Unfortunately, the plan of
the club to erect it's own clubhouse
and theater fell through and this
season it is giving it's performances
in the auditorium of the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Companys annex.
IL was Mr.. Edward Fales Coward, one
Of the charter members, who wrote
play for a group Of clever young anna
teur actors at the annual Father
Knickerbocker ball in the Plaza In Mr..
Coward's latest addition to his lengthen-
Ing list Of original writings and plays
Miss Helen Hoadley again proved her
efncfency as vocalist and actress, while
the author himself had a part in his
play.
In another few weeks the members
OF the Junior League, that fertile field
OF original expression, will come for
ward with their annual dramatic offer
ing In the Plaza. This year the league
has hit upon a truly novel motif one
worthy the inventive genius of profes.
sional Broadway. Tho leagues play,
which will be presented on January 26.
"a and 2s, deals with the psychology OF
dress and bears appropriately tho name
Ready Made" Miss Grace r. Henry.
who has produced all the league plays
In recent years. has prepared the book
and most OF the lyrics. The music Is
the result Of the collaboration between
Messrs. Emerson McMillin Sd, an anna
teur actor with professional instincts;
Gerald Warburg and Gerald Reynolds
Judging from the outline OF Ready
Made" three audiences will be much
amused. The story is full of posslbili-
ties OF which the authors have, Il is said.
made the most. The two acts and six
scenes are based upon the emotions and
moods inspired by a suit OF clothes and
debutante's dress. The suit and the
dress hang in opposite sides OF shop
window. Between them there Is a
strong attachment which can be dcvel-
oped only In the wearers. The suit Is
worn In one direction and the dress in
another, but. of course, the animated
clothes meet Through six phases pass
the suit and dress. The phases are IN
downward sequence, from n Fifth ave-
nue apartment, through Central Park to
an East Side dance hall. and then from n
second hand clothing emporium through
vaudeville theater 10 the ashcan.
The pathetic descent from high estate
To lamentable end Is depicted in special
music and excellent stage settings.
The names Of the amateurs who will ami
mate the suit and dress are yet to be
made public, as also are the names OF a
large cast to figure in the Junior
Leagues latest offering TO its curious
public.
Mrs. Vincent Astor has executive su-
pervision OF the entertainment committee
OF the league this season, and Mrs e.
Roland N. Hartman Is her chief as
sistant. Miss Dorothy Collins Is the sec
retary and Miss Muriel Vanderbilt will
be the treasurer,