The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-03
EVERYONE TO HAVE CHANCE T0 SHOW
 TALENT ON STAGE
Drama League Fosters Little Theatre Movement and Will Encourage
 Amateurs

l
 You may be old and the wrinkles
 deep in your face-something like
 "Methusell-um"- m"-and had lots of
 trouble and no insurance.
 But you wanted to be an actress,
 and you've never got over being
 mad at the world that fate didn't
 let you go on the stage. For you
 were sure you could have been 8 great star.
 Or maybe you're very ugly-and
 felt that stage directors simply were
 looking only for prett'- faces-while
 you knew that if you could get be- hind the footlights you could make
 people laugh and cry and make them
 better and kinder even if you
 couldn't act anything but the hash
 hustlers part.
 | Never Tried to Line Up l Therefore, you never tried to get i lined up with stock company or
 with Joe Jefferson. You've just tried
 to whistle and forget
 Or maybe you're young and sweet
 and beautiful; or handsome and re- l fined and full of artistic feelings
 but every time you've thought about l going or the gay white stage boards, your mother and father have simply
 thrown up both pinions; said they'd
 die of pure thunderstruck of
 shame If you did go; and you've
 folded up your mental yearnings and
 gone to leading the butterfly life they
 oravcd fer you or taken job as a bookkeeper in butcher shop. Drama League to Rescue
 Now, however, all Is changed. And its the Drama Leagues fault.
 The menb ership Is determined that all those Birmingham people who
 want to go on the sage shall have an
 opportunity. Therefore. the league is
 promoting a Little Theatre for the
 city: and In this little theatre, all
 local talent can have B chance to re. 1 gale itself-enjoy itself; have a mil 1 iion dray loads of fun; and prove | it's met1ie.
 The Little Theatre plan. as maybe some of us don't know, Is general 1 movement all over the country; and
 most cities are trying to get such
 rlay house.
 Tho reason for the existence of
 such project is that many of our | people are just IS able to put on
 good shows as strangers from the
 Rowery or elsewhere; and if we stage some shows ourselves the en- l trance prices won't be up wonder in
 the vicinity where the closest air
 plane wallcws in Immelman turns. Reasonable Rental l Again, If Birmingham can build or
 rent a Little Theatre, and local talent wants to put on a show--or a school improvement association does--or the | thousand and one other organiza- tions every live town can boast
 we'll. the rental will be within req son; and 1t won't take all the pro- ceeds to pay for electricity, rent and the privilege of your doing three or four months hard labor.
 So-now for the starter toward the Little Theatre. Here 1t isl Mrs. J. R. Hornady. all excited over the hap piness of being able to announce so delectable a thing-came up yester- day and told the newspaper bunch: The Drama League Players are to have their first Little Theatre
 play this week-Wednesday night. 8:15 o'clock, to be exact They will put this on at the Jefferson theatre. and please. we want everybody in
 town to come and buy as many tickets as they can so we can make a lot of money; and soon be able to get the enthusiasm and funds to make Little Theatre come true. And Loads or Fun "Itll be such fun for everybody when we acquire this laugh-g gallery; and anybody who feels the urge of talent is requested right now to ring up Mrs. R. c. Woodson, who is chair man of the amateur committee, and tell her just what he or she would love to do, and ask her please for chance. It's hoped that even children and fathers and mothers will get in on this invitation. The Little Theatre will furnish one of the most enjoy able centers of this town-and will be one of the most talked of things"
 The program at the Jefferson will be two one-act plays, and you want to see the show before you say it's an amateur affair. For 1t has some mighty fine talent. Witness the plays to be heard:
 The Maker of Dreams" by OIi- plant Downs, and "Trifles." by Susan Glaspell.
 In the former play. the cast is ,o be "Pierrot." Chappell Cory; "The Manufactures" Armstrong Cory; "Pierrette." Miss Olivia O'Neal. whom movies. and who is charming any little day.
 Cast For "Trfnes. In 'Trifles," see what other home folks are doing: MT. Peter. sheriff. W. Mex. Wright; Mrs. Peter. Mrs. Paul Hughes; county attorney. Will liam Brantley; Mir. Hale, Allen C. Loehr; Mrs. Hale. Miss Alice Harsh. These plays are being coached by Mrs. F. Walter Anderson, one of Bir- minghams most talented dramatic rt taders.' gossiped Mrs. Hornady. chairman for drama publicity She Is a professional coach in dramatic work. graduate of Columbia Con- servatory of Music and Dramatic Art. and the Chicago Conservatory os Music and Dramatic Art--this being connected with the Chicago uni- versity. She was also graduated from Donald Robertson's school of acting in Chicago She has been di- rector of the department of dra- matic art at Columbia conservatory for five years. and director of the Dramatic club at Aurora college. III. This shows what sort of work can be expected. since. in addition. Mrs. Anderson was for time with the signed contract with the Devereaux Players. who were then ready to go on tour playing Shak espeare. At this time in her career. however, Cupid became active, 70 that she cancelled her contract. was married and came to Birmingham to live-as well as. i, cidentaily. to help us get the Little Theatre. Donald Robertson. when in Birmingham, said of Mrs. Anderson: She has studied with me. and has high imagination. brilliant intellect. gives tirelesg effort to her work. possesses keen appreciation of art.