Evening star., 1934-05-07

Inc DeneI1U was one Oh LIlOSS OCCd-
sions when local talent is given an
opportunity to vie with BroadWay's
great. There were charming and
gilded daughters of Connecticut
avenue, having their fling in a Skit
written by Mr. Bangs; there were two
local orchestraS (Tommy fuckers be-
ing particularly excellent there was
part of a revue from a local night
club; there were singers, dancers and
talented youngsters initiating screen
and stage celebrities.
The list of those who gave up their
Sunday of rest to come from New York
and aid Mr.. Frohman was long and
distinguished. Otis Skinner was given
an ovation: so was Elsie Ferguson,
who we still think is the handsomest
lady in our theater; Florence Reed,
"yanked out of a rehearsal in Baltl-
more" made the best ladys speech OF
the evening; the youngest there, in
spirit, was Fanny Ward; Bill Robinson,
still the worlds greatest tap dancer,
was given the biggest hand for his
act; Gladys Cooper and Phillip Meri-
vale gave the most distinguished
Legitimate" stage offering-a scene
from "Cynara"-and Frances Starr
and Effie Shannon almost raised the
roof with their excellent scene from
The Merry Wives of Windsor"-all
of these being uShered into the lime
light by that veteran master of cere-
monies, Herbert Rawlinson.
With such a distinguished gathering
from Broadway, plus such popular
radio stars as Gypsy Nina, Tito
GuiZar, Tony Wons and his two ele-
CANT pianists, and Phil Cook, it is no
wonder that the other acts tried to
outdo themselves. Although some
times the music forgot to start, al
though some stars didn't appear and
others appeared for too long, on the
whole it was an able benefit and the
sort of thing which. since it is i'm
possible to rehearse much beforehand,
must necessarily be taken here and
there with a grain of salt.
Among the local contributors were
talended young Helen Charleston, with
the Club Michel revue; a Myer Davis
orchestra as we'll as the Tucker aggre-
CATION, with comely Emily Lane; Eve
1yn Tyner and Bert Bagranoff; Walter
Studdiford assisting Fanny Ward at
the piano, and a group of handsome
and excited daughters (and sonS) of
society who appeared in that Bangs
sketch, including Christine Ekengren
christmas, what hatD Ruth Tucker
man, Patience McCormick-Good
very much at her ease; Marjorie Tai
man, one of the more talented; Helen
Walker, Natalie Keeney, Floernce Har-
ris and Nina Partridge, plus Mannix
Walker and Isham Keith, jr.. both
of whom seemed to be quite pleased
at playing around with the group.
The National Players also did their
bit by reviving one of Mr.. Frohman's
brief but potent sketches.
j: X X X
D EMEMBER a play called How Do
~ You Like This Country?" which
was produced at Pierce Hall few
weeks ago? Well, it seems that some
thing is likely to come of it, not
only on account of its splendid local
reception, but because it is said that
a member of New York's Theater
Guild has become interested in it, as
also another major group. The play
will be repeated at Pierce Hall the
night of May IT. The author of the
play is Nathalie P. Scheffer, author
and scholar, whose new book, written
in Russian and yet to be translated,
Russian Women Through the Ages"
will soon be on the bookstalls. In
the meantime, Mrs. Scheffer has writ