The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-09
BERNARD SZOLD SELECTED
 DIRECTLITTLE THEATRE

The most important step Tn BIT minsbams Little theatre movement has been taken--the selection of director. Of course, completed membership list Is a desirable thing. but, unless plays are properly put on, 2 capacity audience could not compensate, for the Little theatre stands for an ideal, and an inartistic performance Is death blow to ideal ism.
 The hour and the man have met i'll the person of Mir. Bernard Szold, Russian by birth, an American by adoption, an artist by nature and di- rector of Birmingham Little theatre by choice. 2
 MT. Szold Is young, good looking, as can be seen by his picture, tal- ented, artistic, energetic, painstak- ing and competent What more could be asked from any man in any capacity? He was first brought to the notice of the Birmingham Little Theatre group through the interest of MT. Hlnsdell, the man who has done such wonderful work in New Orleans. Down there, being differ ent, they call it Le Petite Theatre du Vieux Carre, but, no matter what 1t is called, Mir. Hinsdell's work has been so successful that the Little theatre now owns it's own playhouse, and he Is going out to Dallas to help them accomplish the same thing, for, of course, that breezy Texas city must not be outdone in any way
 But, to return to MT. Szold, for he is really the important person these day. Mir. Hinsdell said Mir. SZold was the man for Birmingham and was 80 convincing in his praise that the board felt it just must have MT. Szold to make the work a success, so Mrs. R. c. Woodson journeyed to Jackson vile. caught him almost In the ac; of signing a contract with that city, spoke so eloquently of Birmingham's advantages over Jacksonville that he dared not tempt fate by declining tho offer made, so signed up then and there to steer our dramatic craft. MT. Szold arrives on September 15, and expects to produces his first play In October, so all would be actors take notice for it is splendid opportunity to get some very valuable coaching.
 Mir. Szold's experience, theatrically. has been wide and varied. He was co-director with Mir. Hinsdell at EV- anston in coaching the Northwestern university campus players. Woman's plays, the latter semi professional company.
 Mir. sxoId's Training.
 After leaving Northwestern, he took a thrse years course at Car negie Tech where he distinguished himself in almost every branch of art taught there. Under MT. Thomas Wood Stevens, general director of the Carnegie Tech School of Drama and nationally known pageant mas ter he did notable work, taking lead ing roles in all the plays presented. He played Petruchio in Tanning Of the Shrew," Paola in Stephen Phil lips "Paola and Francesca" was in the original cast of Rita Coventry, by Hubert Osborne and Julian Street. Mir. Osborne, by the way, is Be- lasco protege. Mir. Szold played in several plays by B. Iden Payne. MT. Payne is well known in connection with the Ethel Barrymore produc- tions and wrote a most compliment tary note in regard to MT. Szold's ca. pabiiity. The Carnegie Tech Is wonderful place in which to learn the arts of the drama, for to learn these one must practice them in repertory theatre where they are practiced in the greatest diversity. When Galsworthy came there to see the presentation of lis "Silver Box in which Mir Szold appeared, he pro- nounced it the worlds foremost the atrical school, which, of course, Is praise worth having. While stu dent at Tech, MT. Szold did extensive outside work, coaching the Womens council of 4.000 members and the Twentieth Century club of Pittsburg. He has taught makeup and has studied and experimented with all the new methods of stage lighting and scenic effects, including the new unnbach color organ. He has also studied costume designing and is al- together a most versatile young man.
 Fearing the men may consider MT. Szold too high brow to be capable, t must be told that he is also an athletic star, for, while at North western, he won his four letters on the track team. When the Tech coaches discovered his track ability, he was placed on both the outdoor and indoor track teams. He was member of the winning American re- lay team at the inter-allied track meet, running a quarter-mile, and IS the holder of the Iowa state record for a quarter-mile, the Northwestern college record for the quarter-mile and the Indiana state collegiate rec ord for the same distance. In spite of these distinctions. Mir. Szold says: q am interested in the production of plays. and shall devote the greater part of my time to this end"
 Hope For National Theatre.
 The Little Theatre movement is gaining such momentum over the country that already the hope has been eApTeSSSu Dy AhduilSc ASiN " H. founder of the Chicago Art theatre more than ten years ago, that some day the theatre will be to our coun- try what the theatre of Pericles was to Athens, that of Shakespeare to Elizabethan, England, and Moliere's to Francs. Mir. Brown says: The greatest good that you Community Players and little theatre group can do for the American stage is to open your doors to the young and unpro- duced playwrights of this country. Give them a hearing. When they ar rive, our national theatre, the theatre we have been ocAIng for, is s--~ to come into being.
 This theatre will be an institution of art, literature and culture rather than a business for making money. That is why we slave for the theatre in the hope that it will develop worthy dramatists, directors ana players to realize our dreams-to tLe end that a theatre will arise In America fit to rank beside the thea tres of Athens. London and Paris Tn their heyday."
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 Local Organization.
 Working hard in Birmingham to.
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