Evening star., 1942-09-27
Be|osco HUNS With Conteen Workers

iioAiCu Aoi iAii} lie WOulQ llIlQ ll1In-
self in the familiar hubbub, the
hammerings, the breathless antici-
pation-that great moment preced-
ing the opening night of a major
theatrical production.
For the Belasco Theater, home of
Washington's Stage Door Canteen
to open to srevicemen next Sunday.
Is ahum with the well-trained
voices of actresses, with the exag-
gerated 'darlings' and "dearies, !"
with all the you can have the shirt
off my back" atmosphere that sets
off the theater as glamorous seq
ment of American life.
The Greek masks of tragedy dec
Grating the first balcony of the
theater look out today on the busy
workmen clearing out seats for
/ dancing space for soldiers and Can
teen hostesses. Soldiers in fatigue
clothes help hoist a piece of scaf-
folding to its place.
Applicants Registered.
Blonds and brunettes imported
from the New York Stage Door Can
| teen-actresses and singers-mingle
with Washington women to register
the thousands Of applicants for
volunteer jobs. They interview
them, flngerprint them. type up
their application cards and see that
the would-be hostesses and workers
are photographed.
David Belasco's opening nights
used to draw the most bejewelled
and glittering audiences of America,
who paid ten dollars for a seat.
The opening of the Stage Door
Canteen at the Belasco Theater next
Sunday will draw a different kind OF
an audlence-one colored with the
uniforms of every branch of the
armed forces from our Nation and
the United Nations. Top price for
a seat? 1t is free for men in
uniform.
The scores of volunteer workers
headed by Mrs. Lawrence LANCER
former actress, are insuring that the
opening night of the Stage Door
Canteen will come up to the stand
ard of perfection demanded by the
late producer-director and by the
New York Stage Door Canteen.
Free Food for Some.
Not only free fun-provided by
some Of Broadway's greatest names,
and Washington celebrities, too
but free food will be served to SOL
| d1erS, sailors and Marines visiting
the District.
The kitchen-on the first balcony
OF the theater-already has a stove
Three huge coffee makers stand
ready for use. And 1900 women
and men ranging from 18 to more
than so have volunteered to see that
the expected 5000 servicemen a
night get sandwiches, dancing, en-
tertainment and good time. A box
Office manager from local theater
is going to serve as busboy. A SOL
dier may find that his waitress is
the wife of Senator. This week
Brock Pemberton. New York drama
critic and co-chairman with Milton
Shubert of the National Activities
Branch of the American Theater
Wing, sponsor of the canteen, is
committing to see that Washing
tons Stage Door is as much Of a
success as the New York favorite
At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon
a long line of women, tall, short
old, young beautiful and Just niair
had formed as it does daily to vol
unteer for work in the canteer
which will run every night from
5 to midnight.
"Say-do you have to be a men,
ber of the 400 to get into the Can
teen?" asked one eager girl. Can
you just be q plain girl like me and
help out?"
Socialites Present.
/ The reason for her question was
easy to see. For decorating the
lobby Of theater as well as doing
typing, telephoning and filing we're
Washington socialites and former
opera stars, present blues singers
and actresses.
But the plain girl" was given a
warm welcome by the registrars.
She will probably help make the
ham, turkey and beef sandwiches
served to each man If he wants one.
If the interviewers, some of whom
are senior hostesses, think a girl
lacks sufficient poise to be a junior
hostess, they put her on a job not
so much in the spotlight Then
when the volunteer has got into the
spirit of the Canteen, she "gradu-
ates' to become junior hostess and
can dance with and entertain the
servicemen.
We have no rules for service
men-our only rules are for the
civilian volunteers who work in the
Canteen," said Mrs. LANCER.
Girls Must Be Over 1s.
Leading rule of the Canteen is
that no girls are accepted under 18
years of age. Another rule that.
according to Canteen officials, pro-
tects the girls, the organization and
the servicemen, is that hostesses and
other workers are not allowed to
leave the Canteen with servicemen
they have met during the evening.
Nor are they supposed to date the
boys.
"Of course, there are exceptions
to every rule" said one worker, "but
the canteen is not a free-for- all
meeting place where mep or women
can get pick-ups."
Strict check is made on every VOL
unteer. Two references must be
given. They are finger printed, pho
tographed with number, that they
must always have, and they must
by the type of woman that Ameri-
can mothers would be glad for their
sons to know
One famous Broadway actress, q
senior hostess who was entertaining
younger soldier at the New York
canteen urged him to dance with
Junior hostess. He said he would
rather talk with her.
"Oh-go ahead and dance with one
OF the girls" she urged him.
No" said the young man, I'D