The Republican., 1962-08-30
Review of The Play

With the performance of Kiss
and Tell the Garrett County Play
house completes its 1862 season
which perhaps as whole provided
more vicissitudes than in any previ-
Gus season so far Indeed it might
be said there was the question as
to the continuation of the Play
house as a unit. The fact that all
these difficulties have been over
come and the regular weekly
schedule continued speaks equally
well for both the management and
the acting company. In his review
of the play the week following the
fire this reviewer spoke of the
Phoenix and suggested the estab-
lishment of a Phoenix fund to pro-
vide for finer playhouse in
seasons to come. 1t is very gratify-
ing to have some contributions as
result of this plea and it is the
hope that additional generous con-
tributions will continue to come
forth.
As to the quality of this years
presentations it would be most I'M
fair to be too critical in assessing
the season. This because the need
of presenting two productions
Someone Waiting" and Harvey"
at the bennett Road school, In
spite of this one would be less
than honest to state other than
this has been one of the better
seasons. Not the best but one which
is above average OF the seasons
offerings it is this reviewers opin-
ion that the best staged and acted
presentation was THE Male Ami
NAL" This perhaps because the
show itself might be said to be a
superior script. The least interest
ing and entertaining was Some
one Waiting, and the less said
about this the better.
Judging from attendance it
would seem viewers prefer light
comedies which they know about
and which perhaps they have seen
either on TV or in the movies. Per-
haps next year one might consider
four old established comedies. just
to see what happens. Sometimes
the somewhat hoary old timers will
fool you
To get back to this weeks offer
ing Kiss and Tell. This was sue
cessful on Broadway and also on
the road The characters in the
play later became famous on radio
and TV and in a family situation
type of weekly show There is moth
ing that is socially conscious in F.
Hugh Herbert's offering Nothing
but lot of laughs provided by the
members of the average American
families and their teenage sons and
daughters The cast this week is
large and two local players and
four visitors are employed.
Kiss and Tell is Corliss Arch
er's shoW-and in the same vein is
Mary Ann Craigs tour de force
This weeks accolade is bestowed
upon, and hats are DOTTED, to the
enjoyable Miss Craig. Mary Ann
is a believable teenager who re-
minds one of Joan Caulfield in the
original cast Mary Ann enters into
the fray with gusto and seems to
be getting a bang out of playing
the teenager To her-congratula
tions for a fine performance.
Among the summer residents APP
pearing in this weeks show are
the Salk brothers, Darrell and
Jonathan They must be singled
out and recommended on splendid
bits of thespian endeavor. Jonathan
is the kid brother who gets into
everyOne's hair and Darrell is the
unfortunate Dexter who almost be-
comes the fall guy.
1t was a pleasure this week to
have Director Tom Calkins play
one of the leads. Tom is a fine ac-
tor and it is satisfying to see him
again in action.
The remaining members of the
resident company as well as the
other local and visiting members
of the cast contribute much to the
smooth running of the performance
which is full of laughs and an ex-
cellent choice to close the season.
So with this farewell for 1862
and with the aid of all-letS look
forward to a greater season in 1868.
DAITNTC DTNITD