South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-25
HANDELSMAN MAY
PROMOTE OLIVER
DRAMATIC PLAYERS
Establishment of Company to
Give High Class Dramas
is Suggested.

There IL a movement under way
for the establishment OF a high class
permanent dramatic stock company
in South Bend Influential people
who are interested IN the better sort
OF stage performance have In mind
the establishment CT a thoroughly
competent organization and have en-
n listed the aid and influence OF j..
I5andlesman. general manager Of The
Palace Theater corporation. lessee 8f
the oliver theater.
Lack OF legitimate road produc-
tons IS evident this early in the sea-
son. Throughout the entire country
permanent musical comedy and dra-
matte stock companies are being or
gained 20 supply the sh0w-going
public with suitable attractions dur
ing the periods the theaters might
otherwise be closed The idea now
in process of formation is the estao-
lishment Of a company 20 be known
as the oliver Players iu South Bend.
II given sufficient encOura cement
80 IL Mr.. Handlesman's purpose 20
engage capable dramatic performers,
a large number OF which are avail
able. owing 10 the scarcity Of road
productions T1der competent di-
rectors these players VIII DE trained
for the presentation Of high class
plays OF the Shaw, Dunsay. Ibscn.
Pinero. Strinberg and ONeI type.
the sort Of dramas that are all too
scarce in communities OF this size
or two nights a month as open dates
occur IN the oliver b., '.4ngs This ls
not 20 be the usual run or repertoire
companies with week runs Of cheap
comedies and melodramas. but OF the
sort that wiz give occasional per-
formances Of original. unique and
unusual plays OF a high literary
quality
The success OF the washington
Square Players. the Provincetown
Players. the Ben Greet Players. and
others OF a similar nature leads Mr..
Handlesman 10 believe that such a
movement would be practical here.
provided, always. that the hearty
support OF the Progress club. the
Women's club and other similar or
CARNATIONS. whose members have
started the project. could be obtain
ed
II is recalled that when the Wash
ingtOn Square Players visited the
oliver in December. 1916, they met
with a hearty reception for their pro-
gram or short plays which included
a Roadhouse in Arden" by Philip
Moeller; "a Miracle OF Saint An
thony." by Maurice Naeterlinck.
'Nfoondown." by John Reed and
others OF equal dramatic worth. Pre-
vious 10 that the Ben Greet Players
in outdoor productions of Shakes
peare the Edith Wynne Mathewson
presentation Of the Old morality play.
"Everyman" and similar artistic dra-
matte Innovations. met with hearty
approval from theater-goers i'm this
community.
Those who keep pace with current
theatrical news know that Eugene
O'Neiu a writer who has gotten
away from the beaten track of stage
literature. has recently become quite
prominent Hc is the son of the late
! James O'NeiI whose dramatic per-
f0rmanCes OF The Count OF Monte
Cristo." are still recalled by play
goers Of "a decade ago. He was edu-
Gated az Notre Dame and. i'm a sense.
South Bend claims him. Last season
his play Beyond the Horizon" pro
duCed by Richard Bennett. was a
dramatic sensation. IL was followed
by The Emperor Jones" with the
talented negro actor. Charles GrpIu.
and ran a year in New York and is
now one Of the outstanding attraC-
tions at the Playhouse iu Chicago.
O'Neiu has written a number Of
one act plays and it Is suggested that
one or more be secured for the pro-
posed oliver players. Other dramas
Of similar length. such as con-
densed version OF oscar Wilde's "Sa-
lone" Campbell NIcCulIoch's The
Killer" James Branch CabeTs THE
Jewel Merchant" would make an
ideal evenings program for az least a.
trial performance.
With ample capacity and adequate
scenic equipment OF the Oliver placed
az the company's disposal by Nr.
Handiesman the project seems 10
have a practical start What he de-
sires now is an expression OF opinion
from those interested I'm such
movement as 90 whether such an or
ganization as Is proposed would have
their substantial support Commun-
fcauons concerning the subject may
be addressed 20 him in care of the
oliver Jheater