Evening star., 1936-03-01
"Uncle Tom" Given
A New Setting

Just nov, a wave OF renewed inter-
est in Uncle Toms Cabin" is sweep
ing the country, and various and sum
dry productions and new versions of
Harriet Beecher Stoves story, famous
all over the world as an American
classic, are in process of preparation
in many sections. One of the first of
these to reach consumation will be
given tomorrow night in the tiny King
Smith Play HouSe-itsen work Of
art Of the theater, designed to house
artistic productions of kind not pos
sible on the professional stage.
For the King-Smith Play House is a
theater of experimentation for young
women who are studying the arts of
music. drama. stagecraft In the Cap
ital City, and Uncle Toms Cabin"
as it will be presented throughout the
coming week there, viii be the initial
offering of drama in this fascinating
little theater-as arranged by two Of
the talented student teachers, Rebecca
and Penelope Tarwarter Of Tennessee:
as directed by one Of the city's prom.
inent drama and dance directors,
Caroline Mckinley, and as staged by
another successful artist, Hugo linden,
who has designed the settings and the
costumes.
Indeed, the production is offered as
work of special art interest by all
concerned, each of whom has q pecu-
liar personal slant on the production.
The Tarwater sisters, IN arranging the
story in q new dramatic form, have
likewise included in its new telling q
number of Negro songs. or. rather,
songs of the Negro type, which they
and the members Of the cast have
sung into being" based ON certain
episodes and phrases in the book. For
the Tarwater sisters are well nigh IA
nous hereabouts for their own ar.
rangements and singing of Negro
spirituals and mountain songs Of
Tennessee.
Hugo Inden's snow curtain and his
hangings Of moss, as well as his con-
cept of the other symbolic features OF
the new version, add a touch to the
whole that is as characteristic as Is
the background of the songs sung By
the cast throughout the play.
There is a story, too, behind Miss
McKinley's special interest in the
drama, for she has from her own
great-grandmother. Mrs. Susan Eells
of Marietta, Ohio. the personal recol-
lection of a certain Lewis George
Clark, an octoroon and fugitive slave
from Kentucky. who found refuge in
her home in Oberlin, in the Spring Of
1841, who was befriended for several
months by Mrs. Eells' husband, John
NJ. Eells. and group of influential
men of Oberlin. and who told many
times the stories and thrilling Incl.
dents that later were to appear In
Mrs. Stoves story. notably the whip
ping to death Of Sam Peters, who
figures in h.~ -assacter Of Uncle Tom.
Mrs. Eells taught Lewis Clark the
alphabet, so that he might read the
Bible, and later helped to save him
from the slave hunters from Ken
tucky who pursued him. Her Letters
tell in fascinating detail how the peo-
pie of the. town sent Lewis Clark to
Boston to tell his story to the abo-
litionists Of Massachusetts,, and how
he there met Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe; how she became interested In
his story, and how he became the hero
Of her book and was called George
Harris" Later Lewis Clark returned
twice to see his friends. Mr.. and Mrs.
John M. Eells, who later moved to
Marietta, and on both visits he re.
lated to them his further experiencea
u aid OF fusitives and their children
from the South.
!