davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1935-02-06
BEETHOVEN QUARTETS.

Thre important quartets by Ludwig
van Beethoven will be presented by
the Pro Arte String Quartet of Brussels
during their concerts in the auditorium
of the Library of Congress Friday and
Saturday. Through the courtesy of
Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. the con-
cert will be broadcast on these dates
over the Nationwide WABC- Columbia
network from AIS to pm.
The concert on Friday afternoon will
feature the Quartet in F Major, No.
l." from "Opus So" The Saturday
afternoon concert will feature the
famous &C Major Quartet, No. 8,
Opus &c." and during the broadcast
period two movements of the "E
Flat Major Quartet, Opus a." Thus
the Friday afternoon concert offers
the first of the famous "Rasoumowsky"
quartets.
The three quartets forming "Opus
SO" were commissioned from Beethoven
by Count Rasoumowsky, Russian Am
bassador to Austria. The counts half
Cassock father came, like Beethoven,
from the people, and after his marriage
to Princess Lichnowsky's elder sister
he made his palace in Vienna center
of musical life.
On Saturday afternoon the Pro
Arte group will play Beethoven's So
called Harp Quartet, No. l." of Opus
IA" The name Harp" is derived
from the arpeggios which sweep up
ward in the cello part and are also
heard at the beginning of the coda.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
Where and When|
lCurrent Theater Attractions
and Time Of Showing.

NationalL"Dodsworth." at 2:30 and
$50 pm.
EarIe-"The Right to Live" at IL
am, 1:40. 4:30, tbs and 10 pm.
Stage shows at 12:45, 1885, 6:25 and
9:05 pm.
Loew's Fox-"Wings in the Dark, n
at HOS am, AS. 4:30, tbs and 9:55
pm. Stage shows at 1850, 3:35, $40
and 9 pm.
R-K-O Keith'-"Grand Old Girl, u
at 1904, 2:O4, 4:04, 6:04, 8:04 and
10:04 pm.
Columbia-"Enter Madame" at
11:15 am, 1:20. 3:25, 5:35, TAO and
9:25 pm.
Metropolitan-"The White Cocka-
too" at 11:45 am, LAS, 3:45, 7:4O
and $40 pm.
Palace-"Lives of Bengal Lancer,
at. IL, 2:25, 4:50, 7:15 and 9:35 pm
Tivoli-"Brodway Bill" at 2, 1855,
$50, 7:50 and 9:45 pm.
Ambassador-"The Little Minister "
at $50, 7:30 and $3.50 pm.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
PLAY CONTEST.

The Drama Guild of Washington
announces play-wrlting contest
which is open to any one living in the
metropolitan district of Washington
Manuscripts of either one-act or
three-act plays will be accepted, but
the one-act plays must be not less
than 20 minutes nor more than 40
minutes in length. Other stipulations
are that all plays submitted must be
original plays not previously pub
lished or produced, and that the
prize winning plays are to become the
property of the Drama Guild for pro-
duction by it.
There will be two prizes offered. If,
in the opinion Of the. judges, no three
act play seems to merit a prize, the
prize money will be given to the three
best one-act plays submitted.
The plays will be judged on the
basis of their artistic merit and their
suitability for stage production. Man.
uscripts should be typed, and headed
by the name of the play. but minus
the name of the author However,
each manuscript should be accom-
panied by a sealed envelope with the
name of the play on the outside. and
inside the name and address Of the
author as well as the name of the
play.
All manuscripts must be in the
hands of Miss Elizabeth Sypher, 2310
Connecticut avenue, by March Is.
The judges for the contest will be
announced in the near future.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
CIVIC OPERA COMPANY
PRESENTS "RIGOLETTC"
Second Production of Weeks
Schedule Sung Last Evening
at Auditorium.

Substituting a tenor in the last
minute for the role of the Duke, "Rigo-
letto," by Verdi, the second in weeks
series Of operas by the Civic Grand
Opera Co., at the Auditorium, got of
to late start but a pleasing perform
ance last evening.
The opening scene in the first act,
the palace of the Duke. was colorful
and the chorus and dancers presented
a balanced scene. though per-
haps the authenticity Of the backless
evening dresses worn by the women
in the minuet might be questioned.
Rigoletto was sung by Giro De Ritis
and he showed sense of good theater
as well as being adequate in voice for
the role He was particularly good in
the third act. Giuseppe Barsotti,
tenor, singing the role of the Duke
and substituting for Luigi Ruffino, who
is i'll. arrived from New York ct pm.
to sing the role last evening. Signor
Barsotti's voice was of pleasing quality
and his singing of Woman Is Fickle"
called for an encore.
Marie Serena. who sang the role
OF GllQa, was yOutIllul anu Dedutllul
Her voice was clear and of pleasing
quality, but too light to meet all the
requirements of this role. Her Caro-
nome" did not measure up to expecta-
tions, but last nights performance
was practically her debut in this coun-
try and accounted for slight ner-
vousness in the aria which did not
chou in other naSSapeS
The supporting cast wes adequate,
and particularly good was the male
chorus and Bernice Schalker, who
sang the role of Maddalena.
Rolfe Gerard, who sang the role of
Alfredo in La Traviata" last week,
will substitute for Luigi Ruffino in
the role of Don Jose in Carmen" this
evening.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
THREE PLAYS
PRODUCED IN
TOURNAMENT
Dramatic Groups Taking
Part in Community
Center Contest.

The annual one-act play tourna-
ment conducted by the Community
Center Department got off to a good
start last night when three rival
groups presented their offerings at the
Roosevelt High School Auditorium.
The first play, Crime Conscious"
by Sydney Giffen, was presented by
the Macfarland Young Mems Club,
with Isham Keith. jr., and j. Philip
McBriarty as directors. 1t concerned
q writer of detective stories, one S. M.
Van Zorn, and his ex-employe. who
comes to murder him in the best of
approved manners, using the syste.'
set forth in Van Zorn's latest perfect
crime" story. James T. Caruth played
the part of the frightened detective
trying to stall off the would-be MUIR
derer until help could arrive. Will
liam Dekelbaum did an excellent job
with the criminal role. John Hale also
did we'll with the part of the country
sheriff. Others in the cast were
Chauncey Davis and Howard Lewis.
The Southeast Community Players,
under the direction of S. Elizabeth
Beatty, presented "Modesty," play
Oy 11ClNlCO. PldJ bS4Ao VA
the difficulty a modern miss has in
deciding what type of man she wants
for a husband. Elsie Duvall was
Henriette. the uncertain maid. Her
vanity got the upper hand and she
chose Jaques (Harrison EwilD, the
flatterer. Gus Bellezza played the
part of the other man, Albert, with no
small degree of success.
The third play of the evening was
"What They Think. by Rachel
Crothers. This play, presented by
the Troupers of East Washington
Community Center and directed by
Arthur Rhodes, concerned the trials
and tribulations of a mother and
father who are worried about the be-
havior of their son and daughter.
Arthur Rhodes as the father was per-
haps the outstanding performer in
this playlet, although the others up
held their roles. The long-suffering
wife marguerite Bone) tried her best
to defend her children, but had little
success against his masterful self
assurance.
Other plays in the tournament will
be presented Thursday of this week
and Tuesday and Thursday Of next
week, with the finals taking place the
following Saturday. G. E. H.
Evening star., 1935-02-06


In some respects, Miss Pons was In
better voice than last year and much
of her singing was accomplished with
out the undue effort which she ordi-
narily employs. Although this adds
to the pleasure her singing gives, her
tendency to wander off pitch was
more general throughout the pro-
gram and especially in sustained pas
sages. This defect marred the pro-
duction of her celebrated predecessor,
alli-Curci, and seems now to affect
Miss Pons to a considerable degree.
1t is a curious fact that singers gifted
with unusual range and natural pure
coloratura often permit their voice
placement to oe deranged in lyric
singing and thereby limit the public's
enjoyment to their astonishing skill IN
floritura work.
In bravura singing, however, there
is no singer before the public today
who equals Miss Pons. Her vocal
tone is strong and pure and she man
ages the different passages with clar-
ity and limpidity. Each tone receives
its proper value, flowing as purely
from her throat as the singing OF
bird. Her artistic feeling guides her
correctly to a refined musical inter-
probation without more spectacular
effect than the natural one depend
ant upon her particular type of sing
ing. Numbers such as Bishops "Lo,
Hear the Gentle Lark" sung with
flute obbligato by Luigi Alberghini; the
Caro- Nome" aria from "Rigoletto,"
ar1 the Una voce POGO ia" from Ros-
sinis' THE Barber of Seville" are
best representative of her style and
the range and quality of her voice.
In compositions more lyric in char
acter Miss Pons makes up for her un-
even voice placement by warmth OF
feeling that discovers the sentiment OF
the songs and reproduces it with all
the skill at her command. In spite OF
f1atness of pitch she was able to con-
vey the musical nature of the Chan
son de Fortunio,' by Messenger; the
aria "Pourquoi," from "Lakme,' and
the classic "Se tn mani" of Pergolesi.
AS usual, many encores were demand
ed, and these Miss Pons obligingly
gave.
The assisting artist was the French
cellist, Marcel Hubert. who was heard
in two groups of numbers which. al
though not specially we'll suited to so
large a hall, disclosed his very evident
gifts. He possesses warm tone and
Evening star., 1935-02-06
PRESENTING COMEDY.

c. B. Fernald's comedy, "The Mask
and the Face" will be presented for
the first time in Washington when
the Columbia Players produce the play
at Pierce Hall, Fifteenth and Har-
ward streets northwest, this evening.
The play has a strong local cast
headed by Bess Wilkerson and Arthur
Westover and is directed by Eileen
Fowler. It will be repeated tomorrow
night Tickets are for sale at T. Ar
thur Smiths Concert Bureau, 1880 G
street.
Evening star., 1935-02-06


Then suddenly-wham-she began
TO mosey around a back parior OF
drug store where the proprietor gave
students fire water and dice, and in
her zeal to correct such an evil state
of things she moseyed too much. got
herself in Dutch with the richest man
in town and was thrown out OF the
school on her ear.
Grand Old Girl" the title of this
new R-K-O Keith'S film, is dedicated
to the fighting spirit of the "unSung"
heroes of this World-teachers-and
to their little-known battles with
mankind.
More than that, however, it gives
May Robson an excellent part, even if
at the end the producers have over
stepped the mark by bringing in the
President as Miss RobSon's best friend.
The tears that audiences have shed
up until this moment at poor Mays
plight become then mixed little too
thickly with theatric sentiment-and
as the President stands on the bal
cony beside his old teacher surveying
that mob, and starting his words with
My friends" you wonder if mention
of the White House is as wise as the
producers evidently thought it would
be.
For without that, Grand Old Girl'
is touching and often amusing char
acter study of fine old woman, and
one which school teachers will not
want to miss.
Miss Robson plays her role with
her customary spirit and with pos
sibly a touch more of the late Marie
Dressler about her than usual. AS
she prowls around the streets in that
stiff, black bonnet, swinging her UNI
brella and looking as stern as a
March hare, she is in reality hiding a
heart of gold-something which her
school children appreciate only when
they come in direct contact with her.
This grand old lady's splendid abil-
ity. Mary Carlisle's portrait of a
nasty young girl and Alan Hales
this better -than-average photoplay,
even with that extra pound of patriot
ism and sentiment thrown in. Fred
MacMurray, who, since this film, has
made a hit in "The Gilded Lady,"
plays small role satisfactorily.
x X X
THE other side of the story regard
ing Enchanted April: I wish
had listened to the note of warning in
your criticism of this tiresome picture.
and hadn't wasted two hours seeing
the most stupid, inane picture I have
seen in a long time. The bathtub
man with his silly ideas of being funny
was a perfect bore. like Ann Hard
ing but she had better not give us any
more Enchanted Aprils.' Yours in
agreement Mrs Maud B. De Forest"
The chances for more Enchanted
Aprils" are slim. Miss Harding is in
China.
MRS. DE FOREST would also like
49, to see ZOO in Budapest" C"Could
you do anything about having it shown
locally again?D We could-and we
will-but the local theater managers
are up to their neck in new pictures.
so the results are doubtful-very
doubtful.
GARTER BARRON was in strange
~ mood yesterday. Caught at his
desk shortly after his monday meal,
the genial giant of the local Loew
Evening star., 1935-02-06

III SuACdGl OllC ldWO Va 4lOAASooJ,
numerous children"
corporation was heard to mutter
strange and sundry things about
deer" and real deer meeting pic
ture deer" 1t all sounded little
cockeyed. Even fiery-eyed Irene
Weber at her daSk across the room
looked little bewildered over it all.
When pinned down for a definite
statement, Mr. Barron admitted that
he wasn't really crazy and that real
deer" were on their way to meeting
picture deer"
He spelled the animals name care
fully so that we wouldn't confuse the
animal with something else.
Yes" said Mr.. Barron, ''it's all
quite true. To-day We are showing
some pictures of a deer out at the
zoo and inviting some scientists and
Baltimore critics to see what sort of
a reaction a real deer has to his
celluloid counterpart. Want to go
out?'
We think that we do. The screen
deer is the one that you will see in
"Sequoia," when it comes to town.
tAlC olIASA NCtio yOu i4oFC oAteA oeSA
on those Sunday afternoon peanut
throwing fiestas at the ZOO.
Wonder what deer thinks about
anyway? If you see him this after
noon you may have a clue to what
sort of a reaction Greta Garbo has
when she sees herself on the screen.
THE D'Oyly Carte Opera Co. will be
honored at luncheon to be given
by the English Speaking Union at the
Willard Hotel on Tuesday. Febru-
ary 10.
TOMORROW the first flying the
= ater" will take to the air. At
5:35 pm. after it has been chris
tened by Mrs. William Frank Allen.
daughter of Senator King of Utah.
the plane will depart for Pittsburgh.
| Pa, and en- route will screen Devil
| Dogs of the Air" for its distinguished
| guests. Among those making the
flight will be Gen. Douglas c. Nc
| Dougal assistant commandant of the
United States Marine Corps: Sem
ator Joseph F. Guffey of Pennsyl-
vanld. Gene Vidal, director of cir
commerce. and Stephen A. Cisler,
| general superintendent of the mails
X X
! FILMS to be shown here week after
next at Loew houses will include
"Sequoia," at the Fox; "Clive of
India" at the Palace. and Douglas
Fairbanks in The Private Life of
Don Juan" at the Columbia.
TONIGHT: The Columbia Players
will present THE Mask and the
Face" at Pierce Hall. Talented
Eileen Fowler. who usually appears
herself on the stage as a dark-eyed
temptress, will direct.
THE George Washington Trouba-
dours are at it again. This sea-
son the name of their show will be
Bride of the Incas," and it will be
| presented March %. 90 and 80 at the
Roosevelt Auditorium. Samuel B.
Detwiler jr.: w. Cyril Flannery and
George w. Irving, jr., wrote the show
as we'll as being president. technical
adviser and production director, re-
spectively of the Troubadours. Ru-
dolph Moeller composed the music,
which, We are told, ranges from the
tender tunes of sweet youthful love to
the wall of the torch bearer" Zowee!
Evening star., 1935-02-06
Story of School Teacher
Is Vehicle for May Robson
Star of Grand Old Girl, at Keith $, Plays Her
Role With Touch of the Late Marie
Dressler-Tears in Audience.
BY E. de S. MELCHER.

LID GUNPOWDER" BAYLES was the Avondale School
81 mam-tough the outside, soft the inside and
proud punch because she had taught the presdent
~ of these States how to overcome tmldlty In
her SO years on learning she weedled her
children from youth maturity taking foot ball players over
geometrical jumps ncucatng the laws of honesty
Evening star., 1935-02-06
MUSICAL PROGRAM.

Helen Vashe of the AmericaniZation
School is in charge of the musical
program to be given at the Y w. C.
A.. 614 E street, today at o'clock.
Those taking part are the Bavarian
Players, Anneliese Ruehl, Johanna
Koenig, Karl Schmuhl and Franz
Krenkel; Mr.. Feremza and Sola Hol-
men. The program has been arranged
by Helen Hunter, and Mrs. Thomas
Edwin Brown, chairman Of the Y. w.
c. A., will be hostess.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
RADIO RECITAL.

The Felicia Rybier Club is present.
ing a program during the Federation
of Music Clubs hour over WRC to-
morrow at II am. Felicia Rybier and
Cecile Adams Brown will play the
Caprice -Viennois," by Kreisler- Miller.
and the "Valse in c." by Chopin
Schutt, arranged for two pianos. Also
Helen Spasoff will play "Clair de
Lune," by Debussy.
Evening star., 1935-02-06
Metropolitan's Soprano
Heard in Varied Program
Lily Pons Greeted by Large Audience at Constr
tuition Hall esterday-Assisting Artists
Are Especially Well Received.
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.
lily PONS. the mo

lily PoNs the most glamorous artist Of the Metropolitan
Hall and included in her varied program some OF the num-
- bers heard last Miss Pons accustomed to large
lumber and quality applause, proved again the
Evening star., 1935-02-06

a delicate style which gave rare charm
to his Interpretation of MoZart's Min
uet in g." Faure's "Sicil!enne" and
Ravels Piece en- Forme de Habanera. p"
The cello arrangement of Sarasate's S
"Zapateado" and the Hungarian
Rhapsodie," by Pepper. showed his
technical skill in delicate nuances and
the f1eetness of runs and trills
Both artists were accompanied by
Arpad Sander. who gave sensitive
and sympathetic reading of the piano
score. blenoing in perfect ensemble
with both singer and cellist.
Evening star., 1935-05-12

Another is from Mr.. Barsuckowitz, of
Barsuckowitz & Carfinkle, deicatessen deal
ers in New Jersey. Mr.. Barsuckowitz explains
that he took lessons from General Huerta,
President of Mexico and later a singing
teacher in Los Angeles. From him learned
everything about singing, except the notes.
am not married 50 can get off any time.
Besides, can trust Carfmlle am going to
be sensation"
A dishwasher m a restaurant assures Uncle
Jim that he can make people cry in five
languages. A Mister Goddard shows himself
thrifty soul. A consolation prize of SIS Is
given to everybody who gets the gong. 50 MIR.
Goddard writes: II know will get the gong,
so will you please send me my SIS now so
I'll have expense money to New York"
Uncle Jim Harkins explains the popularity
of these amateur contests with the aphorsrn:
Everybody is ham at heart. The listeners
put themselves in the place of the amateur"
If you take part in an audition you win
find yourself in studio crammed with an
amazing assortment of people Of all ages and
Evening star., 1935-05-12
NHIs year of grace 1895 will go down
in the history of show business as
the Heyday of the Amateur. The

in the history of show business as
the Heyday of the Amateur The
vogue of amateur radio programs
has made even many veterans of the amuse-
ment world rub their eyes. 1t has swept the
country from coast to coast. Boys and girls.
middle-aged and white-haired men and
women are travelling thousands of miles, many
Of them hitch-hiking, for hundred-to- o-one
chance of singing. playing. whistling or giving
limitations in front of a microphone for a
minute and half.
Meanwhile the rest of the country gives
up several hours week to sitting around and
listening in. Many of the listeners, am in
formed, make game of it.
Listen to this one," one will say: "I'll
bet she gets the gong"
Nav. she won't get it. you're crazy"
"All right. here's buck says she gets the
gong"
'I'll cover that"
1t is the gong which has taken the place of
the dreaded hook that used to haul luckless
dubs off the stage during Amateur Night in
the burlesque theatres. And it is the gong that
puts the sporting element into the game.
Around the studios the word "gongmeat" is
being used to describe a certain type of
performer
What makes this vogue the more astound-
ing is the fact that the idea of Amateur
Night is not even novelty on the air. Various
stations tried it out as long as seven years ago.
But never until this year did it reach such
phenomenal, national success.
What. then, has happened to Amateur
Night that it becomes sensation almost
over night ? 1t is the development of a system,
a technique; the employment of highly skilled
Masters of Ceremonies. Ray Perkins, who
conducts the weekly amateur program on the
Columbia chain, sagely remarks that ian
amateur show is as good as its Master
of Ceremonies"
The performers you hear over the air
have not been chosen at random or first
come. first served. They have been
most painstakingly hand-picked. Be-
fore they have been allowed to step
finally in front of the mike they
have undergone at least two additions.
We are talking now about the two ma
jor chains, but similar system is
employed at smaller local stations
Throughout the country.
The system is this: first of all, the
letters of application are carefully
sc1utinized They pour in by the thou
sand every week. From every twelve or
fifteen hundred. some two hundred
candidates are chosen. For these there
is an addition en- maSse, and not more
than forty will survive for a second
hearing Out of the forty only ten or
twelve pass the final test.
For the Ray Perkins hour on COL
Evening star., 1935-05-12

out of some fifteen hundred week select a
couple of hundred likely candidates.
The letters reflect many angles of human
nature. Here, for example, is one from lad
who urges Uncle Jim to let him appear as
soon as possible because my voice is be-
ginning to change now"
Evening star., 1935-05-12

conditions, white and colored. The
studio is on the eighth floor. The COM
mttee, headed by Tiny Ruffnz, sits
in another studio on the second floor,
to which the sounds are piped down.
"Now, who's frst1" says Uncle Jim.
A young man steps forward. what's
your name9"
Wilbur latham"
where are you from, Wilbur"
ATLANTA, Georgia"
you've come quite ways, haven't
your What are you going to do for us3"
limitations.
That's fine" Uncle Jim then an
normces into the mike for the benefit
of the listening committee downstairs:
Wilbur latham from Atlanta Georgia
Continued on page l3)
Evening star., 1935-05-12

umbia and Fred Aliens Town Hall show at
N. B. G., the performers are chosen by CON-
mittees. Major Bowes, on the contrary, in
sists upon hearing every one himself
Let us follow typical system through. For
instance. the director of the Fred Allen show
is Tiny Ruffner, so called because he is six
foot six in his socks. In the Town Hall pro-
gram he is the court of last appeal.
But the preliminary detail. the ground
work, is in the hands of Jim Harkins, known
throughout the amusement world as "Uncle
jim" He is veteran of vaudeville and after
the collapse of that institution passed few
years running dance marathons. valuations,
amateur contests at country fairs and similar
entertainments. What he doesn't know about
show business is of no importance.
1t is he who has to read every letter and
Evening star., 1935-05-12

eH,ado star gi0es aniusids picture Of 4matem~ gt,
- 1895 SENSATION Of the air: Thousands nyn
broadcast their s0ay to fame, but many get the gong
by LOWELL THOMAS