Dearborn independent. [volume], March 13, 1920, Page 14, Image 14

About Dearborn independent. [volume] (Dearborn, Mich.) 1901-1927

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
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This is an exterior view of the barn that has been changed to a theater This shows the interior of the barn used lor a theater and the haymow used as a balcon
A Barn Becomes the Community Theater
THERE are little theaters and little theaters, but
the nialk't in the world is claimed to be in a
barn at Vpsilanti, Michigan. Five years ago,
fifteen people of that town decided that bridge parties
and reception evenings meant time more or less wasted.
They therefore organized a drama society, the purpose
of which wa to meet at stated intervals for the reading
of plays and the serious study of the drama as a con
structive force in American life.
Members were added and the interest became so
keen that it was decided to attempt the production of
some of the better of the one act plays that had been
read. A small hall was rented m which several per
formances were given, but because of the poor stage
and insufficient lighting facilities, it was deemed neces
sary to have a theater better adapted for the class of
plays being presented.
A -mall barn, eighteen feet wide and thirty-six feet
long, at the rear of the Ladies' Library was purchased
and remodeled into a play-house. The money was ad
vanced by a local banker who was one of the original
organizers and who i a talented amateur actor. An
auditorium tUelve feet by eighteen feet, with balcony
constructed from part of the haymow, was made to
seat Comfortably fifty people. The space between the
rafters in the interior of the barn was covered with
wall board A stage was built which has a depth of
twenty-five feet from curtain to sky dome, and a pros
cenium arch 9x15 feet. The interior of the barn was
then painted, decorated, and hung with old English
lanterns. While the exterior of the play-house and the
auditorium arc Klizabethan in appearance, the stage
itself is as modern as the most advanced stage-lighting
devices can make it. With its borders, floods, spots, and
dimmers controlled by cleverly constructed switches,
any desired lighting effect can be secured.
Th is electrical equipment was installed at an ex
pense of about $2,000 and has been pronounced by ex
perts as unsurpassed within its limits by any stage in
the larger ami more elaborate metropolitan theaters.
There is a basement under the entire building where
are located two large dressing rooms, a green room and
a furnace room. The green room which contains an
electric stove, running water, table and cupboards, is
easily converted into a kitchen. After every regular per
formance, a light lunch is served to both audience
and players on the stage which for the time is changed
into a very delightful reception room.
So much for the play-house itself. Although it is
quite unique, the real distinction and significance of the
Vpsilanti players is that they are sell -supporting and
are working toward the ideal of a municipal theater.
At least five sets of one act plays are given annually,
bitty season tickets are sold at $0 each and each of the
forty-five members pays $5 annual dues. With this
yearly income of $475, the organization is paying the in
terest and small amounts on the principal which it bor
rowed to pay for its home and equipment
Every member is subject to call for the manual labor
of scene shifting, as well as the more exciting pleasure
of playing the star actor or actress in some love comedy.
Not only excellent histrionic talent has been discovered
among the membership, but scene painters and period
furniture makers as well. If the committee in charge
of selecting the casts for the various plays knows of
some one in the town outside of the membership, who
they feel will till the part better than one of the mem
bers, they invite the better actor or actress to take part
in the play.
Kach play is studied far in advance of presentation;
posters, tage settings, costumes, and scenery designed,
and if the necessary stage furniture cannot be bor
rowed from members or local furniture dealers, it is
designed and manufactured by the players.
Only one act plays are given two or three at a per
formance. By doing this, a great many more are on
the program than would be possible if one play of
three or four acts were attempted; there beini; the add
ed advantage that no part is so heavy as to become
burdensome. A professional director has been em
ployed but once, and only for one week, to assist in the
preparation of a special program. At all other times
the directing has been done by one of the local
players.
Among the plays given since the play house wa
Occupied three years ago and which show tin versatility
of the players are:
"The Workhouse Ward" (Lady Gregory), "Heleoa'l
Husband' (Philip Mueller). "Pierre Patelin" .Medieval
French Farce), "The Glittering Gate and the ! ost Silk
Hat" (Lord Dunsany), "The Clod" (Lewis Beach).
"Suppressed De-ires" ((ieorge Crawford aid Susan
Glaspell), "Trifles" (Susan Glatpell), "Temperament"
( Mary Aldis), "Another Way Out and Patent Applied
For" (Lawrence Languer), "The Swan Sot;-' ( Anton
Tchekoff), "Two Crooks and a Lady" (Eugene Pillot).
Some original one act plays by the pla r them
selves, which have been played by them, w II be pub
lished in the near future. Among these is (t Clvde
Lord's "A Bit of Art."
The players are becoming a large factor in the
artistic, educational and recreational life : Ypilanti
and they hope that, in the not-far-distant future, suf
ficient interest will be awakened in the devel ,'inent of
the drama as a part of the community lif the peo
ple of Vpsilanti will feel that a municipal arts and
crafts theater is necessary. In fact, quite a ; ;rotfram
have been repeated, due to the very limited I mbef who
can be seated in the play-house at present a- the large
number that desired to attend. This confirm the belief
of the players that a municipal theater seat lw or
six hundred people would be in use constantly, and
they are working with this idea as a goal.
Opening of Government Irrigated Land for Soldiers
and Sailors and the Public
THERE is nut the lea.st doubt in the world as to the
d sire of s,,diers and sailors, and people gen
erally, to engage in farming if they can only get the
necessary land.
In January announcement was made by the De
partment of the Interior of the United States Govern
ment that additional irrigated farm land in the North
Platte ami Shoshone government projects in eastern
Wyoming and western Nebraska would be thrown open
for homestead entry on March 5 and March 13, re
spectively. The total amount oi land to be thus made available
amounts only to 142 farms, each of them ranging in
si from 4(1 to HO aercs. In other words, there are
only enough farms on these two projects for 142 nnre
families.
Bill so hungry are men lor the opportunity to be
come owners of farms that more than 14,000 applica
tions for these 142 farms were received at the Depart
metlt of the Inter toe up to this writing, and letters
of inquiry for applications were still pouring in at the
rate of from 500 to 000 daily. This avalanche of mail
Mrai also being supplemented by 25 or 30 telegrams
every day.
This means that at the least calculation 15,000 people
most!) soldiers and sailers an going to be disap
pointed in their earnest desire to start life on a farm.
Much of tins disappointment, however, could b
overcome if the Reclamation Service of the Interior
Department could secure sufficient funds to complete
irnjfatiofl facilities oil 2,000,000 acres of laud now un
used on government irrigation projects in the V st th.it
are only partially completed.
When it becomei generally known that s,, many
thousands ..j people art trying to get one of those little
farms in the North Platte and Shoshone projects, it is
fair to assume that congressional interest may be suf
ficiently aroused to provide the necessary funds for com
pleting the different projects, thus opening up 2,000,000
more acres for homestead entry by soldiers and sailors
and the public.
Congress has passed a joint resolution providing
that for a period of two years, officers, sailors, soldiers
or marines who have served in the army or navy of
the United States in the war with Germany and have
been honorably separated or discharged therefrom or
placed in the regular army or naval reserve, shall have
a preferred right of entry under the homestead or
desert land laws if qualified except as tgainst prior
existing valid settlement rights and preference rights,
on the opening of public or Indian lands to entry or
the restoration to entry of public land theretofore with
drawn from entry. This preferred right of entry is
granted for a period of not less than 00 rlayi before
the general opening of such lands to the public.
The rights and benefits of this act do not extend to
any person who having been drafted for service shall
have refused to render such service or to wear the Uni
form of the United States,
Accordingly Secretary Pane has applied the pro
isions of this resolution to the opening of lands on
the North Platte and Shoshone projects ,,, VYyoming
on March 5 and 13, respectively
Prom these datev the lands will be open to entn
by soldiers and sailors only, for a period of 60 days
and am lands not entered in that tiin, will be open
thereafter to the general public. The date it which
the public may enter lands on the North Platte is ,v
I, and on the Shoshone Ma 12. 1020.
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