Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-06
Check the Babies at City Nursery
and Visit Our First Park Ihenter
BY WALTER d. HICKMAN.


nursery in the history Of the city and
then wander over to the city's own theater
in Brookside Park.
The tsby will have a fine time playing
or taking a few winks In one Of the par
lors of tn. park custodian's house at
Brookside while the proud mother and
father will have a chance to enjoy In
comfort a pleasing performance.
And il the patron of this Municipal
Theater has no children to "check" at
the nursery, he will not be bothered by
/ children In the audience as the park
i board has made arrangements to take
care of the little tots who are brought
to the park In the arms Of their mothers
or In go-carts.
The park commissioners today made ar
rangemoEts to have q competent nurse
or two In charge at nights when the In
dianapolis Municipal Players are giving
a performance at Brookside Park.
There were some babies in the opening
audience last night and 1t was decided
to have nursery opened in the home Of
the park custodian. In this way some
, unnecessary noise will be eliminated.
The frs city owned park theater came
! Into existence last night at Brookside
Park when the indianapolis Municipal
Players made their Initial appearance. 1t
vas regular "drst night" with its
| curtain talks and applause.
Fathers and mothers. with their sons
| and daughters. young men with their girl
friends. maidens with their chuus and
proud mothers with their tabies IN arms
attended the opening last night. There
was no admission fee, as these enter
/ tainments are ''free"-that Is the city
| through its regular channels Of taxa
/ ton paws the bills
The theater Is composed of two PARTS,
the stage proper, with its dressing rooms
Is a permanent structure, but the audi
torfum proper Is under canvas. The
seating capacity is about one thousand,
and there wasn't vacant seat last night
and several hundred people stood around
the sides Of the tent.
B00kWALTER MAKES
A CURTAIN TALK.
c. Carleton Guy. assistant recreational
director, and In charge of the company,
/ plans to present at least a ten-weeks
season Of stock. He plans TO present
plays which will appeal to the average
citizen. The opening bill 10 Booth Tar
Kingdoms The Man From Home which
William Hodge used TO SO much adj
! vantage on the stage some seasons ago.
Performances will be given each night
during the week with the exception Of
on Saturday and Sunday nights. At
the present time no matinees are planned.
1t - Eot the plan of the city admins
.ration to compete in anyway, it is said,
with the regular theaters Of the city.
Instead of giving pageants and concerts.
the park commissioners have decided to
try out dramatic performances.
Il want to congratulate the mayor In
presenting TO the citizens. of indianapolis
this kind OF entertainment" Charles
! Eookwalter. president of the board Of
park commissioners, stated after the first
act 1.-THE purpose Of this entertainment
| is TO give the people something for their
money. This entertainment appeals to
the adults. The park board has been
given a free hand by the mayor. We
are going to give you Fairgrounds for
your children and swimming pools for
your boys. The time will come when a
mother can with safety permit her chill
dren to go for a plunge and not be
afraid that a wagon will bring ler boy
home
Swimming pools and Fairgrounds
bring a return on your money, re-
turn in better citizenship. We want to
give you something for your money. II
this theater Is success and I see nc
reason why II will not be, we plan to
establish them in the various parks in
the city and change the performances
nightly by alternating the companies,
he said.
As soon as Mr. Bookwalter mentioned
swimming pools, the audience gave him
a mighty ovation.
Il last nights large and appreciatfve
and well hammered audience is any guide.
then the Municipal Theater Is a success
already, 1t appears to the writer.
This Is an experiment. II the tax
PAYERS want II and will patronize It,
| then the city owned theater Ia a. estab-
| lished institution in the community life
| Of the city Time will tell. The ques-
/ ton can not be answered on a single