Evening star., 1936-06-13
'GOndOlierS'
To Usher in
New Season
First on
Summer Program of
Sylvan Theater.

EOR almost a decade now thou
sands of Washingtonians and
visitors to the Capital City have been
spending cool moonlit and starlit
nights during the Summer months
as guests Of the Nation, in the beauti-
full Sylvan Theater located on the
southeast slopes Of the Washington
Monument. For the Summer festi-
walls, begun in a casual and informal
fashion about 1928, when three pro-
grams by groups Of children from
Neighborhood House, Friendship House
and another group in Georgetown, gave
their midsummer program on the
grassy stage before q hundred or
more persons-largely fathers and
mothers of the young performers
have in the meantime grown in
national interest and artistic perfec-
tion-to the end that weekly festival
programs are given during the months
Of June. July and August by well
known and popular local groups OF
players, singers and dancers, under
the auspices of the Community Center
Department and the once Of the
National Capital Parks.
The festivals grew a bit in their
second year, and there were twice
as many programs. service bands and
dance groups adding their talents to
the simple outdoor programs. Then
the third year, city-wide interest
caused the Community Center Depart
ment to plan full schedule of events
which later grew into a two-month
festival season, offering varied events
which attracted many, many persons.
The Sylvan Theater was built at
the request of several prominent lovers
of the arts of music, dance and drama,
and the funds were appropriated by
Congress for the purpose. The Sylvan
Theater was opened most suspiciously.
with celebrated men and women Of the
professional stage coming to the Capt.
tai City to participate in its initial
program in 1917. Then came the
World War, and for several years only
a few events were presented on the
beautiful, poplar -flanked stage at the
base of the Monument hill, to the
southeast.
In the past five years its success
has been a matter of civic and artis-
tic pride in the Capital City.
The opening night this season will be
Tuesday, and the program will be
one of Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas,
The Gondoliers," presented by the
Estelle Wentworth Opera, which has
not been sung at the Monument be-
fore this year.
The program will begin at pm.
with a half hour concert by the Civic
Orchestra, and at $50 the opera will
begin with Miss Wentworth herself at
the piano directing and playing the
score for her group. The two gon-
doliers will be sung by Ray Baine and
Eugene Kressin; their sweethearts by
Virginia Weldon and Nina Norman;
Ira Meyer will appear as the Duke OF
Plaza-Toro, Richard Hill as his at
tendant; Maxine De Silvia as the
Duchess of Plaza-Toro, and Margaret
Horn as their daughter, "Casilda."
Walter Perry as the Grand Inquisi-
tor; Mildred Sherman as 1nez. the
Kings foster mother; Ruth Bsrnhart,
Agnes Williamson and Margaret Phil
lips as Contadini; Harry Yeide, Walter
Snellings and Melville Veitch as We
netian gondoliers, and a mixed chorus
of 20 or more Washington singers will
add their bit to the interest OF the
occasion.
In case of inclement weather on
Tuesday The Gondoliers" will be sung
Wednesday, and If the weather proves
unkind on Wednesday. the perform
ance will be held over until Thurs
day night.
The Summer Festivals Committee,
headed by Elizabeth K. Peoples, di-
rector of the Community Center De-
rector of the Once of National Cap
partment and G. Marshall Finnan, d.
ital Parks, has placed tickets on sale
to the public for the reserved section
of chairs-limited in nunber-and the
unreserved section likewise, at the
A.A.A. Ticket Bureau, the Hotel Will
lard and the Hotel Washington news
stands, in order that the public de-
string seats other than on the grassy
slope Of the Monument Grounds may
obtain them readily; and the tickets
also will be available on the evening
Of the festival at the Sylvan Theater.
In case of postponement tickets OBJ
tanned in aavance are good, or If need
be. may be9sed at subsequent festival
programs on Tuesday nights through
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