Evening star., 1937-08-22
ARTISTS FESTIVAL
Notables Gather at Colorado Ghost Town,
Central City, to See Production With
New York Cast and Paint.

hotel and I finish the water color with
it leaning against the door, holding
the paint box in one hand while
mother holds the water bottle for
cleaning brushes. People hurrying in
to escape the hailstones cause much
draft, but at last the storm is finished
and also the water color.
Now we can sit on the hotel benches
and devote all our time to watching
the world 60 by. 1t is better so, for
one can hardly put forth foot with
out stepping on celebrity. In town
are Artist Boris Arisfelt of Chicago,
Evelyn Scott, author of The Wave:
Ford Maddox Ford, the celebrated
English novelist who has collaborated
with Joseph Conrad; Thomas Hornsby
Ferrill, poet of the Rockies, whose
"Westering' has pleased so many
people, and Miss Anne Evans, presi-
dent of the Central City Opera House
Association. for whose grandfather
Evanston, Ill, was named. Mount
Evans was named for her father. In
other years John Peale Bishop and
Robert Frost, poets. found their way
here after the Writers Congress at
Boulder, which is held every Summer.
We note that Mr.. Henry Varnum
Poor, famous for fresco painting
ceramics and easel pictures, is walk
ing down the street fanked by four
OF his Colorado Springs Summer art
students.
We hear Mr.. Ainsfelt lives on top of
the hill in the white house next the
light blue garage. We do not see
Ruth Gordon, a star of the play fes-
tlval until the next day She does
not wander around the town irving
TO look native, much to the disgust
Of the rest of the townspeople. who
consider her a mite standoffish be-
cause of this In contrast one of
the artists walks around in claret-
colored corduroy slacks. polo shirt and
cane with his tiny white fox terrier
at his heels. His home flies a Colo
rado flag, although he has only been
IN the State for two weeks.
I is evening. We go to the play,
Ibsen's "A Dolls House" a Jed Har-
rls production, with cast of New York
stars. Richard Aldrich is presenting
Ruth Gordon, Waslter Slezak. Dennis
King and Sam Jaffe to Central CITY
and the rest of the world. Costumes
are by Donald Oenslager. All 400
seats are filled. The audience seems
to spend most of the time before
the play wondering whether the
tresco horses on each side of the
stage are paintings or bas relief.
The play is superb production,
Ruth Gordon's sensitive portrayal of
Nora gives the play plenty of action,
During intermission a glimpse is
caught Of Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Robin
son, and later his parents. the famous
Mr.. Boardman Robinson and his wife
Mr.. Robinson, who is just completing
murals for the Department of Justice,
Washington, D. c.. is very much in
terested in Central City. having played
the Duke in the 1884 production.
"Othello." Mr.. Robinson says that
at that time farmer from Kansas
informed him that his beard was not
put on right, although the famous
Robinson beard was the only real one
in the show.
There is a diversity of amusement
in Central City after the evening per-
formance, including drinking at the
bar, dancing at the night club, and,
best Of all, pioneer barn dancing in
Williams livery stable. We leave the
crowd sadly to make our beds on the
ground. friends sideyard giving us
the comfortable feeling of a house
nearby, enough wilderness for us to
conquer at the present time. Our
guest, a missionary's daughter from
Siam, was very much thrilled at her
first chance to sleep out-of-doors. We
spread newspapers as protection
against cold, wet ground. We are each
fully dressed. wrapped in light coat
and have one wool blanket apiece and
a scarf around our heads.
A night sleeping out at 8,50O-feet
altitude, after a rain, with only a
Summer coat and one blanket, is no
joke. but it is lot of fun. We stare
at the full moon riding high. The
town creaks with the revelry of the
festival until the wee hours. The
brook gurgles. We try to sleep be-