Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-23
GALA OPENING
OF RYLANDER A
NOTABLE EVENT
New House Pleases
audience and PLAYERS
Mobiles Makes Talk


With play lovers present from all
the nearby towns and some from
farther away distances, including a
party of considerable size from Ma
con, Americus' new $15O,000 the
ater, the Rylandcr, was formally
opened Friday night with the pre-
sentation of "Lightnin', with a cap
able cast headed by the venerable
Milton MOBILES, known and loved by
AmericuS theater-goers of 35 and 40
years ago.
The opening was a grand success,
and the success was repeated at Sat
urday afternoons matinee and the
closing performance of the engage
ment. Of the same company Saturday
night Every detail was perfect. The
new house, structure of unusual
beauty. and completeness, charmed
every attendant, and brought promis-
es from out-of town visitors to re-
turn often. And it pleased the play
ers, too, who presented the play in
the best Of humcr and Saturday,
mingling with the towqspeople, they
were lavish in their praise of its
completeness and comfort behind the
stage from the viewpoint of the ac-
tor. 1t was also praised by Mr.. Nc
bles in brief curtain talk he was
forced to make between acts, he as
sur,ng the audieace that no hand
somer theater stands between Wash
ingcon and New Orleans.
Dedicatory Talks.
Preceding the presentation Of thl
play . brief time was given to dedi
catory talks Walter Rylander ap.
pearing on the stage before the cur.
tain, spoke briefly of the trials ant
tribulations that had attended the
| building of the structure, but eX
pressed thanks and qualification o.
the manner in which the public ha,
stood behind himself, his, father an,
his brothers, Emory and Arthur
Jr., in the undertaking, He intro
duced Mayor j. E. Sheppard, of Am
ericus. who delivered an eloquent
talk in expression of the public;
gratitude to the Rylanders for whal
they had done for the community il
erecting this building, "a thing OF
! beauty and a joy forever" He as
tsurcd the builders that the people re
joiced with them in the satisfaction
that comes with the accomplishment
Of d fond hope, this accomplishment
having been effected in the compile
tion of the magnificent structure.
Something of the play itself will
be found in another column. The
audience was in a jolly mood as were
the actors, and as the actors gave
their best in art and effort the hear
ers were ready in generous response
Mobiles is Called For.
Toward the end of the play Mr.
Mobiles was called for a speech. Ap-
pearing in the makeup of the love
able old character which he portray.
ed, he spoke in a calm, friendly
voice, thanking the audience, first,
on behalf of his company and him
self, for the generous reception. He
mentioned the fact he had played in
Amcricus years ago and that the city
had made wonderful progress since
then.
SIN the year that the young Mr..
Rylander, who spoke to you awhile
ago, was born" said he, Il paid my
last visit 70 Americus, playing my
"From Sire to Son" at the old Opera
House Spending an hour after
my arrival this afternoon in walking
about your streets / saw that you
have made wonderful progress since
that time, advancing as you should
have advanced. You have wonder
full playhouse, which you are opening
here tonight may say that there
is no handsomer house between
Washington and New Orleans, and
it impresses me that, while you have
advanced in commercial and other
ways, you have not stood still in
art.
''While I am before you l want
to take this opportunity of offering
you a bit of advice AS | go from
here l would like to hear that Am
reicus is making a reputation for pat
ronizing only clean plays and abso.
lutely in this beautiful building re-
fusing to attend the vulgar plays OF
plays that advertise the sex problem
Up to Public.
eve hear much of the producers
giving the public what it wants as
the reasons FOR these plays being on
the boards But the success of clean
plays like Lightnin, with not vui-
gar line, show that they are not Civ
ing what it wants, but rather what
suits their taste If the cities will
make a reputation for patronizing
only clean plays they will drive tie
vulgaC plays and producers from the
field
"The firm that send you Lightnin'
deals only in clsan and wholesome
PLAYS, and YOU can rest assured that