The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-05-31
THE FOXHOLE CIRCUIT

To you people back home the
words Entertainment Section,
CPBC" do not mean much, If any
thing at all. However, to any G. I.
Joe who has been stationed here on
Oahu Island, TIL, they represent
the well-organized and active En-
tertainment Section of the Special
Service Office, Central Pacific Base
Commander better yet, the place
where all the good stage shows
come from. And we have really had
some good shows.
Not so long ago I had long talk
with Major Maurice Evans. the
great Shakespearian actor. Major
Evans is the officer in charge Of
the Entertainment Section and is
the driving power that makes
everything tick.
I didn't do much of the talking
in this particular instance, for the
Majors conversation ran on with
out rewinding and it was very fas-
cinating. 1t seems that the Enter
tainment Section originally had
handicaps to overcome that would
stump you or I, but not so the Ma
jor and his section.
One of these was the blackout.
Outdoor shows had to be given in
doors, and the fact that most of the
troops were scattered all around
the island in numerous beach posi-.
tons created the problem of giving
a large number Of performances in
a large number of places. But all
of the problems were met and sue
cessfuly overcome
One of the unique things about
the Entertainment Section Is the
fact that it is entirely self-support.
ing. The section has its own writ
ers, actors, costumerS, electricians,
stage hands, directors and all the
other people and props necessary
for a good production. With the
exception of female characters and
guest actors, the entire personnel
of the section is recruited from
various army units.
In my interview I tried to get
Maurice Evans to talk about him.
self, but he kept slipping back to
the subject of the Entertainment
Section. However I did manage to
find out few things about him.
He was born in Dorchester, Eng
land,-'Thomas Hardy's old hang
out" and started his theatrical ca
reer In the Old Victoria, a bur-
lesque theatre that some reforming
old lady bought and converted into
a legitimate stage. In 1896, Maurice
Evans came to the United States
to play Romeo, opposite Katherine
Cornell's Juliet.
When the army started a spe-
cialist's corp, Maurice Evans was
commissioned q captain, and when
the Specialist Corp was disbanded.
he was offered his present position
an was later promoted to major.
In my opinion Major Maurice
Evans has more than succeeded In
his job Of providing good entertain
ment for the men in this area. Thus
far he has taken the title role In
his two excellent army productions
Of Shakespeare's Macbeth" and
Hamlet. He has collected talent
from local army units and has
turned out dozens of popular SOL
dier shows" that have toured the
Hawaiian Islands, with many Of the
shows going down under" for the
pleasure of troops in other places.
There are two shows running
here now that are both worth see
ing. One is Arsenic and Old Lace"
with Boris Karloff taking the role
that he played so successfully on
Broadway. The other production Is
'Three's . Family" starring
Charles Butterworth. Both Of these
guest stars are loaned to the Enter
tainment Section through the cour.
tesy Of U.S.O. Camp Shows. Inc.
One Of the US.O. Camp Shows
that passed through hsre On IT.
way down under Was . productjon
Of Girl Crazy. and 1t featured