Evening star., 1935-09-22
Bv Kathleen Read CO0nfS

snow DOaU-IlAVe Dub W AUOh
around a bit in Maryland and Vir-
ginia waters to find one Of the most
historic and hourishing representa-
tives Of the floating theater era still
doing business at the old landings.
From June until November the
Original Floating Theater plies the
waters Of the Chesapeake Bay and
the rivers that flow into II, the Dis
NAL Swamp and Albemarle and Pam
lico Sounds, playing week stands at
landings which sometimes boast not
more than q dozen houses. For ~
years this show boat has fattened
without competition in a veritable
clover patch, for circuses. movie pic
ture houses and other entertainments
have failed to dim the glamour of the
show boat to its faithful audiences.
Quite by accident we stumbled upon
II as we were vagabonding along
Marylands Eastern Shore. There it
was, rocking lazily at anchor IN the
quaint little harbor Of st. Michaels.
Almost we had to rub our eyes to be-
lieve what We saw.
The familiar old show boat archi-
lecture bearing the huge letterings,
''The Original Floating Theater." We,
who had been raised" on show boats
down in the Mississippi River. along
with the rest of humanity. deemed
the floating theaters one of those en-
terprises vanished with covered wagons
and organ grinders. Yet there it was,
so drab in the daylight, so fairylike a.
night, and possessing mystery not
unlike the swan of the Lohengrin
legend.
The Original Floating Theater
merits that title in Eastern waters.
for it was the first show boat ever
to sail salt water. For % years chill
dren have raised ecstatic voices at the
sight Of the big boat following proudly
in the wake of the vigorous little tug
and later danced to the believing
canope. their dresses ballooning In
the breeze.
This show boat, formerly known as
the James Adams Floating Theater, de-
serves a personality sketch of its own.
Besides being the first show boat In
salt water, it is one of the boats from
which Edna Ferber drew her inspira-
ton for the novel that has broken all
book. stage and film records.
IN THE Spring of 1925 Miss Ferber
l. spent a week on this boat gather,
ing material for her novel. In writ
ing, afterward, of that visit the writer
said: For three days I tried to pin
Charles Hunter, juvenile lead and di-
rector of the James Adams Floating
Theater, to long talk. He knew
show boats from stem to stern, from
pilot house to cooks galley. But he
was busy with rehearsing, acting, di-
recting.
Finally one afternoon, just as I
had despaired Of cornering him, he
slumped his lean length into a rocker
up in the bright, cheerful bed room
off the balcony and began to talk.
He talked for hours. He talked until
evening came on and the nour for the
nights entertainment approached.
Tales of river. Stories of show boat
life. Characterizations. Romance.
Adventure. River history. Stage su-
perstition. From those readers who
do not like the Show Boat as it now
stands I crave another chance. For
it seems to me a fair-sized volume
could be made up entirely Of rich bits
told by Charles Hunter that never
got in that book at all.
Mr.. Hunter is still with the show
boat as troupe director and male lead,
and together with his wife, Beulah
Adams, leading lady, they lead the
life of Reilly show boating" Miss
Adams is the daughter of the builder
and first owner of the floating theater,
and has been called "the Mary Pick
ford of the Chesapeake" The show
boat has been her home and profess
sion almost since childhood.
When We found Mr.. Hunter he was
far too busy with preparations for the
evenings performance to drop into
the reminiscent mood which had so
inspired Miss Ferber. but later he had
some interesting things to tell us
about the original floating theater,
her history and achievements.
James Adams, who built the boat,
. was formerly a partner of Johnny
Jones, the king Of the carnival world.
Later he had a spectacular success
with tVo-car l0-cent vaudeville
show in the South. 1t was here that
he made. .his first acquaintance with the
show boat enterprise and was imme-
diately intrigued with it. That looks
like trouping as is trouping,' he told
his wife and the following year Q9l2)
saw the hulk of the present boat ris-
ing in a ship yard at Little Washing
ton, N. C.
Mr.. Adams himself drew the plans
and oversaw the building of the thea
ter superstructure. 1t is more sturdily
constructed than are the fresh-water
boats. The boat Is 130 feet long and
"a feet wide and seats 500 people. 1t
has its own hotel, electric light plant
and two tugs.
1t was launched in 1914 and has
been playing Virginia, Maryland and
North Carolina since that time. In
the % seasons it has been af1oat it has
covered over $1,000 miles, and In 1888
the boat was purchased from James
Adams by Mrs. Nina Howard of st.
Michaels and renamed the Original
Floating Theater.
THE company usually numbers 80
people, II on the stage, in the or
chestra and the rest crew. The cali
ope has long since given way to the
orchestra, now known as Bob Fisher
and His Fishermen. The type of
plays are not the East Lynne" or
LADY Audley's Secret" school nor the
sexy "Parlor, Bed Room and Bath"
type, but the wholesome type Of plays
such as we are featuring In this sea-
sons repertory-"I Want the Moor" /"
'Why wives Worry" "The Only
Road" etc.
I'VE open in Virginia, working up
the Rappahannock through July. then
in the Potomac during August, to the
head of the Bay, September and Oc-
tober, then towing South in time for
the peanut, tobacco and cotton crops