Evening star., 1950-02-12
Ever Hear Of q Writer
With This Dream?
William MoCIeery Determined to Create
The Permanent Senior Class Play
By Joy Cormody


free-lancers journalism specialize In most
pieces overlooking
Of the best bets in their field.
William McCleery, Nebraska once
worked Washington Press il
coming from william saroyan There are people who maintain
nothing Saroyan could do would be surprising them wait
until they hear McCleery's dream.
play
be done after all Of the country by high school
graduates OF all races and creeds
Thought Him Seething
The thought of this play keeps running through Mr. McCl
notion that any vaguely
the mind in question will this something
Mr. McCleery is SLIM middle
sometimes thinks like Saroyan and almost frequently talks
like Bernard Shaw of the latters cynicay
He admits that this much variation
dsorganized and him from coming with his
dream He is trying to do something about this because he has
sense OF urgency about getting the play written high
seniors can start producing it.
picaton of the playwrght's personality character
There the question: for instance of what will be about
Such drama-whch will be comedy with be
about something trouble many things
that to belong in it, Surely will large
flavor of the American dream
true neghborlness equality the family McCey
about these all the me sometimes with cherfuness and
deep melancholy either mood he thinks
they keep to get
play in form and in words.
Where 1t All Began.
What gifted writer, McCleery
quest writing 1.-The senior class play" for America?
Well first enthusiasm this country people
despite sharp dsmayed that they not getting the
out of democracy o themselves.
After that the sort of experience that few paywgs
have had 1t begins with play that flop Broadway
called Paor Story" and intensely ovewrtten
opinion of the New York critics This critic thought
written too intensely thought
ceery like saroyan ought acquire discipline writer
not less enthusiasm or intensity, but more discipline.
AS result of this experience after his first play Hope for
the Best had been modest the playwright did
like the critics He did like either
take objective look at Parlor Story edit and polish Bit
and get 1t published by the Samuel French company.
1t Was a Hit Everywhere.
Into the French library went and then things began to
happen just the author anticipated Everywhere
Broadway Parlor Story became played profess
sona stock companies by little heaer college
players all the country The people McCeey with
radiant devotion play as nothing
they had in years.
"It isn't the play by mile" this
writer but it kept going in kind. painfully
What's great American
g Nebr but because audiences everywhere reacted about
the way"
playwright driving him
driving at-"the" class play
Mr. McCeery is not working it He has finished off
which Helen Hayes have taken
Broadway until the tragic death daughter
He has also completed work "A Play for Mary which slated
for Broadway production probably
A Side Trip to the Movies.
This should have put him in the clear work
class play but it did notnot quite producers
him to piece Hollywood which, always
enough to give stake.
McCleery said he would unique
enough that Saroyan odd duck business
McCleeryS proposal that would the
to which he would except rights Once the
thing was in play FORM he would do
oe sold outright The movie make picture
the play McCeery vii still have the rights
available to those dozens of who liked his Paror
much
The people York which includes lot of
anectonate and admrng friends do just
these days
He is in voluntary exile a nearby hotel working
on the movie ldea making notes the play
wondering in his odd killed Saroyans
unquenchable