Evening star., 1939-08-14

ioo ocCi ooillS IlOoc top-HVISu Sct-
tings for Roadside Theater plays
this year. Right now he is busy with
staging The Still Alarm" comic
melodrama glorifying the fire.
fighters OF 60 years ago, which is to
open next Monday night at the
Rockville pike barn theater.
Research into the matter of old
time flre-f1ghting equipment, alarm
boards and whatnot. led him to the
office of the Fire Departments engi-
neer in the District Building. Graci-
ously he was treated, given informa-
tion and told to visit the repair shop
and he would be welcome to any
equipment there-fire hose, even one
of those brass poles the boys slide
down in the dead of night-if it
was not in use. But such co-opera-
ton even did not prepare him for
what was coming.
Say" asked the engineer in the
midst Of the interview, do you want
fire engine?"
Mr.. Ferry blinked, conjuring up a
mad dream wherein he was trying
to fold a ladder truck into the
Roadside's little stage.
How big is it?" was the reply he
finally managed as If that would
make = difference.
"Oh. not very big" he was told.
weighs about two tons. It's just
the style you want, too. We gave
1t to the Society of Oldest Inhabi =
tants, but I'm sure they'd loan 1t
to you"
Mr.. Ferry thanked the man but
allowed as how he'd just 90 have
look at it and build one of his own
somewhat smaller and slightly
lighter. He did make off with some
OF the Fire Departments equipment,
though, including three wicked axes
and gong reported to be almost
the size of the Liberty Bell What's
more it isn't cracked and Kitty
Romney is afraid it will summon the
Rockville Fire Department every
night.
It's getting so a crisis means al
most less than nothing in the life
OF the Cross Roads Theater. A
crisis is just something to be met
with equanimity. raised eyebrow
and call for another actress. For
that's what the most recent crises
in the life of the Cross Roads have
been-sudden cast changes because
OF illness. Now Izetta Jewel, jr.. the
Virginia barn groups pet glamour
girl. who has been playing glamour
girls only 10 years Older than she is,
steps into the mother role in Yes.
My Darling Daughter. Catherine
Ryan. whom she replaces, was taken
Ill last Wednesday and Is now in
Georgetown Hospital.
Still Miss Jewel has had more
time to rehearse for the comedy.
which opens tonight, than did
Peggy Johnston for that role when
Seven Keys to Baldpate" faced it's
crisis painfully close to opening
night. A member of that cast be-
came Ill. too. and with a Monday
night opening practically staring
her in the face Peggy stepped in
just as though she'd been expecting
it all along and had secretly pre-
pared herself for the part. That
was when Ohio was being a fine
place to hide from a typewriter.
but our sentries here report that
Miss Johnston came through the
test nobly.
Peggy is in "Yes, My Darling
Daughter" too, playing the lass
who. deciding sauce for the mother
must be fine dish for the daughter.
too, goes of on a weekend junket
with her boy friend. The b. +. in
the Cross Roads production of Mark
Reeds farce is Don Sisler and
other members of the cast are Bill
Draper, Josephine Orendorf and
Sidney Bassler.
X X X
With the summer festival season
nearing its close, the Community
Center Department announces the
two plays scheduled for the remain
ing August Tuesday evenings at the
Sylvan Theater. The Troupers of
East Washington Community Gen.
ter will stage Hail, Nero" the sa tire
which presents the Emperor as the
new dealer" of the first century,
the evening of August %. L. Zaff