Evening star., 1932-10-23
|DRAMA IN DISTRICT
HAS LONG HISTORY
Little Theater Movement Has
Been Marked by Interest.
ing Developments.
BY E. De S. MELCHER.


The history of the little theater
movement" in Washington begins many
years ego, and the fact that it has not
resulted ere now in the achievement OF
the goal of a permanent organization
and an established scene of dramatic
production is not the fault Of the scores
Of earnest men and women who have
labored in the field. The memory OF
man in Washington does not run to the
point when there were no amateur
dramatic" clubs and associations. One
Of them that became locally famous for
the development of several of its men,
bers as brilliant and successful perform
ers upon the professional stage was the
Lawrence Barrett Club, which fourished
about so years ago and prospered for
several seasons, with large personnel
and an eagerly apreciative public. Its
productions were given in various halls
and occasionally in the regular theaters,
as they chanced to be vacant at the
time Some of the more ambitious of its
members sought the establishment of
definite dramatic home for the display
OF local thespian talents, but their ef-
forts were not successful
Twenty years ago the Drama League
OF America was engaged in its FIRST
efforts to educate the public to higher
taste in dramatic offerings. through the
services of playgoing committees and
advisors. As an incidental phase of this
endeavor the league sponsored play
giving groups in numerous cities, and
in 1915 such a group was organized in
Washington. Its first production was
program Of four one-act plays. Then, as
later. the immediate and most difficult
problem was that of place. There was
no suitable available theater, large or
small. Resort had to be had to the
public schools. and the program was
presented in the auditorium of the Nc
Kinley High School. at Seventh street
and Rhode Island avenue. The patron
age sufficed to meet all costs and to pro-
vide fund that justified the undertak-
ing Of season" the Winter following.
Series Carried Through.
A group was organized, the public was
canvassed for subscriptions to the point
where sufficient guarantee was assured
to warrant the presentation Of eight pro-
grams, both full plays and combinations
of short plays. The Board of Education
granted the use of the Wilson Normal
School, at Eleventh and Girard streets,
where, despite irksome shortcomings OF
equipment, the series of productions was
carried through according to plan, with
a sufficient patronage, both subscription
and single entrance admissions, to meet
all costs and to yield satisfactory sur
plus, which was voted as the compensa-
ton of the director.
This success emboldened the men,
berS Of the Drama League group to ad-
vance to more ambitious undertakings,
and the next seasons experience dem
onstrated that haste was unwise. One
of the regular theaters was engaged
for the initial offering. ana owing to
combination Of adverse circumstances
the attendance was inadequate to meet
expenses. This encouragement coupled
with the fact that meanwhile the coun-
try was getting into the stream of war,
caused decision to be reached that the
time was not propitious for further ef-
forts at that time, and the project was
abandoned, to the great regret not only
of the participants who were giving gen.
erously of their time and labor, but of
large number Of the people of the
District who had been encouraged by
the first successful season to think
that little theater" had at last been
achieved for Washington.
The war had one effect that was help
full to this cause. It sent many men
and women to Washington from the
ranks of the theatrical profession to
work for the Government. The conse-
quence was that there was available
here a large supply of talent for both
acting and directing, previously lack
ing. Dramatic groups began to form
in the Government departments. in
neighborhoods. in churches: everywhere
in the District these small centers OF
"theater" came into being. One of the
most important, because the largest and
most persistent, was that Of the Arts
Club, which is still carrying on with
large measure of artistic success.
The Arts Club Players, with few
early exceptions. gave their perform
ances In the club house, using merely
a corner of the largest room, with
makeshifts of curtain and scenery. 1t
was, indeed. the deliberate purpose OF
the management" of this group to
build up a necessity for expansion by
effecting such successful appeals to the
artistic taste of members and their
guests as to crowd the premises and
thus compel the provision of veritable
play house within or adjacent to the
immediate premises Of the club. That,
after numerous experiments, has been
achieved through the acquisition of the
house next door to the historic home
of the club, where on tiny, yet sufh-
cient, stage, with all the essentials OF
production despite strict limitations Of
space many programs of high merit
have been given and still are being pre-
sented.
Rams Head Players.
While not the ideal Of those who
fer many years labored in this field OF
little theater" for Washington, the
Arts Clubs accomplishment has marked
a gratifying stage of accomplishment.
Meanwhile Robert Bell had organized
his Rams Head Players, giving meri-
torious and artistic performances In a
tiny play house devised out of por-
ton of the former family residence. 1t