The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-02

Because you haven't heard anything about the little theatre for the last few weeks you decided the movement was dead, didn't you?
 We'll, you decided wrong.
 The little theatre movement in Bir- mingham is going right along, even though much isn't being said about it.
 With the people that are behind it, 1t couldn't do anything else.
 They have learned the value of the old adage Make haste slowly"
 The road-breaking work of this group is going quietly on, but it's go- ing on.
 And first thing one knows, their ambitious plans will have worked out into a reality, and they will be start ing out with a cycle of plays that will arouse the intense and enthus- iasm of all Birmingham and Ala bama that will echo and re-echo throughout the nation.
 And when they once get started, who knows but what they will do as the Preside Players Miss Ethel Armes tells us about in an article in recent number of Theatre Mag azine, and attempt to start at the very fountain source of English drama, and travel in ways of the the atre down the ages, producing sig nfffcant examples of each succeeding type of play?
 As done by the Preside Players Of White Plains, N. Y Miss Armes tells us this worked out amazingly well. Their production this season of early miracle and morality lays and inter- ludes as the first step in the historic cycle, have aroused enthusiastic in terest throughout Westchester county.
 Mrs. Elizabeth Odlin Whittemore once said that there is much that ap- pealed to the fifteenth century audi ence that can also delight and amuse a present-day audience. Mrs. Whit temore Is one of the directors of the Preside Players. Mrs. Whittemore is 8 member of the College club and known to people in Birming ghafn. Audiences Not Changed.
 Commenting on The Second Shep- herds Play, Mrs Whittemore says; Take, for instance, its perfectly de- licious humor and the ciear-cut, quaintly drawn characters. Why, that play, with certain omissions, will please an audience to the end of time"
 Gerald E. seBoyar, a member of the Preside Players, actually made the Second Shepherds Play and direct ed it's production. Aren't there peo- pie in Birmingham who could do as much as, SeBoyar did? Under Se- Boyar's direction 1t did not lost, in production. an iota of It's rich human
 
 sense. The costumes, properties and staging were true to the period
 The Preside Players have followed the plan of giving three one-act plays at their several performances each season-a comedy, a tragedy and a fantasy. That means that. In addi- tion to the play continuing the his toric cycle. they give two other plays. Tn connection with the Second Shep- herds Play" they gave on the same evening The Medicine Show" by Stuart Walker, and Torches" bq Kenneth Raisbeck
 Torches" directed by Blanche H. Lamb, was beautiful. The setting was an evening on an upper terrace of a Florentine castle in the fifteenth century. Every color and detail was in perfect accord with the exquisitely picturesque and romantic quality of the play.
 The organization or the Preside Players Is essentially democratic, the subscription list being open to every one. Birmingham little theatre will also be democratic, for those behind it are attempting to make it of and for the people. It will be even more democratic than the Preside Players,