The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-05

and staged at the Waterbury Wom- ems Club by Clay Franklin and presented by the Civic Theater of Waterbury.
 CAST OF CHARACTERS
 Mrs. Ernest W. Stanley ..,n....
 ............,... Gene Stettbacher Miss Preen ..... Aldona l.. Stewart Richard Stanley Richard O. Wood June Stanley ..,, Carlotta Sherwell John .......... Frank L. Convard Sarah ...,........... Eleanor Dodd Mrs. Dexter ...... Clarissa Deming Mrs. McCutcheon .. Sudie Adams MT. Stanley ..... Harold Ashworth Maggie Cutler =. Rita Clark Miller Dr. Bradley ..... Joseph Harrigan Sheridan Whiteside ,.,,,,,,,,.''
 ............ Walden E. Trimble Harriet Stanley Mabel Littlehales Bert Jefferson. William c. Marciano Professor Metz . Rolf Meyerhardt The Luncheon Guests ..,,,,,.
 ......... Robert Haddad, Arthur
 DOlIveira.
 MT, Baker ...,5....,... Joe DAtellc EXpressman .......... Joe DAtelle Lorraine Sheldon ..... Helen Bittle Sandy ......,..,.,,.,., DICK FentoA Beverly Carlton .,.,, Sl RabinoWit2 Wcstcott ..,.,,..,., Frank Spurr Radio Techniciau Albert Shattuck Choir Boys .,,.,,,,,,,, Harry Dell,
 John Barrett, Rohe Winchel,
 Roger Barrett Martin Miller
 Thomas Redican, Herman SehuS-
 CT
 Banjo .,,,,,..,..,,,.., Jay Cofiey Two Deputies .,....,......,,.,,,
 Burroughs Walling, Dick Fenton A Plalnclothes Man ., Frank Spur
 Even the usherettes, usually the most attentive members of the audi ence, were not interested for long in last nights presentation Of The Man Who Came 10 Dinner, by Waterbury's top ranking amateur players, the Civic Theater Of Wa terbury. There was too much 10 bc desired including receptive audi ence and good casting
 Walden Trimble'S porrayal of Sheridan WhitesidC, a cynical, but loyable old codgeg who possessed no inhibitions and let every one know about 1t, lacked the necessary non- chalance and humorous acidity re- quired to make the part the con- vlncing success 1t was which placed this particular play on top during it's Broadway run.
 The play itself, one with fast moving plot but with long out-mod- ed jokes which failed to drag the usual unrestraIned belly laughs from the half hearted audience, was, of course the product of two established authors whose talents in the field Of playwriting go without question. The plot, briefly outlined, was somewhat as follows:
 Sheridan WhiteSlde, an aged gent with a fortune and an acid biting tongue, finds himself incompacItat- cd ak the home Of Mir. and Mrs. Er- nest W. Stanley because of a frac- tured leg. Sitting in possession not only of the Stanley's living room but of the entire house and house. hold, Whiteside proceeds to make every one miserable by running the show" This includes threats to sue for his injuries, the running up of huge bills via overseas telephone calls, the stealing Of the household cook and various and sundry other ventures.
 However, WhiteSide does possess a finer nature, which, naturally pre- dominates in the final act. Thus everything ends well and happily. The nurse, played well by Aldona L. Stewart, even gets off half heart- cd smile after being for almost three acts the special target for White sides attack. WhiteSide's secretary, enacted by Rita Clark Miller, even gets her man, the newspaper owner. Perhaps the most noteworthy bit of acting in the entire production was that of Joe D'Atelle as he delivered a crate of penguins to Whiteside as Christmas gift from Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Tn this particular scene Joe, an congressman, uttered only two or three lines, but each one and the mannerisims he em. ployed were more convincing than the rest of the entire acting com- bined.
 The Stanley children, played by Carlotta Sherwell and Richard o. Wood, proved to be good casting as well as splendid talent. Frustrated Dr. Bradley, played by Joseph Har- rigan, was convincing portrayal as was Harold Ashworth as MT. Stanley, John, the butler, played by Frank L. ConErd. and Professor Metz, played by Rolf Meyerhardt.
 Scenery and lighting were up to