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