Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-17
Burbank, president Of the National
al

Burbank, president of the National
The central committee Of citizens
ls composed OF Mrs. Muliken. Mrs.
Hager, John M. Hager. Mrs. Susie
Root Rhodes. Miss Sybil Baker. Mrs.
Louise Ermine Titus, Mrs. Frank
Bunker, Capt. NJ. III. Parsons. Mrs.
Maude Howell Smith. Miss Elizabeth
Gardiner. Miss Alice Hutchins Drake.
Felix Mahony. Oliver Owen Kuhn.
Isaac Cans, Miss Evelyn Davis. Miss
Dorothy Collins. Miss May Schultz.
Mrs. w. s. Spencer, Lynn Drake, Miss
Majorie Webster and Miss Elizabeth
Shirley.
The children are being drilled in
the various community center halls,
under the general direction of Miss
| Sybil Baker. They are receiving spe-
cial training from the rhythmic dance
instructors OF the community centers.
Among the feature acts will be the
cherry petal ballet, In which 126 chill
1ren will take part. These are being
trained by Miss Evelyn Davis.
The tree ballet is being directed by
Miss Dorothy Collins. Miss May
Schultz IL training the children who
Will take part in the dance OF the
lanterns.
Miss Elizabeth Gardiner will take
the leading role In picturesque Jap
anese dance. Students OF Miss Mar
1orie Webster will present the bono
| bori dance, or the dance of death
| Music will be furnished by the Army
Band. under the direction of Capt
Stannard. Lieut.. Col. L. s. Grant, Sd
director Of public buildings and pub.
lie parks. Is cooperating TO the full
est extent In arranging for policing OF
the site.
Directors Of the Memorial Founda-
| ton Will act as chairman OF the vari.
Gus special committees.
The pantomime, Cherry Flowers >
is gay. colorful presentation of the
story OF Japan's gift of cherry trees
to the United States. Scenes in
Japanese cherry tree groves, the an
nouncement of the EmperOr's gift OF
friendship to America, the departure
from Japan of the living trees and
their subsequent reception here and
the admiration of the blossominG
trees by the nations people who visit
America are included in the series of
storytelling acts
One of the most elaborate scenes in
the pantomime is THE Great Fes-
tival." There are Orientally cos
tuned courtiers who walk between
living petals of the cherry blossoms
to inspect the standing cherry trees
In the background.
These are followed by a fantasia
cally CARRIED crowd of "commor
people" and performing acrobats and
grotesquely masked merrymakers.
The scene of revelry is quoted for
while and Japanese "geisha dance"
is staged In honor of the cherry
trees. This is followed with an
Oriental lantern dance by small bows
in gay costumes. When the fun and
revelry Is at its height the messenger
of the Emperor appears with the an
nouncement of the gift of trees to
America. The scene ends with the
Japanese crowd trundling off, cher.
ing and shouting, as they carry the
trees to the ships for the voyage to
America.
Another of the particularly attrac-
tive scenes is that in which America
is represented as sharing with the
nations of the world the beauty of
Japan's gift. A gay procession of the
children of the nations represented in
Washington In the various embassies
and legations, all in the costume of
the land whose own children they
impersonate, Is escorted to America g
cherry tree grove by a singing and
dancing cherry petal ballet for the
finale, when the entire assemblase
sings "Auld Lang Syne"