155th SEASON
Castings Now Complete
For “Accent On Youth ”
old character actor, is to be play
ed by R. W. Cantwell, while L. W.
Preston takes the part of Flogdell.
a remarkable butler. Gordon Do
ran is cast as "Chuck,” an ath
letic friend .of Dickey’s.
Brought to Wilmington in 1938 as
a member of the Federal Theater
Froject's program to encourage the
art of little theaters, Mr. Ganstier
was director of the Thalians’ ac
tivities for four seasons, produc
ing, among other plays. "Stag*
Door,” “Stop Thief.” "Room Serv
ire,” “Children of the Moon,” "The
Late Christopher Bean,” and “Pen
ny Wise.”
Besides “Accent on Youth.” the
Thalians plan to produce at least
four more major plays during the
coming season, together with sev
eral workshop plays. The four ad
ditional major plays will probably
be chosen from the following list,
now under consideration by t h e
Eoard of Directors: "Claudia.”
"Watch On the Rhine,” “Life With
Father.” “Arsenic and Old Lace."
"Our Town,” “Family Portrait,"
"Angel Street, ’ “Kiss and Tell,”
and “The Women.”
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THALIAN SEASON TICKETS
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MADEMOISELLE SHOPPE
THALIANS BEGAN
HERE IN 1788
By MARTHA JOHNSON KAPLAN
World War II has brought no
final curtain for the Thalians, Wil
mington’s historic Little Theater
group; rather, it has resulted in
redoubled efforts to provide relax
ation and inspiration to a people
weary of the grim realism of the
times.
Few organizations can trace
their history in the misty past
quite so accurately as can the
Thalians. In 1788, a small group
ol Wilmington men organized an
amateur dramatic club called “The
Thalian Association,” now recog
nized as the oldest Little Theater
group in America. It was in Wil
mington, too, that Thomas Godfrey
wrote the first American tragedy,
“Prince of Parthia.’’
Among the early Thalian actors
were judges, doctors, army offi
cers, a bank president, a govern
or, and a man who later be
came a bishop. They produced,
among other things, “The School
For Scandal,” “Hamlet,” “She
Stoops to Conquer,” and “Richard
III.” It was customary in those
times, for male actors to assume
the roles of female characters in
plays, and the Wilmington theater
again pioneered in 1830, when it
introduced women actresses on its
stage.
Professional as well as amateur
performances were given in Thai
tan Hall, with Joseph Jefferson
managing a stock company which
played there for two seasons.
Among 1he great .figures of the
stage who appeared here were
Janashek, the Polish actress, Sa
vini, the great Italian actor, Rich
ard Mansfield, Mary Anderson, and
in later years, Maude Adams, Naz
imova and Robert Mantell.
For two years, the Thalians
worked under the direction of John
F. -Sollers of Baltimore, producing,
among other things, O’Neill’s "In
the Zone,” “Cock Robin,” and Sut
ton Vane’s "Outward Bound.” In
1931, Miss Hazel Skirven of Bal
timore, directed “Poor Dear Moth
er,” a comedy by Stewart Gib
son. Mapy of the Thalians' plays
for the next few years were di
rected by the members them
selves; taking a hand in the di
recting were Mrs. Herbert Blue
thenthal. Mary Louise Hoffman,
Mrs. B. M. Washburn, Louise
Dick. Mbs. Hugh McRae Ann Mil
WORKSHOP GIVES
GROUP GUIDANCE
Under the new leadership of Mi
chael P. Walker, the Workshop di
vision of the Thalian Associatior
is providing instruction, guidance
and encouragement to anyone in
terested in any phase of play pro
duction.
It is the purpose of this organi
zation to teach to beginners the
fundamentals of stage craft and
little theater work, with no mone
tary obligation on the part of those
receiving the instruction. Directior
is given, not only in acting, bul
in stage conduct, play revision,
lighting, make-up, and (he techni
cal aspects of back-stage work.
This auxiliary Thalian group work!
largely with one-act plays, read
irigs, and short poems. Another
function of the workshop theater
is to provide a sort of talent pool
from which the Thalian Association
may draw for their major produc
tion?.
Although he has been an active
member of the Thalian Associatior
for several years, this is Mr. Wal
ker’s first year as head of the
Workshop Theater. -Sgt. B. R. Par
ker. Harvard graduate, and pro
fessional movie director, is ir
charge of classes and actual di
rection of the workshop plays.
Instruction in stage mechanics
will be given by members of ti e
Wilmington Stage Mechanics ana
Motion Picture Opeiators Organi
zation, and lectures will be com
bined with actual experience with
stage equipment.
Meetings of the workshop or,
Tuesday and Thursday nights a(
St. James Parish Hall are open
to everyone.
ton, and Emma Bellamy William
son. A reviewer whimsically call
ing himself “A Minor Character.”
reports that “a noble and perse
vering gi-oup of, amateur artists
struggled with the double edged
and difficult incantations of Oscax
Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being
Earnest’ until it evolved into a
polished production.”
To open the 1933-34 season, the
Thalians presented a play "Love
Is Not All” wxitten by lessie Reh
der, Wilmington’s own playwright.
This same year, the association
took a play of Essex Dane’s “When
(he Whirlwind Blows” (o the an
(Continucd on Page Seventeen)
Castings are now complete and
rehearsals underway for the Thal
ians’ first production of the 1943-44
season, “Accent on Youth,” a com
edy by Samson Raphaelson. How
and P. Ganstier, will direct the
play which was a sucessful Broad
way production in 1934, starring
Herbert Marshall and Sylvia Syd
ney.
“Accent on Youth” is the story
of playwright Steven Gaye. 50-odd,
who departs from comedies which
have made him famous, to write
a tragedy about an old man who
loves a young girl. With his play
barely completed, Gaye becomes
himself the reai-iife counterpart of
the old man in his play, when he
falls in love with his 26-year-old
secretary.
Playwright Gaye will be portray- (
ed by Howard P. Ganstier, while
Mary Pray Conun takes the role
of Linda Brown, the secretary.
Youthful actor Dickie Reynolds will
be played by Guerard Simkins.
Juanita English has been cast as
actress Genevieve Lang, and Lelia
Ellis Corbin as Miss Darling, an
other actress. Frank Galloway, an
I
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Buy Your
THALIAN
Ticket
Here!
A HOLIDAY GIFT THAT WILL DELIGHT
A WOMAN’S HEART. LOVELY FLOWERS
Enhance this Thanksgiving gaiety with a gift of lucious
chrysanthemums. We have them in gorgeous full hloom.
Ato other flowers in season including potted plants . , .
corsages.,. roses... etc. • '
Will Rehder
YOUR FLORIST ( -
121 & St. Opposite Postoffice Phone 7178
Now Is The Time To Select Your
duality Gift Suggestions
* fitted and Unfitted • Wrist
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THERMOS VACUUM-MATIC JUGS
* f E<iePing Foods Hot or Cold — Preserving Ice, etc.
* CHILDREN’S BOOKS * GAMES
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SHOEMAKERS
l 0'^-2-3333 206-208 Princess Sf.
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"IIIIIIIIHilllllllllllllllllipilllllllllllllllllllllllM
Join The Thalian
Association
Membership Advantages
OPEN TO ALL!
Here Are Typical
Questions Answered:
“What is the cost of membership?” There
are just two types of membership—adult
and student. The adult membership ticket
costs $5.00 while the student membership
is just half—$2.50. There are no other fees
whatever.
“What are the admission privileges of
membership?” Both the adult and the stu
dent membership tickets contain five
spaces for the Season’s five membership
plays.
“Suppose I want to take a friend?” All
membership tickets are transferable, and
may also be used by more than one person
at a time. A member may get from one
to five seats at a time with an unused
membership ticket, and always within the
limits of spaces remaining on a ticket,
may take as many friends as desired.
“If I use up my ticket for one or two
plays, how may I see the other plays of
the Season?” Additional membership tickets
are constantly available during the Season
at the same prices as the originals. A
member may purchase and use up as
many Season tickets as he desires.
“Couldn’t I buy individual tickets at the
box office?” Individual admissions in very
limited quantities are sold for each play
for $1.25 each for adults and $.75 each for
students. The membership ticket thus
saves the holder at least $1.25 during the
Season in addition to assuring the member
definite seating accommodations without
depending on box office luck.
“What other privileges are enjoyed by
members?” There are many privileges
available to Little Theatre Members, in
addition to seeing the plays. A member
ship carries the right to vote in all meet
ings. Then, too, there are many other
activities into which members are also
welcomed with enthusiasm. Some of these
functions are Acting in the plays, the study
and application of the principles of Make
up, Properties, Sets. Stage Management.
Workshop, Publicity. Organization ana
Theatre Management—practically a full
“course” in theatricals, or dramatic art.
fill llllllll ■mil.Ill.II ■•MIIIII ■■■■■■ mm.
NOW!
SEASON MEMBERSHIP
$5.00
Student Memberships $2.50
Memberships entitle you to admission to all
Thalian Productions and participation in
all Thalian Activities.
THE THALIAN ASSOCIATION IS YOUR THEATER. IT WANTS
—AND NEEDS—YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. PLEASE
> CHECK THE ITEMS BELOW THAT INTEREST YOU, AND
m MAIL THIS CARD.
JO I AM INTERESTED IN: COURSES IN
0 □ Acting □ Diction
^ □ Make-up and Costuming □ Acting
£ ° !?firecti°\ , □ Stagecraft
§ □ Stage Lighting* and Wiring D Costume, and Make-up
^ □ Scene Painting and Design Cl Playwriting
> I would like to see . ......... Produced by the Thalians
My Name Is: ......
My Address .
My Telephone Number Is ........
is he .
, _ 9
? Coming Home
ON FURLOUGH?'
Any red-blooded American boy gets a big thrill.. in fact, a good m&ny big thrills
out of his training in the armed forces. Yet the biggest thrill of all is that unfor
gettable experience of coming home on furlough. The delight of seeing home
once again ... mother and dad and the girl friend. The unutterable joy of tast
ing mother’s cooking ... of sleeping in his own room. The ecstasy of living sev
eral days in these surroundings with no annoying reveille or taps!
Join The
Thalian Association!
Wilmington’s theatre group
deserves your support—to
carry on its splendid pro
gram. It will give you enjoy
ment throughout the theatre
season.
/* ^
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See that your home looks its best when he comes
home. The replacement of even one or two worn
out, shabby pieces of furniture will work won
ders. May we help you? . .
*