Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-17
LEGION MINISTRIES.
CONTAIN SONG HITS
Of 4. {. F. SHOWS

In the long days Of waiting which
followed the signing OF the armistice.
before the American troops overseas
could be sent back to the United States,
various entertainment ventures and at
fractions were organised by the boys
themselves to tide over the lonesome
period until they should again see the
statue of the Goddess Of Liberty loom
through the mist and haze of New
York harbor as the transports swung
by Bedloe's Island to the debarkation
piers at Jersey City. Many Of the
divisions and units of Yankee troops in
France and Germany organized COM
plete musical shows. with the songs.
written by some member of the outfit,
also the story and action of the piece.
and the scenery and costumes were de-
signed by the men in the service. and
every detail of the staging and produce
ton handled by the soldiers.
These overseas productions were for
the most part of the musical comedy
type, with singing and dancing cho-
ruses, and were just the kind of enter
tainment which went big with the boys
In khaki. Several of the more preten-
tious Of these theatrical combinations
A. f. F. One of them. Lets Co.
members of the U. S. A. A. s. With
the French army, played a solid week
in the Champs Elysee Theatre In Paris.
a week in Tours, Brest, st. Nazaire.
Bordeaux, along the southern leave
area at Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo,
Mention. at AK les Bains in the French
Alps. at Strasbourg. in the occupied
cities on the Rhine. Brussels in Bel
GUM. and then across the channel to
London.
These A. z. r. theatricals deserve re-
cording and are worthy of a place in
the best traditions of the American
stage. The productions We're always
clever and entertaining, and were the
equal of shows of similar type played
in New York theatres. Indeed. in many
instances America stage stars who
were erstwhile wearers of the uniform
were members Of the cast. like Stuart
Fox of lightning" fame. But with
the westward movement of the troops,
homeward bound on the transports. and
the rehabilitation in American canton
ments. those who composed the various
theatrical troupes were dispersed to
all part of the country and within a
brief time to all parts OF the world.
So II Is that, with one or two excep-
lions. American audiences have never
had the opportunity to hear the music
of the A. E. F. shows or witness a
presentation.
Some of the music has been SAL
vaged and preserved by interested in
dividuals who were participants in
that great Expeditionary Force to
France. Now and then one of these
musical numbers comes to light, is
published or played by someone who
was connected with it's premier over
seas. and invariably scores a tremen-
dous and unqualified success. As the
first number of the opening chorus of
the fourth annual Legion Minstrels. to
he presented at City hall on the eve
ming of January 20, one of these A. Z.
+. chorus numbers Is used. Augusta
minstrel lovers will have an oppor-
tunity to hear the real snap and swing
of this number. which only the boys
who We're there can put into the rem
dition. and they will hear one of the
products Of those days of waiting
which were experienced by the troops
in Europe after that momentous 18th
of November.
The very first number of the Legion
Minstrels this season opens the show
with bang, and the great chorus Of
half hundred male voices will roll
the audience with all the lightning
the 1924 Offering onto the stage before
punch of light artillery and the sus-
tanned power of the "heavies" when
they sing LAS the Caissons Go Rolling
Along"