Evening star., 1947-10-08
Paul Green 10 Write
Historical Drama for
DC. Sesquicentennia|

Paul Green, Pulitzer prize play
wright, has agreed to write his
torical drama for Washingtons Ses-
quicentennial in 1850.
Mr.. Green, author of "The Lost
Colony" which has been playing
for 10 summers at Manteo, N. c.,
and 'The Common Glory" which
played to 10000 people this summer
at Williamsburg, Va, attended q
Columbia Historical Society lunch
con yesterday in the Mayfower
Hotel.
"The 150th birthday of the Ma
tion's Capital-isn't that the story?"
Mr.. Green asked.
The tall, bushy-haired professor
from the University of North Caro-
lima, whose public-speaking method
is to think out loud on his feet, be-
gan planning the drama right away.
He was rubbing his hands with his
eagerness to get at 1t.
Wealth of Characters.
"How should we do that? We will
have to work it out. Should it be
on George Washington who gave
this city his name? He is a difficult
man for a writer to handle. Per-
haps we should create a fictitious
character, through whom We could
tell the story of the city itself.
1--WE been driving around your
parks this morning with DR.. Caem-
merer 6r. H. Paul Caemmerer,
president of the society. What a
place Rock Creek Park would be for
a wooded ampitheater.
What a wealth. of characters OF
history we have to choose from in
telling the story of this city. We've
got to bring them out of the past,
put them up where everybody can
hear them and learn what democ-
racy means from them. \
"At Williamsburg we have Thomas
Jefferson talking out as he would II
he were here today. I heard one
little boy say, Mother, didn't know
that Jefferson had such hard time
writing the Declaration OF indie
pendence.' That was reward enough
for me.
Favors Small Amphitheater.
ITO be truly great a nation must
have its shrines.
Now about your plans to put on
a great pageant in huge stadium
before 10000 or more. You must
remember that you have to strike
a balance between pageantry and
intimacy. If it is just for the eye
it can be even bigger. The eye
comes through. One hundred thou
sand people have delighted In
watching a little old football that
is only 10 inches long. But II you
are going to tell burning story
and move people its got to be much
smaller.
"At Manteo we have 1000 seats.
But it's no good for the people in
the rear ones. It's asking to much
of the actors. At Williamsburg we
have $500 seats. I have advised an
amphitheater of 1000 seats at
Charleston, S. c., where I've been
dSkoQ 10 40 D. lllSCOl ACdl o1 ddio.
"Of course we have the inspira-
ton of Athens. They had as many
as 10000 at their dramas. But the
show was mostly for the eye, with
great choruses. telling the story. The
masks the actors wore were ampH-
f1ers.
Estimates Cost.
Perhaps by 1850 we will have q
huttonhole microphone that will
pick up just the voice-not breath
ing and the tread Of the actors feet.
We should recheck progress in am
plification before we make our
plans"
Brig. Gen. Gordon R. Young,
engineer Commissioner Of the Dis
trict, agreed Rock Greek Park offers
possibilities. Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant
III, chairman of the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commis-
sion, asked how much it would cost.
He was told the amphitheater would
cost more than 100000 and the
production at least $4,000. The lat
ter expenditures should pay for
itself, Mr.. Green said.
II think the $50,000 figure, which
is what it cost at Williamsburg, is
low" he added. I'VE ought to get
the best professional actors for the
leading parts. This is going to be
the Nations show"