Evening star., 1937-05-24

so; the story OF q group Of earnest
young people who have tried their
darnedest this last season to give
Washington an intimate sort Of q
theater, where the members OF the
audience, as well as the players, feel
warm glow Of participation. It's
the story Of q group OF enthusiasts
who have for the last few months
given unstintingly Of their time, their
talent and their bodily strength to
the task of raising Washington little
theater to q place among the coun-
trys leaders.
They haven't accomplished that yet,
but they've made a good start They've
done six new plays. two which have
been seen here before, or rather they
will have done that many when Fly
Away Home" Is past tense. The ma
jority Of them have been pretty good
and they haven't slipped often Their
failings have been the failings Of q
young bird trying new wings or
young country trying new constitu-
ton.
BY their slips have they learned
and they're out to close the season
with that proverbial blaze Of glory
with Fly Away Home" And next
year they will be back full OF en-
thusiasm to top their first successful
season with a more successful second
season.
Maybe there's going to be bovine
housing problem before long around
here. Couple Of seasons ago the
Roadside Theater moved into that
red barn out on the Rockville pike,
putting q whole raft OF unsuspecting
COWS and chickens and things out
Of . home, and now comes the Cross
Roads Theater, hanging dressing
room mirrors in the stalls in .
barn over in Arlington County,
Virginia, bringing the theater where
before was livestock. The group Is
composed Of number Of players Of
the Blackfriars Guild-at least that's
the nucleus-and they plan Sum-
mer season Of modern three-act plays.
The first will be The Last OF Mrs.
Cheyney," for which tryouts will be
held tonight at Clarendon Methodist
Church, Tenth and Irving streets,
Clarendon, Va. The barn the group
Is turning into theater Is at Baileys
Cross Roads.
Every one on the Roadside Theater's
mailing list knows 1t already but
everyone isn't on the Roadside's mail
ing list, 80 1t may Be news to you
that the groups yearly announce
ment Is out. The season opens June
II, Of course, with THE Wizard OF
the Wave" Following that will come
"Our American Cousin" "The Pris-
oner Of Zenda," . new. manuscript
play not yet selected, THE Haunted
Mill" THE Texas Steer" and, to
close the season, Murder In the Red
Barn" Each play is to run two
weeks.
"Spring Dance" Philip Barry's
light comedy success, which was
staged in New York last season, will
be presented at the King-Smith
Studio Playhouse Wednesday night.
If the students do as well with this
as they did with "Liliom," they'll
have something. The cast includes
Phillipa Hutchins, Margery Hood,
Jane Eo1, Judith Owen, MathildA
Tillman, Dick Murphy, Frank Koonce,
Edward Baggs, Frank Gaunt and
James Carroll. The play is being di-
rected with s. Wesley Mckee.
Philip Barry seems to have at
tanned considerable local notice this
Spring. His Holiday" has been Sc
lected to close the Pierce Hall Players
season. 1t will be presented June 2
and and Director Ina L. Hawes says
everything is shaping up famously II
she only had a music box. There just
has to be an old-fashioned music box
in Holiday" and it has to play
waltses. No rhumbas II you've got
one, let the Pierce Hall PLAYERS know.