Putnam patriot., 1927-02-11
CAPACITY HOUSE ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVES COM MUNITY MINISTRIES AT BRADLEY THEATRE
 MONDAY YNICHT.-PERFoRMANCE OF MERIT
Ladies' Chorus Ladies' Tro Dress Circle Knights
 In Grand Ensemble.

The one night performance of the Community Minstrels under the aus pices Of Elizabeth Porter Putnam Chapter, D. A. R.. and the Parent Teacher Association was given to a capacity house at the Bradley theatre. Monday evening. Many people were unable to get tickets as the house was sold out far m advance. The finan- eial success of the enterprise was thus assured long before the evening of the show It remained for the offer ing Monday night to prove 1t was worthy of the capacity audience.
 The Community Minstrel Show was a credit Co its sponsors, to those who managed it. Co the director of the cast, to the musical director. to those talk ing part, and to the city. It evidenc- ed that in Putnam is sufficient talent to stage production of real merit. Ii evidenced that Putnam has good singers. good musicians, good dancers and good comedians, not forgetting that. without going far. 1t can round up any number of attractive young ladies. While not everyone fayors the departure from the old time min strei aggregation with its all male cast no one who saw Monday nights show will deny that the ladies' chorus was an asset to a well arranged ensemble.
 New to old Timers
 Not only was this departure from the old time company pleasing to the audience but another feature, new to many old timers who have seen min strels perform for the past quarter of century. WIS introduced by the Community Minstrels Mosl of the older members of the theatre going public, enjoying fifst class miistrelsy are familiar with the Grand Ensemble tgentlemen be seatedl, first part. the suzcalled .Olio,n inroduetaE spe iai- ties. and the Grand Finale usually a eolored skit. This was ak eat from Monday evenings production and the innovation of having the grand en- semble remain upon the stage throughout the performance met with approval. The speciality numbers were produced Ut the eige of the footlights with the whole company adding back. ground for the performers
 It may be that the attractiveness of that background was factor in the success of the innovation. Certainly the setting was one to appeal Co the eye. It was one of the prettiest and was the most unique ever offered for the approval of a Putnam audience under the guise of minstrelsy. Il made such an impression that 1t at once had the house in q pleasant frame of mind. The audience was im- mediately in a receptive mood for what was Co follow as the show un- folded
 The Palm Room
 It Is rather difficult to describe the first impression as the curtain went up or to draw a sufficient word picture to properly impress those who did not see the excellence of the reality A the curtain rose the circle of black faces !n front. offset by the nattlly attired interlocutor in the center, was tha only evidence ot Che 0id-time black faced minstrel aggregation of former days. Directly behind the row Of nRtrel men. and never failing com plemeat of end men. WIS a raised platform This was prettily decornt- ed with cut flowers and pnlms and set with wicker chairs and table The glow from prettiiv shaded. high standing electric lamps cave a anft light tone behind the glare Of the foot lights. it was in this uitra-fash. ionable palm room that the ladies beauty fbeauty not. however, being used in the programl chorus sat, giv- ing q cabaret effect. Rlack-suited walters passed from table Co table serving refreshing drinks. For the wall of what appeared out front, to be a prettily arranged room a cur tain decorated with large red roses was used The ladies wore evening gowns. some wearing hats. and from time to time the ladies would move nonchalantly about from table to table, as suited their fancy, thus dis pelling the appearance of the usual fixed scene with ito stagy stiffness. The setting was really most pleasing and artistic idea well carried out.
 Starts al s.ie
 Another commendable feature of the production was that t got under way on time. The orchestra was in the middle of the overture af SIS. the time the show was advertised tO start. A s.19 by the theatre clock the cur tain was rolling upward and the open ""I A