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'4 THE HISSOURIAN MAGAZINE. DECEMBER .13. 1934-

Theater to Reopen With Name‘ Play:  c
Interpretations Are'Especia1b’ 1:’??? Children

Littlé

' “A theater where children can see fairies per-
orming according to their childish interpreta-
tion of these strange little folk. where atud_ents
of the University can visualize their dramatic
productions, and where the Little Theater move-
ment is given a new impctua—-that is what a

mtmlty.” said the New York Sun, speaking of

',}li.:s \\'heat‘.~: illness, will reopen Saturday after-
noon. December 20, with the presentation of a
3\'ativity play by Sara Sapcr. The afternoon
performance of this three-act puppet play will
Tm primarily for children, the evening perform-
ance for grown- ‘.

t is not generally known in Columbia that
the little door, nestled under its steep sloping
znof, (one i s it at the en
jath at 711 Missouri avenue) opens upon a tiny
Trn.-ater-Studio. the scene of experiments in child
-irama which have been lauded all over the coun-
try as an unprecedented departure in the field
of aieual education for children. The compara-
tive obscurity into which the theater has fallen
.- the result of an enforced rest of over a year.
"-‘i’.r.". Miss Wheat became ill_soon after the first
g;_---.;;_n of performances.

.\':tv she is ready to cast her fairy wand over
tat» cozily hidden little house and transform it
into a fairy garden again—to call forth Puck.
the delicious fairy vagabond, Titania, the gentle
queen. and Oberon. the splendid king. and the
zest of the tiny folk of fairyland. However. as
it E.-* at Christmastide that Fairyland reopens.
the fairy folk will rest. and also ll.~l(‘ll to the
story of (tie birth of (‘hrist as told in “The Na-
tivity," the Saturday before Christmas.
certain sense a child's evaluation of
esthetic factors of the visual side of dramatic
' just as mature as the grown
- older person whose trans-
idea is the basis of the child’: concep-
the child sees the fairy as a tiny person.
tion and in aspect and supernatural

ups

H:
O-

'in :'.2nction." said Miss Wheat.

preted by youngsters, are as much unreal and

flies rather than runs. and as puppets can
form any novel sort of movement, the fairy
fol}; of this theater are much more “rt-al" than
children playing the fairy parts.
9 After two years as an instructor in dramatic
visualization with the National Institute of the
Drama League 'n,Chieago, several seasons of
experimental work in New York and five years
of work in the art department of the University
of Missouri, Miss Wheat decided to build her
little theater for children.
| Plays written by students of the University
and by persons of national reputation have
presented under Miss Wheat's supervision. The
results ahe sought lpve been accomplished. little
children love the plays. ' never grow
of watching the fairies perform. The fairy
tolkaretranaportedtotherealworld. Onthe
name living ‘
taixiea and talk with them. censure
at them. never to before they leave to
deep in their little minds their beauty
‘and their kiadlmeas' to othera.
!"ver do these plays tPPeal to children alone.

¢«—j-_._.  : —__.........__ -....;'....._..

Interior of the Little Theater where children can see

Their esthetic, literary. and visual sides have
appealed. to the mature audiences tremendously.

This singular" institution, by itself in yie_en-
tire field in this country. is not self-supp'ortm8-
Although it is not conducted for profit, and is
trying hard merely to sustain itself financially.
Miss Wheat is confident that with the help of
those persons in the community who are eagerly
interested in the advancement of work such as
this, the Little Theater has bright times before

 

wzththeehildmencome the.

Ethel M. Dell Uses Trite Theme

A well-written sfory with 8 trite and over-
\Vulk(‘d theme la Ethel M. Dell's "The Unknown
Quaa'itit_v." .

\\'h_v an author with the pow:-1+ of charac-
ter delineation and description that are poten-
tial in. this book should weave a story around a

plot that cannot lift the book out of mediocrity. -.
at.

is to be wonderc

The plot is the age-old one of a girl who says
she hatts one man all through the story but
\\‘llu finally :.iutrie.- him Complications are
supt.o.=e:lly added by Jeannette, the heroine.
losing all her wealth. and of'course. eventually
seeking employment in the theater. The mana-
gers are pictured, as usual, as coarse and repul-
sive. Again as usual. the despised, but ever gal-
lant hero turns up just in time to save the un-
fortunate heroine and eventually they live hap-
pily ever after.

It would have been better had “The l.'nknown
Quantity" never been written. Probably the best
thing about it is the synopsis, given to advertise
it. which is printed on the flaps of the jacket.
(G. P. Putnam Sons. New York.)

_Education Derived Through Books
“Books cannot take the place of life. Books
cannot give w at experience can give us. But
books can widen and enlarge life illimitably, and
books can clarify and enrich experience."
Thus starts Jesse Lee Bennett's “What Books
(‘an Do for You." «
his is a very readable book. by a man who,
one cannot help feeling. ‘knows books, loves them,
an "s an intimate friend with most of them.
The first part of the book is
priately called “a
boo

ks" and in thiapart Mr M t states I
belief that if everyone would only get ho d of
the right oks to ata wi , books at are
really interesting illuminating to him, he
would grow to love books a educa on as a
whole. He shows how boob help one to become,
educated. .

“ re is no royal "road to

education.” he

says. “and the beat
road." He also elhims that whether at achool
l

is arguments are logical‘
book is not at allhlgh-brow; on fllteontt-ary..it
is written ina lIIW1'Il.Cfl,il|ViflQ style.
‘tic-.vaI0I|s~lII:Ia¢es
in: and disaiueatben‘-.-in .a
clear Be alao

ROHAN1lIC{X3l(EBI, “ONLY 38'.’

0 BE‘ GIVEN wsomeszur -4
nv Luuttop AUDITORIUM  

Humor. pathos and romance‘ characterizes
A. E. Thoman’ three-act play, "Only 38." which
will presented by the members of the Mis-
souri Workshop and the class in dramatic in-
terpretation in the auditorium of Lathrop Iiall
next Wednesday night. The play is a romantic
comedy and is filled with many delightful situa-
' of the play was

a good deal of publicity through the Theater

and the l)r:una magazine.-

~Tl:e .-scene of the first act is in :1 mini:-ter'.<
hon‘.c. The time is It \\‘t‘L‘l{ or two ztfter the
c'c.t;:h of the Rev, Mr. Star.!e_v. Mi.-*. .Q’.£tl’:le_\' is

seen in ll‘ll;'Sl. of packing and is getting re:.(l}' to
leave the tlzirsonagt-. Several of the nu-xnln-r.» of
H4: ('UlllZl'l'g(lllUll ate ll‘l(‘l‘t' uflt-Titus-: 2?: A
and little 2tsSl.~llllit‘t‘. I‘-lrs. .\‘:apl-._\".- .-ituu'.i«-n is
an old one in which the - is left with two
daughters of chllege age it: support on a very
small income. .-\.-‘the action pr0ceed.~'. Mr.-‘. Stan-
it-y is visited lzy her father who i.» an active old
man of 65. lie sells his big grove of pine-o on
I‘-lonumen: Mountain for $20,000 and vflmides to
give to his daughter enough mor.e_v no that she
can send the two twin daughters to i0ll£'5.'t'. This
money enable.-' the old man to help his d‘.-.u,':hte.*
an also to rt-;ill:'.c .1 lift-inm; ambition of going
to Next Yoil.‘

V The .eet.-and not is .-ix weelg.-a later in at College
town where Sinclair College is located. The
widow and her two daughters have moved here.
The two girls are in school. are doing well in
their work and are very popular. Mrs. Staulev.

’ having realized with a shock that .-«he ha5_b¢-«lg.
deprived all of her life of the the ordinary ap-
preciation and enjoyment necessary to happiness,‘ '

15 5l10“~‘ifl8 sins of revot She him secured a
library position and has become attached in a
vital friendship with a member of the facult,\'.
Professor Giddings. Mrs. Stanley's father has
retu from New York, happy and pleased as
in child.‘ lie sees the situation immediately and
1‘08lilt‘S the attitude of his two grand-daughters
who do not approve of the friendship developing
between their mother and the professor. The

professor's strategy, however, clarifies the at- .
 e

 and/hatjnony  almost obt_a' _
Til? ail? or the:‘&ncludlng ad is titer a big

in’ which Sinclair has

5950? Giddinte are also there enjoying a "post
mortem" of the game. '1' e is ‘to‘be a big
bonfire in honor of the occasion. The grand-
father is invited to accompany the young people
to see the bonfire but he declines until he is
Dfompted by Mrs. Stanley and Professor Gid-
-dlnss that he should see a big bonfire again.
The scene closes with Mrs. Stanley and the pro-
. Tassel: sitting before the fireplace in a position
that is characteristic of sophisticated lovers.
The cast will be as follows: Mrs. Stanley.
E“lh¢"' 3938515: Mrs. Newcomb. Betsy Worrell;
Mrs. Peters. Calla France» Flanagan; Mr. San-
born. \0ld\NIlll; Robert Stanley. A. J. Bullard;
Lucy Stanley. Ethel
Betsy Worrell; Sidney Johnson, Sc
her}: Professor Gidding.-, David Nowell‘. Jimmie.
0- D. Otto: Charlie. A. I-‘rank Greeuhall; Alice.
Della Douglas. ‘

Writes Praise of Calvin Coolidge
_ It'collecu'on of extracts from President Cool-
idges _addresses with interpretive comments by
the editor. Edward Elwell Whiting. is published

8’
1':
5’
O
."

under the title "Calvin Coolidge. an Ideals of-

",'l‘‘’“‘hlP-" *3 I flmfilitn boolK—a.nd carn-
Plftn books are seldom of permanent valu¢~it
will be useful until something better appears.

interest and it is desirable to have them in book
“T 13- 756! Ire not given in their entirety, how-
er. nor in hrono ° order.’ ' e to
are quoted where ap-
_C°°lld8¢'a attitude on party government, indi.
"'d“‘,' A"“~"'i°‘“ll|l|. law fibaervance, ed tin
[Ion in governmen

'.l'heedihor~ianotcx-ltinl.-hxcqnim ohnoualy
In admireroftheP.IaIideu£"n:e

*5"¢‘°|=0-Bellitflenlueaaanuunauocthe
nan. wiumtreanrd tothnconuut.u.un

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