Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-02

Commissioners, will also give teen
age children, university students
and Government workers the oppor-
tunity to explore and develop their
playwriting and acting talents.
1.-THE people of Washington have
wanted the theater for a long time.
and it will bring about wonderful
results" Commissioner Young told
the meeting, which was presided
over by Jay Carmody, drama editor
of The Star.
Father Hartke Speaks.
The principal speaker was the
Rev. Gilbert v. Hartke, o. p, di-
rector of speech and drama at Cath
Ollie University, in charge Of the lit
tie theater group there, and execu-
tive director of the Washington Mu-
nicipal Theater.
eff we don't give now for ma
tional theater, the opportunity may
never come again." Father Hartke
said. 1.-The District has done little
with the great creative power Of its
people. We must give to the District
the great theater it deserves"
He said the theatev, which Is in
corporated as a non-profit organ
ization, would provide the highest
kind of entertainment under expert
direction, and the players would
rank with the greatest names in the
profession after their talents were
developed through projected facili-
ties for instruction.
Plans for the current year, Fa-
Their Hartke said, include the pres
entation of at least two productions,
both musical comedies, either at
the Sylvan Theater on the WASH
ington Monument Grounds, as sug-
gested by President Roosevelt, or in
an aforementioned theater. Each
production would run two weeks,
he said.
Explains Fund Need.
The 100000 is needed to UNDER
write the forthcoming productions
and to provide a sinking fund" for
the actual construction of thea
ter building with capacity of be-
| bWCCIl 1,uOU dllU law oCdGoy dSSoA "
ing to present plans Nine shows
week are contemplated.
A function of the Washington
Municipal Theater, Father Hartke
said, will be to divert profits to pro-
vide, through the stage, speech
re-education clinic for underprivi-
legged children, establish rehabilita-
ton center for returning service men
and women and provide scholar
ships for students of exceptional
merit.
The "psychodrama" will also be
developed in the treatment of psy-
chiatric cases in cooperation with
ST. EliZabeth's Hospital. BY allow
ing psychiatric patients to actually
play roles in certain types of plays
to be given privately, a beneficial
reaction on the part of the person
| treated has been found to result,
Father Hartke explained.
Question and Answer Forum.
During a question and answer
forum, he said Federal or District
financial aid was not being asked
because the theater was to belong to
the people, and therefore must be
maintained through voluntary con-
| tributions and by receipts from the
production of its plays. which will
be selected by the board of trustees
and prominent professionals.
No play, it was explained, will run
| longer than three months. This
way the actors will be able to secure
a more diversified experience by
continually assuming new roles, and
there could be no possible faint Of
commercialism.
Mrs. Emil Hurja, campaign direc-
tor for the sponsoring committee, is
in charge of raising the fund for
the Washington Municipal Theater,
which has headquarters in suite
309- 10 of the Tivoli Building, Four
tenth street and Park road NV.
Mrs. Hurja will be assisted by John
F. Hillyard, attorney.
Besides Mrs. Hurja, Commissioner
Young and Father Hartke, the board
of trustees is composed of John j.
Payette, Harry Anger, Robert ".
Fleming. Charles B. Dulcan, ST.; Leo
Rover, Charles Stofberg and Miss
Adah May Brady. Many prominent
| District residents are on the Advis-
| ory Committee.