Evening star., 1933-04-09
<THE National Players will

<THE National Players will
- open their season Mon
day, April "a" Manager
S. E. Cochran sat back
In his swivel chair, one floor up,
National Theater Building, and
announced the news with that
genteel elegance which has
placed him in the front of polite
and popular stock impresarios.
The news came, frankly, as
surprise. Not the fact that the
National Players would be back
here for another one of their sea-
sons, but that they would open so
soon. II Just had word from New
York" said Mr. Cochran, freshly
tanned from an open-air motor
tour through Lake Hopatcong
country, that the Peggy Wood
Ernest Tuck play, Best Seller
will be the final Broadway pro-
duction sent here this season. So,
I am bringing my stock company
back, the same company, except
for Romaine Calender, that I
had last year"
Mr.. Cochran then added: "And,
of course, Clifford Brooke will di-
rect the players"
There Is kind of calm-before-
storm period at this season of the
year, when Mr.. Cochran announces
the opening day of his stock per-
formances. Then, suddenly, mes
Sengers fly in and out intent on
letting members of the company
know that they must be heading
this way shortly. kilograms go
here and letters there-Mr. Sher-
man must be lured from st.
Louis, Mr.. Woods from somewhere,
Miss MunSon must start shopping
in New York, Miss Powers must
give up her current engagement.
This year the storm is more pro-
nounced than the calm, since Mr..
Cochran has to prepare for every
thing in two weeks-and, too, he
must prepare for that yearly
speech of welcome which he
makes at the luncheon some
times rendered the players on
their arrival in this city.
ALTHOUGH Mr.. Cochran was in
something of a white heat
when he announced this news, he
is actually more secure in his po-
sition this year than ever before
and this because he has a COM
pany which is tried and true and
which was one of the blue-banner
stock troupes in evidence last sea-
son along the East Coast. Rea-
sons for this are many and OBJ
vious. But lest you forget the
names of these good people, and
what some of their characteris-
tics are, we present a short
table" of those who will be with
LEoNA POWERS, leading
lady"-A small, titian-haired lady,
who has often been called sec
ond Mrs. Fiske" She can be gay,
whimsical and sad all in one
breath. She can be a "Smilin'
Through" Moonyeen one minute
and Tanning of the Shrew"
Catherine the next. She is, in
other words, the ideal leading
lady.
man"-lall, udIk CIiili anu iidiiu-
some. On Broadway this season
there was a full-length picture
of him outside the theater he was
playing in, showing him making
violent love to a lady. He is good
at this. He is also good at wear
ing a white collar and being nice
and gentle in such worthwhile
plays as Michael and Mary" IN
which he scored personal hit
last season.
ONA MUNSON, "ingenue"-One-
time musical comedy favorite.
Now a pink land white lady OF
distinction who is pleasant in any
kind Of play. Her wardrobe
will be studied eagerly by lady
patrons. Her smile is her for
tune.
FREDDIE SHERMAN, Juvenile
Freddie is the perennial juvenile
whose successes know no limit
Recently, in st. Louis, Florence
Reed called him a genius" He