Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-02
GEORGE SIDNEY BLOWS INTO TOWN
And All the Folk Say, Welcome Stranger
BY WALTER D. HICKMAN.

"Welcome Stranger"
And you are welcome a hundred times.
Stranger, you put smile on our faces
and a little more of the milk of human
kindness in our hearts.
That's ..hat you did last night at Eng
lish's when we had our first chance here
to welcome you here. What more can
we ask of a play when the theater sends
us away happier, and l believe a little
better in this instance, than when We
entered and presented our pasteboards.
That's what Mr.. George Sidney and
Welcome Stranger" accomplished last
night before an audience which nearly
packed English's from the main floor
to the very roof Mr. Sidney had the
biggest opening night of the current sea-
son at this playhouse, 1 am informed.
Backed by over two years success in
Chicago, New York and g few other
cities, welcome Stranger" came to us
last night lot as an experiment When
patrons placed their money on the ledge
Of boxoffice at English's for "Welcome
Stranger" the patron knew that he
would receive full value for every cent
spent.
Let there be no misunderstanding Of the
theme of Welcome Stranger" 1t concerns
the struggle Of Jew who wanders into
Valley Falls, New England on New
Years eve 1920 The town is down" on
all members Of the Jewish race and will
not even let them stay in the hotel over
night One young Jewish travelling man
finds 1t more pleasant to leave He does
and as he departs into a regular New
England storm, George Sidney as Isl
dore Solomon, blows" into the lobby"
Of the Grand Hotel His features are
covered with a muller
The mayor of the town, the owner and
clerk Of the hotel, Glenn Beemis, who is
looked upon as a foolish electrical"
crank with queer ideas in his head, an
attorney and others welcomed" Solo,
mon.
When he removes his muffler and they
discover he is Jew, the atmosphere
changes in the lobby Of the hotel to
frigfd winter. Tucked away in the big,
human heart Of Isidore SOlom IN is a GER
tain lesson which enables him to with
stand his chilly reception. He sees moth
ing but a real greeting. They insult him
and refuse TO give him a room. He Is
content to sleep in a chair in the lobby.
The citizens decide that he must go, but
IsidOre stays. He makes friends with
. Glenn Beemis who dreams Of establishing
an electric plant near the falls Of Valley
Falls, but the town thinks he is an old
fool Solomon listens to Clem's dream
During this conversation the author has
created one Of the most human and sin
cere scenes of the entire show. Solomon
agrees to put up $50 to secure an option
on the land near the falls. That makes
Glen and Solomon partners.
The clerk starts to put Solomon out Of
the hotel Then charges him 50 for a
chair, but when the humaness Of Solo
mons makeup begins TO soak in, the clerk
hands back 81 and Apologies for COM
polling to deny him a room because he
would loose" his job as clerk. The clerk
informs Solomon that there IT. some
Christian Science literature in the rack
which he can read because IT IS free"
In the half lighted lobby, Solomon
reads the Christian Science literature.
Ont Of the storm comes another stranger.
Her name is Just Mary. Solomon well
comes her and tries to make her com
Portable and happy. He covers her with
his overcoat as she sleeps in the easiest
chair Solomon takes the hardest chairs
and tries to make : happy new year of
IL.
The second act gets underway with
Mary, the Girl/Out of the storm reading
4 science lesson to Solomon. Solomon Is
waiting to meet Essie, his daughter who
is a girl in her teens. YYOu get ac-