The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-08-24
JITNEY TROOP
TOURS IN CAR
Ethel Barrymore Colt Tells
Of Her Experiences
as a Player
BY FRANK YOUfiG i
United Press Staff Corresponds d

NEW YORK, Aug. -. tUPD.---
Ethel Barrymore Colt, the actress
managcr-Singcr-play adapter mem
Der of the theatres royal family,
Monday sat at the desk in her
combination office-apar,mcnL in
which the affairs of her touring
! troupe arc transacted and talked
1 about the future Of the legitimate
I stage.
. Young Ethel has been manager
! and actress with the Jitncy play
ers for three years. This roper
tory group spccializcS in one
night stands throughout the coun-
try and it was of her co-workerS
and other similar organizations
that she talked.
THE group theatre or any
movement in which there is CO.
operation between the actors will
keep the theatre on its fet," she
said. "Now don't get me wrong:
] don't mean art theatres, |
shudder at Che word art, but any
group that will allow actors to
play all sorts Of roles so that they
gain greater experience.
"Fm sure I've learned more in
three years with the Jitneys than
hanging around Broadway for Is
years. Working with repertory
group is better than sitting
around in managers office
waiting for Il starring role and
never getting it."
The Jitncys now are nearing
the end of their summer tour and
are preparing plays for their fall
tour which will take them as far
west as Texas. There are Is ac-
tors in the troupe and they travel
in two automobiles and carry
their scenery and props in a
truck.
1t was on one of thcs tours,
W en- the Jitncys were playing in
small southern college town,
that Miss Colt thought she had
received the insult supreme.
After the performance, men,
bers Of the cast submitted to
| questioning by the colleges drama
students and one of the first in
quiries, directed at Miss Colt
was:
"If you had chance to be an
actress, would YOU"
1t turned out, explained the
daughter of one of the most FAM
Gus American actresses, that the
embarrassed questioner wanted to
find out is she was interested in
a movie career.
One Of the plays they plan to
use in their rcpretory is Miss
Colts adoption of Grip Van Win
klc." 1t sa modcrnizcd. musical
version and was given its prem
Ter last week in Fairlee, Vt.
II thought it was going to be
terrible" the brown-haired ac-
trcss said. 81 got most of my ma
terial from Washington Irving's
a History Of New York and JOS
eph Jefferson's play. In the JEFF
ferson version the supporting cast
had some pretty terrible lines
they were so wooden! - But !
used good deal of Jefferson's
own lines. Then | had to elimi-
nate all the animals and children
you can't tour with midgets.
Have you ever gone into hotel
and tried to register midgets?
Well anyway, the audience ador-
cd it. They went mad about it.
cts a real American folk tale
and I've made the conflict be-
tween the Dutch and the Yankee
traders the basis for the plot. The
Dutch are the heroes and the
shrewdtraders who tried to swim
die them are the Williams
In 1881, Miss Colt was engaged
as a singer for George Whites
Scandals" and given star bill
ing. This was most unfortunate
for both the embryonic actress
and White. Miss Colt, it develop
ed, was not a very good singer.
Since then, however, she has
been taking lessons and she thinks
she's "pretty fair soprano now"
! 81 gave my first recital last
may" she said, "only few
friends and relatives heard me
but when | have more training
I'll have the critics in. That was
the mistake ! made when | went
into the Scandals, | was trying to
sing without any training"
And what of the future?
"Well, l have no great ambi-
tions," she said. 81 expect to
spend the next 80 years in the
theatre and let my future take
care of itself"