Image provided by: Ashland School District #5; Ashland, OR
About Southern Oregon miner. (Ashland, Or.) 1935-1946 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 1949)
Shakotpearean 1 «stivai S oclion — A shland Southern Oregon N e ws R eview Thursday, August 4, 1949 Pag« Midsummer Night’s Dream The«us I Egcut Lysander Demetrius Philostratc Quince Snug OKTAL IXJVEKS M u . Mury Jan e Pitts, 10-yeor-oW tugh school a<tr<-as. will appear aa Ju liet and Ralph C. Jr. o< Ashland, a student at tin- Paaudena Playhouse*, will so in the production m “Rom eo and Ju liet’' winch will annual Oregon Shakespearean F estival at 2 h x a th ree -week sea so n , «HERE’S MORE ABOUT Ashland Theatre From Page 1 had been a popular southern Oregon entertainment center. But by 1935, nature’s growtfy had turned the Cbautuaqua shell into hardly more than a fading mem ory of the gay days of Chaut- uaqua circits. The Chautauqua shell was in just such a condition when Bow- mer first saw it. As he recalls the Incident, “The first thought that struck me was its strange resemblance to the old Globe the ater of Shakespeare’s day.” Bow- mer returned to the college li brary that afternoon, found a picture of the Globe theater, and sketched it . Everyone who saw his rough drawing claimed it to be "the old Chautauqua shell with a roof on it. That was enough for Bowmcr. During the ensuing weeks, he called together his college play ers and started them in rehear sals of Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice" and Twelfth Night.” Simultaneously, he interested tho^fLhland Chamber of Comm erce in the project of readying the Chautauqua shell for pro- detions. hen, on Julyl 4, 1935, Ashland saw the first two Shake spearean plays that were later to evolve Into Oregon Shakes pearean Festival. Association Created The following year, the Festi- with southern Oregon business men and civic leaders at its helm. The previous two plays were pre sented again, and “Romeo and Julet” was added to the reper toire. By then the Festival had gained scope and prestige, and talent started coming from all parts of the Rogue River valley to join Bowmer and his college' students. In 1937 another play was add ed, “The Taming of the Shrew”. Again in 1938 four plays were presented; this time, “The Com edy, of Errors,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “The Taming of the Shrew" and “Twelfth Night”. By 1938 the Shakespearean Festival was no longer the struggling brain child of Angus Bowmer, but rather a growing evxrt drawin arttention to Ore- and Ashland from far and wide. As evidence of this, one has only to examine the rec ords of the Association. In 1936 the attendance doubled the first year’s figures. Then in i937 the Bottom Flute Snout Starveling Hippolyte 1 termiä Helena Oberon Titania I’uck Peasblossom Cobweb Moth .. .. Mustardseed Attendants Poet- Uur- [tt*y ry*»» (liu s h n e ll StMcUaO attendance tripled that of 1936. A 60 per cent increase over 1937 was shown in 1938. Performed at the Fair Then came 1939 and the Festi val’s most outstanding year. It was in that year that Bowmer took “The Taming of the Shrew” with a cast of nearly 40 players on a tour of California and the San Francisco world's fair It was at the fair that they received wide recognition by presenting their play before t^e e position audience. In addition to the ac tual production, the cast gained even more popularity by mak- (Continued on page 7) Richard Graham, New York (Princeton) Robert A. Scothorn Milwaukie, Ore. (Stanford) Nick Gilroy New York, (Stanford) Philip Hanson, San Francisco (Wash. State) Eddy Barron, Ashland (U. of Wash.) Allen Fletcher Menlo Park, (Stanfod) David Herndon, Ashand, ( Washington School) Angus Bowmer, Ashland George Dorris Springfield, (Univ. of Oregon) John A. Manlove, Portland (Washington H gh) Paul G. Wexler, Portland, (U. of Oregon) Eleanor A. Haines, Auburn* Ala. (Stanford) Naomi Zoe Kaye, Portand (G rant High) Margaret Cox, Brawley Calf. (Stnford) Frederick B. Nelson, Grosse Point Park Michigan Alta Wilson, Reno, Nevada (U. of Wash.) Isaac McCarley, Ashland, (Ashland High) Ix-on McDougall, Medford, (Medford Junior High) Albert Ward, Ashland, (Lincoln School) Dean Mason, Ashland, (Lincoln School) Johnnie Johnson, Ashland, (Ashland Jr. H igh) Laurel Herdon, Ashland, (Washington Schoo) Vivian Stevenson, Ashland (Washington School) Kathy Ingle Ashland, (Lincoln School) George Padgett, Ashland, (Lincoln School) Bobby Snider, Ashland (Lincoln School) Leon Parrent, Talent, (Talenti Grade School) James Sandoe Mary Jane Pitts Director Stage Manager - Book-holder Music A group of Elizabethan ballads and madrigals books written by members of the 1949 Shakespearean Festival BY THORNTON SHIVELY Plays Montague in “Romeo and Juliet” and Duke of York in “Richard II’’ “MONSTER OF LAZY HOOK’’ A mystery story. Autographed by the Author. BY MARGERY BAILEY Plays the Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet" 2 Volumes of Children's Stories. Auto graphed by the Author. “LITTLE MAN WITH ONE SHOE” "WHISTLE FOR GOOD FORTUNE” also included in our large stock of publi cations— "ASIDES" —Special volume of articles on drama festivals, featuring reports by Angus Bowmer, James Sandoe, Richard Neuberger, M. Bailey, on the ASHLAND • SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL of 1948. Illustrated programs of earlier Festivals, with scenes from the plays. TELEPHONE 8011 270 EAST MAIN ASHLAND, OREGON The Mart
