Evening star., 1942-10-06

Peggy Lamson's - Washington
woman-called Respectfully Yours" !"
something about genteel family life.
Then there are two Russian
plays, not war stuff, but rejecting
the effect of strife on an average
household. Not social conscious
argument, but good drama.
Ina Claire likes Zoe Akins' new
play, plans for Tomorrow" but
hasn't signatured a contract vet.
There are certain things upon which
they must reach common agreement.
% Successful Years.
Two other attractions are def
nitely set for the National Theater.
These are Mr.. Sycamore, fan
tasy by KEITH Frings, with Stuart
Erwin, Lillian Gish and Claiborne
Foster, not to mention an old E
street favorite, Leona Powers. About
holiday time subscribers will see the
new Rodgers Hart musical, made
from Lynn Riggs play, Green
Grow the Lilacs." The Guild has
high hopes for this. Later, after
the New York run, E street may
have return engagement OF Kath-
arine Hepburn in Without Love-"
probably one of the dividend at
fractions.
So, the Theater Guild in its Oath
year holds leadership in the Amer
lean theater. It was founded on
April 10, 1919, in the tiny Garrick
Theater on West Thirty fifth street,
New York, as a semi i-amateur or
ganization with wobbly professional
legs. Before year, crisis ap-
preached, and the play reader of
the organization was summoned for
an important conference. She had
just finished three-act play, con-
fesses she was still in that state of
blissful elation which, for a brief
moment, follows any creative work.
Was Once Drama Critic.
Out Of the emergency came a new
executive director, and not for the
duration. She's still there. For
background purposes she nuggets
her early career as follows: Grad
uate of Bryn Mawr and a student
OF George P. Bakers English A."
in which she worked as a graduate
student at Radcliffe. Before her
connection with the Guild, she had
written several plays, had two pro-
fessional productions, spent a sea-
son writing dramatic criticism for
the Nation.
With years of experience and
discretion, Miss Helburn has a fine
tolerance and understanding for the
Monday night play Solomons. Once
the Theater Guild wired down from
New York, after an adverse notice.
for the cultural background of a
Washington critic. The manager
wrote back he was neutral in this
controversy and. with State Depart
ment diplomacy, advised that they
arbitrate the differences. Today the
Iheater Guild, mellowed with years,
shuns such impulsiveness. Miss
Helburn thinks the truest criticism
Is the volume of audience apprecia-
ton at the close of a play, and the
surest sign of hit is an audience
that exits without a doubt about
its merits.
The war has had its influence
upon Theater Guild expansion. They
were invited to take on Los Angeles
and San Francisco as subscription
cities. Transportation problems
made this impractical but Miss Hell
burn looks forward to the day when
the American Theater Society will
reach from coats to coast, missing
few important key cities. These
plans await the day. the dove of
peace can be discerned on the
horizon.
Donald Nelson on Screen.
Donald Nelson, chairman of the
War Production Board, will be
speaking from the screen of thou
sands of theaters beginning Thurs
day. He delivers the commentary for
the one reel film, Salvage" issued
by Lowell Mellett's division, Office
of War Information.
Salvage" release will coincide
with the Nation wide metal scrap
drive being staged by the American
Newspaper Publishers Association
and the film industry.
The film strikes strong opening
note when Mr.. Nelson states: I'VE,
the people of the United States,
have had land of plenty. We had
resources to burn. And we burnt
them. And while we were throwing
away, the Axis was picking up.
Germany and Japan scrimped while
we squandered. Today we need
many of those common things we
used to throw away. We need them
desperately"
The picture discloses secret tank
arsenals, steel mills, nitroglycerine
factories and ammunition plants.
Already suffering from shortages,
they must have the public's scrap
rubber, pan fat drippings, the hid
den metal scrap treasures in every
home, In order to keep rolling.
Because people still haven't got
the habit of salvaging useful scrap
that is lying idle around their
AIOAIlCS, Vic lllIn SHOWS now TO con.
duct systematic search of a house
so that no possible bit of scrap will
be overlooked.
X X y \
jeanette to be Guest,
Jeanette Macdonald, who has
concluded her series of concerts for
Army Emergency Relief, will meet
the press at Variety Club at noon
today as the special guest of Loew's
Inc.
| X
This Is the Army" is not for
getting the wounded boys at Walter
Reed. A large group from the SOL
dier musical has been giving con-
certs there for the disabled.
|
While This Is the Army" has 9
hard and fast rule restricting passes
it was relaxed 50 that Stage Dool
Canteen can distribute free admis.
sions to a limited number of service.
men at each performance.
X 4 \
The Air Corps Administrative,