Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-26

1tdlC1Su 1lOICl, dbOub % yd1 0S
from this typewriter. as the crow
flies. Maybe As yards; not being
a crow, one cannot be certain.
Whatever the actual yardage.
1t is small and two weeks should
De ample to cover it. But it
wasn't.
Once and one-half, specific
dates were set for a lunchtime
review of what has happened
since we last met. The first time.
the get-together was being
planned by a mutual friend of
both Miss Anderson and ours.
He got trapped in a fog between
here and New York in an air.
plane that arrived hours late.
Via Richmond, by the way. No
luncheon.
When the second luncheon
was Cancelled by a forgotten con-
fiict in dates. Miss Anderson and
the drama department gave up.
They would see each other, they
agreed ruefully. the next time
she came to Washington.
That's what they thought Yes
terday, Miss Anderson had a
date at the Raleigh Room with
AL Rosen and Scott kirkpatrick
The drama department had one.
same place, with Pat Hayes. Both
luncheons were the usual kind,
half-Social, half-business. By
putting the two social halves to-
gether, the drama department
had a chance to pay its respects
to Miss Anderson. Also to find
out what she has been up to
lately.
What she's been up to. of
course, is a seasons tour in THE
Chalk Garden" She has not
toured in seasons. since "Medea. 3"
which she played here in one per-
Torrance to thousands of adj
mirers at the Sylvan Theater.
Oh, there was a pre-Broadway
visit here since, in I'm The Sum-
merhouse," but nothing like a
national tour, that sort of thing.
Miss Anderson, she smiles.
likes nationwide travel. Espe-
cially in a role as satisfying as
Miss Madrigal in a play as salts
flying as 1.-THE Chalk Graden."
Were people surprised to find
her in a contemporary-size char
acter after such extravagant
roles as Lady Macbeth and
Medea?
Some were," she thinks. But
that is most unreasonable sort
of attitude. It is like thinking
that a symphony conductor is
such a Wagner man that he
should not do Mozart, or perhaps
Respigi. Rather ridiculous when
one thinks about it."
Looking back upon it, Miss
Anderson thinks In the Sum-
merhouse" could have been a
success. 1t was a first play, she
recalls, and to expect instant
perfection from a new play
wright is unreasonable. The
Washington reviews pointed out
flaws that the people in the
production did not need to have
pointed out.
But. there never was time to
make the necessary changes, +"
Miss Anderson remembers. Quite
unbitterly, as experienced stars
remember such things. I'VE
kept playing right through to
the opening night in New York
and to divided or so-so notices.
A delay or a longer road tour
might have made a world Of
difference. But who knows?"
The luncheons separated at
this point, in accordance with
the ages old business-after-
pleasure custom Of the theater.
X
HONORS TIME: Critics also
get a share of the limelight at
this time Of year, awards time
for everyone in the theater,
movies, television, etc.
Locally, it is The Posts Rich
ard Livingston Coe who will
share the Board of Trade-Va-
riety Club Theater Week lunch
con in March with no less a
co-star than Thornton Wilder.
Dicks Cultural Committee award
is the city's thanks for his lead
ership Of flying wedge which
modified Washington's child
labor law with regard to the
theater.
Out of town. in Dallas. the
honored man Is John Rosenfield