The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-02
LITTLE THEATRE MOVEMENT
 GATHERS MOMENTUM DAILY

| for to qualify for that organization one must do some specific work In producing. Again, the Preside Play CTS has paid it's own way right from the beginning.
 New England Tn Lead.
 New England is taking a leading part in the little theatre movement. The Outdoor Players of Peterborough, N H., and the Preside Players of White Plains, N. Y, are names al ready standing at the forefront in the community theatre movement. Marie Ware Laughton, director of the Out door Players, and producing director of the Theatre Guild of Boston is leading New England on to victory in the little theatre work.
 Who says that there is not a Marie Ware Laughton right here In Btr- mingham that will lead our com munity theatre on to victory, too?-
 The little theatre Is small only in name, for the movement is growing rapidly in size and momentum. Las week in Peterborough, that New Eng land village of artistic ideals, there was a dramatic conference and the little theatre had most important place in the discussions. Walter Pritchard Eaton, well-f1nown dra- matic critic, declared that definite contributions to dramatic art have already been made by the little the atre movement in the United States. and in the end will be found that it is giving a real theatre to all Amer jet ell further said that the amateur Renaissance, now sweeping the coun- try was not a fad, giNng the dflle- tante a chance to dabble in the arts, but should be regarded as a real art awakening.
 Opinions like this are most gratify- ing to the launchers of the movement fr, fr.vI7i ir1 hon n outcome and generous public response was never doubted, still the Magic City Is bit young, and not always quite steady enough on her feet to gaze long at the stars.
 These are busy days at the Mar garet Allen school, where the audi torium is being remodeled into an ar tistic little theatre playhouse. Vision obscuring posts are being removed comfortable chairs are being in stalled, lighting system improved, and when the curtain goes up in October there will be harmonious surround lngs in which to enjoy an artistic performance. The committee on play selection, of which Mrs. Loehr is chairman, Is reading away, fully realizing, the importance and dread ful responsibili of that first play.
 The membership list is rapidly fill ing and is not elastic, so those who want to become members had better join at once.
 The patrons of the little theatre are as follows: MT. and Mrs. H. U. Sims, MT. and Mrs. L. T. Beecher, MT. and Mrs. Roy Octavus Cohen. MT, and Mrs. E. NJ Tutwiier. MT. and Mrs. Robert Jemison, Jr., MT. and Mrs. Priestly Toulmin. Mir and Mrs. H. c. Ryding, Mr. and Mrs Louis, Saks, MT. and Mrs. Oscar Wells. MT. and Mrs. Arthur Adams, MT. and Mrs. Murray Brown Mir and Mrs, James Bowron, MT. and Mrs. l. Crum Beatty. MT and Mrs. Webb Crawford, MT. and Mrs. Frank Crockard, Mir. and Mrs. J. w. Don nelly, MT. and Mrs. Charles DeBarde- leben, MT. and Mrs. Sam Earle, MT and Mrs. J. D. Kirkpatrick, Mir. and Mrs. Crawford Johnston, Jr., MT. and Mrs. Robert Meyer MT. and Mrs. R. W. Massey. MT. and Mrs. Carr Me Cormack, MT and Mrs. Bryant McCor- mack, Mir. and Mrs. John Kaul, MT. and Mrs. Frank Nelson, MT. and Mrs. J. W. Oden, Mir. and Mrs. w. J. Prow- ell MT. and Mrs. Leo K. Steiner, MT. and Mrs. Hill Ferguson, Mir. and Mrs. Victor Hanson, MT. and Mrs. S. J. Bowie, Judge and Mrs. B. M Allen, Miss Kate Earle, Mrs. Alex London, MT. Phares Coleman and Mrs. R. H. Pearson.