The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-25
JEAN ELIOT ON SOCIETY
Opening of Theater
PrOveS Gala
Event
By JEAN ELIOT.


THE opening of the reincar-
= mated National Theater last
evening was a gala event, with
a brilliant audience assembled to
view that engaging farce, 1.-THE
Nervous Wreck and to look over
this most up-to-date and delight
full playhouse.
The Secretary Of the Navy,
Edwin DENLY, was present, oc-
cupying a box with a guest or
two; and the minister of Ri
mania, Prince Antoine Bibesco,
entertained, q small party, having
among his guests Sir Roderick
and Lady Jones, who are visiting
him at the legation, and Hugh
Tenant, of the British embassy
staff. In another box party were
Miss Elizabeth Evans and her
fiance, Ralph A. Graves, with
Miss Elizabeth Jobe and Sidney
Dean.
Mr.. and Mrs. william Hartman
Rapley were hosts at dinner pre-
ceding the play, with an after
theater supper later, and in be-
tween they entertained their
guests in two boxes at the Ma
uonal. Their party included Mr..
and Mrs. Samuel J. Prescott, Mr..
and Mrs. G. r. c. SLnillie, Mr..
and Mrs. Byron u. Graham, Mr..
and Nine. C. Phillip Soyez, w.
Bachelor Rapley, Miss Lelita
Dawson, Gilbert Soyez and John
Homer Chase.
The theater is hung with damask
In pale cafe an lait tint, with
frescoes above the proscenium
and over the boxes. Hangings OF
deep blue velvet are used in the
boxes, repeating the color note OF
the rich velvet curtain. The fit
tings are handsome in the ex-
treme and every detail blends into
q becoming setting for men in
evening dress and women in gay
colored party froclks.
The foyer or lounge on the
second floor is an innovation which
Is sure to prove popular and there
many people gathered last evening
between the acts to smoke or chat
with friends in the audience.
Among those noted there were
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Normant, WHO
have but recently returned from
Europe and who seemed to be re-
ceiving q welcome home" greet
Ing from many of their friends;
Miss Flora Wilson, Mrs. Theodore
TilIer, Major Lacey Hall, Mr.. and
Mrs. Frederick William Vile, Miss
Mildred Brown, Miss Kathleen
Evans. Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Arm
strong, and Mr.. and Mrs. Carter
Field.
AN unheralded visitor to Wash
A ington- yet an exceedingly in
teresting one-is Nine. Garcia
Condo de Avila, who is president of
"Lumen Femina," an international
organ cation for the ADVANCEMENT
Of women. A Mexican by birth,
Nine. de Avila was educated in
France and during her residence
there and in the United States she
became a convert to feminism and
determined to work for the educa-
ton of women in Latin America.
where, until recently, the house
wifeIy arts had been developed at
the expense of the mind.
For more than three years,
Nine. de Avila has been working
In this part of the world--her
headquarters are in New York
and she is now developing many
activities among the women OF
Spanish America, and especially
the Latin-Americans resident in
the United States. Her latest
venture is perhaps the most in
teresting, for she is engaged in
working out plans for daily
newspaper to be printed in Span
ish and in English which viii be
published in New York and win
serve as a clearing house for
news of concern to the republics
OF America. The English edition
- to be called "Up to Date
with q Spanish equivalent. as the
title of the Spanish edition. The
first issue will go to press within
the next few weeks.
Nine. de Avila, who was a
guest at the weekly luncheon of
the National Women's Press Club
yesterday and told something Of
her work, is chairman of the
Women's Universal Alliance for
Mexico and chairman of the
foreign chapter Of the Red Cross
In New York.