Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-10-19
MAY Bring
IONA GALES
PLAY HERE
Last Years New York Success Writ
ten by Wisconsin Author to Tour
Wisconsin.

Negotiations are now in progress |
with Mrs. Roger J. Mott of the Fed
Grafton and Julius Winden, principal
Of the Wisconsin Rapids High School,
and it Is expected that. arrangements
will be concluded soon to bring MISS
LULU BETT to Wisconsin Rapids.
Miss Lulu Bett, iona Gales great
est play, will be given for the first
time in this state as strictly Wiscon-
sin presentation when the Wisconsin
Players of Milwaukee begin state
wide tour with the production in No
vember.
When IONA Gale won the Pulitzer
prize of $1,000 given annually by CO.
lumbia University to the author Of
the play, produced in New York City
which shall best represent the value
and power of the stage in elevating
the standard Of good morals, good
taste, and good manners Wisconsin
found that Portage was the home Of
one of the :country's foremost play
wrights. An all-Wisconsin produc-
ton by Wisconsin talent under Wis
consin direction is the result of thou
sands of requests that have come to
Miss Gale from all over the state for
''home" presentation of her famous
play.
It is believed significant of Wis
| consin's progress in the Art Theater
| movement that Miss Gale decided to
| present her play here and chose as her
producing - company the Wisconsin
Players, which in eleven years of ex-
| istence has established itself among
| the foremost theatef groups in the
| country. -
Miss Gale received her first play
writing experience as member of
| the playwriting group of the Wiscon
sin Players, Her best known one-act
play, "Neighbors, twas produced dur
| ing that period, and was published in
the first volume of wisconsin Play
ers Plays
! Lulu Bett is the drudge of a SNUG
| family in a small towns Life is just
| matter of, the daily household rou-
tine until Ninian Deacon appears. At
tracted. to her Immediately and NOV
| ed by pity for her, drab existence he
| narries her and takes her to south
| ern city. The change wrought in the
| little drudge through this sudden hap
piness and her reaction to the subse-
quent revelation that her husband has
been previously married, are develop
ed in the play.
A feature of the Wisconsin produc-
ton will be an entirely new ending
which iona Gale has written especial
| ly for the Players. The third act has
been the bone of contention in all
criticisms Of the play and has already
had one rewriting. 1t is said that
this third version is by far the most
interesting and, inspired of the three.
Direction of the play has been in
the hands Of Laura Sherry, founder
of the Players, whose birthplace is
Prairie du Chen. Miss Gale spent
several days in Milwaukee @supervis,
ing final rehearsals. Her approval
Of the manner in which the production
is being handled by the Players in
spired her to- the following formal
statement: :. after attending re-
hearsal of the Wisconsin Players pro-
duetion of Miss Lulu -Bett,' | feel
that it more than gratifies my wish
as to the way in which l would wish
my play presented"
The cast . includes the foremost
dramatic talent of the state Settings
were designed by Editor Hackett, a
young Milwaukee artist, for several
years prominent member of the
| Wisconsin Players. Miss Emily Hale,
head of the dramatic department Of
Milwaukee Downer College will play
the title role. Complete scenic equip
ment will be carried with the Players
on the state tour.
The Milwaukee performances will
be given at the Pabst Theater on Fri
day and Saturday, the 10th and 18th
Of November, after which the produc-
ton will be set out on it's unique tour
through the state. 1t is planned to
play every town that boasts theater
or an auditorium. These performan-
ces will be under the auspices in al
most every instance of school or
college or civic organization in the