Drama League of America 59 East VAN BUREN CHICAGO STREET _ Study Course No. 31 | A YEAR’s oF Oneg-Act STUDIED PECTS AS FOR LIMITED TO PROGRAM TYPES CLUBS AND LIBRARY TWO ONE-VOLUME ACT PLAYS Pays AND NATIONAL INDIVIDUALS FACILITIES, AS- WITH BASED ON ANTHOLOGIES — ONE- FOR STAGE AND AND 2ND SERIES STUDY, IST By Mrs. A. STARR BEST Chairman, DRAMA STUDY DEPARTMENT JANUARY, PRICE, COPYRIGHT, 1927 25c 1927 | INTRODUCTION [NTEREST in the One-Act Play has become so general that there has been for several years a strong desire on the part of the clubs to make use of this form in their regular work. This is a desirable step for many reasons; the one-act play is easily available, flexible to work into an afternoon’s program and offers, as well, a satisfying variety of expression. In one phase or other, it is sure to fit into the mood of the group or to compel the necessary mood; moreover, ance, at with it is much more facile for utilization by the inexperienced, while there is also much less risk of shortcomings in undertaking such a ‘program; even more than all this, the celerity and enthusiasm with which the American writer has adopted this form as a medium of expression, together with the response of audiences in general, seems to stamp it as a form of drama eminently suited to the American temperament. The chief drawback to a study of one-act plays—the difficulty of procuring a suitable variety—is rapidly being dissipated by the obliging publisher. Three things are chiefly desired by the average club in undertaking a year’s program on the OneAct Play. First, a series of pleasurable and profitable afternoons; second, a fairly comprehensive knowledge of various forms; third, a speaking acquaintleast, the outstanding names in this field. The chief drawback has always been the great dificulty of selecting and purchasing so large a collection of books as would be necessary to give an adequate reaction to these three demands. Hence, | the Drama League has never had a One-Act Play Study Course. Now, however, that handicap has been removed, as the variety and scope of plays in P) f the two volumes published by Samuel French will suffice to furnish a very satisfactory first acquaintance with the One-Act Play. The Editor desires emphatically to disclaim any effort whatsoever in this Study Course to select the outstanding plays in the field—dozens that should be familiar to every reader are not represented here. The aim of the course has been far otherwise— namely, to place the student in touch with material in convenient and economical form which shall represent the distinguishing features of the one-act play 1m its various forms and racial aspects. Other and better plays might often have been chosen, but in each case the plays listed are excellent examples of form and nationality, and are, moreover, entertaining and thoroughly satisfying material. Any club member who has pursued this course will have become intimately acquainted with excellent examples of High Comedy, Tragedy, Melodrama, Expressionistic Drama, Farce, as well as with important playrights of America, England, Ireland, Russia, and Central Europe—moreover, he will have had experience in acting, reading, criticizing, and developing the Walking Rehearsals; above all, he will have had the pleasurable experience of enjoying twenty good plays. THE ONE-ACT PLAY By BARRETT H. CLARK The one-acter has played a most important part in the development of several of the best modern dramatists. In the cases of O'Neill and Synge, to mention only two, the fact that they had theaters where they were able to experiment with the form enabled them to try their wings before attempting full-length plays. On the other hand, dramatists like Lady Gregory and Barrie and Yeats have consistently written one-acters because they had something to say in the shorter form that could not be said so well—or indeed at all—in a three or fouract play. If there is need for any justification of the one act play it can be found in the work of such writers as I have Workhouse just mentioned. Ward, Barrie’s Take Twelve Lady Gregory's Look, Pound Yeats’ Land of Heart’s Desire; each play is complete in itself: it is not a long work in embryo, neither is it a scene that might have been taken from a long. Each of these plays is as perfect in its way work. as a short story by Maupassant. We need not disparage the one-acter in saying that it is not so difficult to write as a good long play, though I am sure most writers of short plays will take issue with me on this point. The development of character is what makes a three-act play a particularly difficult task, and character is precisely the thing that in a one-act play is not of supreme For one thing, the one-acter does not importance. allow you time enough for a detailed portrait. In order to draw a good picture of a human being you It is true that in thirty . must have time and space. or forty minutes you can give a fair idea of. charYou acter, but you can hardly show development. can at best etch in a vignette, as the authors of The Little Father of the Wilderness have done; you can create suspense, as Mr. Strong does in The Drums of Oude, or atmosphere, as Mr. Nicholson doesin Meet the Missus; but even in such first-rate work as these there is little light thrown upon the hidden corners of the human heart. Naturally, the best one-act plays are written by dramatists who can suggest, within the narrow limits of their mediums, far more than they actually show on the stage. George Middleton once said that his own short plays were attempts to set forth the ‘enitome of a larger drama which is suggested in the background.” In other words, the one-act play at its best suggests more than it states; allows you to embroider It 1s, like every upon it with your imagination. form utilized by the artist, only the means to an end. WALKING REHEARSAL This method of treating a play is now becoming so popular and widely used that it is almost unnecesHowever, a word or sary to explain its features. THE USE OF THE two of suggestion may not be out of place to those who have not yet attempted it. The Walking Rehearsal is the link between the play reading and the produced play; it often gives the entire effect of the play without necessitating the care and work obligated by production. Need: less to say, it cannot create the illusion nor make quite as intensive an appeal as the acted play, but in many cases its effect is quite equal. Without exception, if at all well done, it is far more effective than the ordinary reading. In giving a Walking Rehearsal be cast exactly as for a the parts should performance, the action worked up as in a performance, the only difference being that the parts are not memorized nor the actors costumed, as a rule. It is easy to see that the great advantage is the saving in time and effort while yet producing a sufficiently adequate effect. More- Over, in many cases, good readers will be quite will- ing to take part in a Walking Rehearsal where they do not need to memorize, when they would utterly refuse to “act.” : For the Walking Rehearsal it is not necessary, but is desirable, to “set” the stage; properties may or may not be used, but it will be necessary to have some properties if the action is to be indicated. It is perfectly possible (and has frequently been done) to create all the illusion of the acted play by a skilled group of readers if carefully costumed on a stage suggestive of the scene, even when only giving a Walking Rehearsal. The actors (or readers) must practice to become accustomed to the handicap of carrying the book, but on the other hand are greatly steadied by not having to depend on their memories. The Walking Rehearsal, then, may be prepared in two rehearsals; it may be very elaborate with carefully arranged stage set and costumes, or it may merely be given without suggesting the background and with a verbal description of the costumes; in either event the parts are read, simulating so far as possible the action, and all off-stage noises should be reproduced. ‘Two rehearsals ought to be quite sufficient for smoothness, except in the case of the play with a great deal of unusual business. In choosing the plays for such uses, care should be taken to be consulted in undertake only such as can be satisfactorily projected in this manner. In all cases the publisher regard to royalty.* should PARLOR PRODUCTION FOR THE ONE-ACT PLAY If, as is contended by many authorities, the OneAct Play demands intimate relations with its audi- ence, then in very truth it should flourish on the parlor production, for under these conditions can be established the most direct and simple contact with its audience. Such makeshifts as are unavoidable and such concessions to the imagination as are every case necessary in producing without a stage should serve to establish an informal and friendly relationship with the matter at hand. Many of the sticklers for efficient and adequate production of a play or none at all, will doubtless cringe at the mere thought of attempting any of these plays without a proscenium arch, wings, draw curtains and all the paraphernalia that goes with a regular stage. But much as we may decry inadequate production, many. lovely things may be done in a simple way informally and without a stage. For the small group, meeting for study purposes only, this very unassuming form may well serve a suficient purpose, while never quite replacing the perfect production for which a play is written. For the purposes of this Study Course we are assuming that all the disadvantages of parlor production have been thoroughly realized, and yet this form has been adopted as the only means feasible under the conditions. What then is a possible way First of all, carry as your to accomplish an effect? fetish, simplicity, and next to that good taste and Jt is best not to strive for realism next illusion. under such conditions, as it will be too impossible to *Tt is necessary in regard frequently to consult the publisher in is as royalty plays, royalty. on these to the Parlor Rehearsals and required for Walking Productions, even when no admission fee is charged. attain and liable to result in a ludicrous effect; let a curtain or a drape or a screen or bit of color suggest what you find it impossible to reproduce. The plays indicated here have been chosen for their adaptability to such production and can all be adequately done without difficult accessories. 7 : If possible, hang a soft unobtrusive curtain across _the end of the room, but if not possible screens may easily be used. In outdoor plays use soft gray drapes around the background of the room and suggest out-of-doors, garden or woods, by using a fern or plant and a bench. ° The matter of lights is perhaps the most difficult problem. If at all feasible to borrow a flood light or any high power light that can be plugged in on the ordinary fixtures it will well repay the trouble to have one of these at each side front, focusing back can used stage one on the stage diagonally; an effective and useful light can be improvised from dish pan and four-way socket with an extension. When the audience is so near it is well not to have too brilliant a stage. Be careful not to make your attempts at production too ambitious. A couple of large plants and a bench against a background of curtains will suggest the set for Red Carnations better than a professional backdrop. A very important point to be borne in mind is not to allow the audience to be too close to the stage but provide a small space between, unused by either, to help create your illusion. If the house which is being used has adjoining rooms so that one be for and for audience, the folding doors may well be employed. In this case the actual doors of the stage room may often be utilized for exits and entrances. It will not be wise, however, to count on making use of any wall furniture or fixtures as normally placed in such a room since it must be borne in mind that the audience on each side the door will not see back of the door line. In reproducing an interior be sire that the pieces of furniture which you plan to use are sufficiently out in the room to be seen. It should be constantly remembered in this form of production that the audience will have difficulty in seeing the action, owing to the absence of eleva- tion. Therefore, no action should be allowed to occur on the floor and all movements should be planned as high as possible. If the director accept simplicity as his guide, and aims to suggest rather than to represent, if he remember constantly that the audience will have difficulty seeing the action and hence only the most striking and easily discerned movements will count, if he plan carefully to make the best use possible of such lights as can be commandeered, he can often secure a very beautiful production by fixing his thought on one distinctive, outstanding feature of the play, and suggesting that so insistently that it becomes a vivid impression, Thus he will have actually impossible to forget. projected the play. PLAYS USED IN THIS COURSE are published in One-Act Plays for Stage and Study, Ist and 2nd Series (French, $3.15 each). THE LITTLE FATHER OF THE WILDERNESS, by Austin Strong and Lloyd Osbourne, lst Series, D. 19k. JUDGE Sa: p. 247. THE WIDOW Pinero, by Jo W. OF WASDALE Ist Series, p. 262. Rogers; Jr. Tst Series, HEAD, by Sir Arthur W._ THE MAN IN THE BOWLER HArT, by A. A. Milne, let Deties> 5. 327. LONESOME-LIKE, by Harold Brighouse, 1st Series, p. 344. , ‘Op o’ Me THuMs, by Frederick Fenn and Richard Price, lst Series, p. 380. PHIpPpPs, by Stanley Houghton, lst Series, p. 409. SPREADING THE NEws, by Lady Gregory, Ist Series, p. 424. A MINUET, by Louis N. Parker, lst Series, p. 444.. THE DRUMS OF QOUDE, by Austin Strong, 2nd Series, p. 15. THE SAME OLD THING, by Roi Cooper Megrue, 2nd ‘Series, p. 131. MegET THE Missus, by Kenyon Nicholson, 2nd Series, p. 117. RED CARNATIONS, by Glenn Hughes, 2nd Series, p. 147. THE Man WuHo Paul Green, Diep AT TWELVE 2nd Series, p. 187. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE, Series, p. 207. - THE CorsicAN THe Brack BoTTLe, Series, p. 311. THE KNIFE, by Henry AT THE Series, - Tue TELEPHONE, p. Host, SEVEN by Martin 383. by Seumas | Arthur by De Andre by Ferenc Molnar, 2nd Housum, O’Brien, Jones, : by Flavin, 2nd Robert by LIEUTENANT, 2nd Series, p. 271. p. 329. O CLOCK, 2nd 2nd Series, Lorde, 2nd Series, p. 405. PROGRAMS BASED ONE-ACT PLAYS ON STUDIED AS TO TYPES AND NATIONALITIES FOR CLUBS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED FACILITIES SUGGESTIONS. FOR A YEAR'S PROGRAMS BASED ON THE USE oF Two ANTHOLOGIES— OnE-AcCT PLAYS FOR STAGE AND STUDY Published by SAMUEL FRENCH SEVEN MONTHLY MEETINGS DEALING WITH VARIOUS FORMS OF ONEACT DRAMAS ALL CONTAINED IN ONE ANTHOLOGY—20 PLAYS Each member should have a copy of this book A—AMERICAN PROGRAM I Paper on SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ONE-ACT PLay IN AMERICAN DRAMA (10 minutes only) References: Introduction to One-Act Plays for Stage and Study, 2nd Series; The Craftsmanship of the Play, by 22: The Drama of Transition, Studies in Stagecraft, by Clayton Hamilton, by Thomas OF A SYMBOLIC PLAY Drama, of American Chapt. by Isaac Goldberg; Rep. One-Act Plays by American M. G. Mayorga (Biog. notes and Case 37; Chapt. Wilde, Percival One-Act Authors, by intro.); The Dickinson; A Study of the Modern Drama, by Barrett H. Clark; The Playwrights of the New American Theater, by Thomas Dickinson. READING A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE, by Martin Flavin WALKING REHEARSAL OF AN EXAMPLE OF COMEDY (With costumes and settings, using the end of the parlor with couch and dressing table to suggest bedroom.) MEET THE Missus, by Kenyon Nicholson FIVE-MINUTE SKETCH ON AUTHORS OF THE Day's PROGRAM—Kenyon Nicholson, Martin Flavin and Glenn Hughes. : PRODUGIZON” OF AN EXAMPLE OF HIGH COMEDY RED CARNATIONS, by Glenn Hughes (To produce this play use screens or drapes for background and sides, and set with bench.) PROGRAM II Paper on TYPES OF DRAMA illustrated by these selected plays—Comedy, Folk Play, Melodrama, Expressionistic Drama, High Comedy, Problem Play. References: Playmaking, by Wm. Archer; Principles of Playmaking, by Brander Matthews; Dramatic Technique, Laws by G. and. Technique, WALKING P. by REHEARSAL (not in costume) Baker; The Elizabeth Woodbridge. Drama—lIts “OF A’ FOEKVUPIAY. Jupce LyNcu, by J. W. Rogers, Jr. FivE-MINUTE Review of J. W. Rogers, Housum and Roi Cooper Megrue Robert PART: READING COSTUME .OF. PLAY AN. (seated HISTORICAL and not “OR in costume) THE CorsICAN LIEUTENANT, by Robert Housum PRODUCTION OF A FARCE THE SAME OLD THING, by Roi Cooper Megrue (Use the end of the room with ordinary furni- ture Paper AcT as available; on PROGRAM III OUTSTANDING WRITERS PLay FIELD screens IN for draw AMERICA, curtains.) IN NOt THE ONE- COVERED IN THIS COURSE Suggestions: George Middleton, Susan Glaspell, Alice Brown, Eugene O'Neill, Alice Gerstenberg, Eugene Pillot, Zoe Akins, Percy Mackaye, Alfred Kreymborg, J. Wilbur Steele. READING ELAY THeE OF COSTUME -OR HISTORICAL (By one good reader) LITTLE FATHER OF THE WILDERNESS AUSTIN STRONG By Austin Strong and Lloyd Osbourne FIVE-MINUTE PAUL GREEN PAPER ON AND PART READING OF A FOLK PLAY THE MAN WHuHo DIED AT TWELVE By Paul Green O'CLOCK WALKING REHEARSAL OF A MELODRAMA (in costume with. screens; use off-stage noises if possible to suggest guns and cannon) THE DRuMS OF OUDE, by Austin Strong B—ENGLISH PROGRAM IV Paper on TYPICAL ASPECTS OF ENGLISH ONE-ACT PLAyYs References: English Dramatists of Today, by Wm. Archer; Tendencies of Modern English Drama, by A. E. Morgan. 3 THE HEAD oF WASDALE Wipow TYPICAL OF READER BY ONE READING MELODRAMA Pinero By Sir Arthur Wing OF TYPICAL REHEARSAL WALKING | TUME PLAY THe Minuet, by Louis N. Parker Five-MINUTE HIGH ENGLISH ON PAPER PRODUCTION (in costume) Tur IN MAN BOWLER THE COsCOMEDY HAT By A. A. Milne (Compare this with the American play which is similar: merely use end of room with ordinary | furnishings and screens.) PROGRAM EXPERTS IN THE ONE’ Paper on LEADING ENGLISH Galsworthy, Milne, Barrie, ForM—Shaw, Act V> Jones, Brighouse. References: A Study of the Modern Drama, by Barrett H. Clark; Some Contemporary Dramatists, by Graham Sutton; Repr. One-AAct Plays by British and Irish Authors, (biographical notes). by H. Barrett Clark; PART READING (SEATED) OF A PROBLEM PEAY * THE KNIFE, by Henry Arthur Jones WALKING REHEARSAL OF A "Op-0’-MeE-THUMB FOLK By Frederick Fenn and Richard Price AN EXAMPLE OF PRODUCTION OF COMEDY (with costume and setting) Puipps, by Stanley Houghton PLAY HIGH C—-DIALECT PROGRAM Paper on OUTSTANDING DRAMA Irish Plays READING OF References: nelius Weygandt. PART LONESOME-LIKE, VI OF IRISH CHARACTERISTICS and by Playwrights, Cor- Brighouse by Harold Paper on the IrRIsH DRAMATISTS AS USERS OF THE One-Act FormM—Lady Gregory, W. B. Yeats, St. John Irvine, John Drinkwater, William Boyle, etc. References: Biographical Notes in Rep. One-Act Plays by British and Irish Authors, by Barrett H. Clark: Irish Plays and Playwrights, by Cornelius Weygandt; Excellent Bibliographies in a Study of the Modern Drama, by Barrett H. Clark. WALKING REHEARSAL OF Tue Biacx BoTTLe, by Seumas Short Paper on the ABBEY THEATER References: Gregory. PART Our Irish Theater, READING OF SPREADING THE News, D—FOREIGN OR Paper on the ONE-ACT The Modern Study Augusta by Lady Gregory VII PLAYWRIGHTS EurRoPE —- Sudermann, Molnar, etc. sohn: A Lady TRANSLATED PROGRAM References: by O’Brien Schnitzler, Drama, of the Modern OF CENTRAL Wiedekind, by Ludwig Drama, Lewi- by Barrett —H. Clark; Rep. One-Act Plays by Continental Authors, by Montrose J. Moses; Introductions and Biographical Notes in the following—Contemporary One-Act Plays, B. R. Lewis; One-Act Plays by Modern Authors, Louise M. Cohen. PART: READING OF Tue Host, by Ferenc Molnar Paper on THE RUSSIAN ONE-ACT SCHOOL References: The Russian Theater, by Oliver Sayler; The Contemporary Ideals and Leo Wiener: M. Drama of Russia, by Realities in Russian Literature, by Alexander Kropotkin. Paper on NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ONEACT PLAY PRODUCTION OF At THE TELEPHONE, by Andre de Lorde (Do not try to make setting, except for a few chairs and the telephone.) COMMEDIA DELL ARTE REVIEW OF THE COURSE Put the names of all the plays covered by the Cast the play course in ‘a bowl and draw one: drawn with members present and present without from text, improvising and without rehearsing memory of the previous reading. CENERAL REFERENCE FOR ENTIRE COURSE Tue TECHNIQUE OF THE B. Roland Lewis (Scribner). THE CRAFTSMANSHIP by Percival Wilde OF ONE-AcT THE (Little Brown). PLay, ONE-ACT by PLAY, re PLAYS FOR AND STUDY ONE-ACT STAGE FIRST SERIES Plays by American, Contemporary English and Irish Dramatists 25 Preface by AUGUSTUS THOMAS PLAYS BY: Augustus Thomas, George Ade, William Gillette, Rachel Crothers, Victor Mapes, William C. De Mille, Richard Harding Hopkins, Davis, Edward Peple, Arthur Richard Pryce, Stanley Houghton, and Osbourne Lloyd Taylor, Laurette Austin Strong, Zoe Adkins, J. W. Rogers, Ir., Sir Arthur Pinero, Henry Arthur Jones, A. A. Milne, Harold Brighouse, Fredk. Fenn and _ Hartley Manners, Lady Gregory, Louis N. Parker, W. W. Jacobs, Oliphant Down, Clare Kummer bound 1 Price, votume. ONE-ACT $3.15 Postpaid PLAYS FOR AND STUDY SECOND Irish, French SERIES Plays, never before pub- 21 Contemporary lished in book STAGE form, by American, and Hungarian English, writers. Preface by \WALTER PRICHARD EATON PEAY o BY: Fred Ballard and Pearl Franklin, Edward Childs Carpenter, Elmer L. Rice, Harvey O'Higgins and Harriet Ford, Roi Cooper Megrue, Kenyon Nicholson, J. W. Rogers, Ir, Glenn Hughes, Paul Green, Martin Flavin, Charles O’Brien Kennedy, Robert Housum, Lady Gregory, Seumas O'Brien, Ould, Hermon Jones, Arthur Henry Oliphant Down, Ondre de Lorde, Ferenc Molnar, Austin Strong 1 bound volume Price $3.15 Postpaid We Take Pleasure in Announcing the Publication in Apvil of THE 3rp SERIES OF ONE-ACT STAGE PLAYS AND FOR STUDY 21 Contemporary Plays, never before published in book form, by American, English and Irish writers. Preface by PERCIVAL WILDE CoNTENTS Onz oF THOSE THINGS NAPOLEON CROSSING George Kelly THE JANE, JEAN, AND JOHN KNIVES FROM SYRIA ROCKIES Percy MacKaye Alfred Picsatne Lynn Riggs Tue KITE Holland Hudson Tue ELIcIBLE Mr. BANGS, Robert Housum Tue LONDONDERRY AIR Rachel Field L. Ehrlich Ida CHANGING PLACES THE SUNDIAL THE VOICE Unto Mary SucH GLORY MEANS WHAT Must Youtu PAPERS DAVE THE OF Be Servep' THE Dip THEY WHEN DUETTO SHE WEATHERVANE THE BETRAYAL | F. Halman Paul Green SAYS J. W. Rogers ° Lady Gregory Seumas MEET THE = Harriet Ford Clare Kummer SNAKE . Doris COBBLER’S DEN CuPID IN CLAPHAM Eugene Pillot O'Brien Elizabeth Baker AGAIN? Harold Brighouse Katherine S. Burgess ELOPES Alice C. D. Riley Padriac 1 Bound Volume PricE, $3.15 POSTPAID Colum Sa et \ gern he oe Cod a) ey Canit At) " ‘ Dra’ y elected president of the Drama club for the coming year.B. The o Way, ARS. ARTHUR D. BA RBER, recentl Herman Mrs. with w Bigelo Hotel y morning at the 3 club held its annual break fast Saturda sing president and Mrs. Barber as honored guests. ey ‘5 Kits va ecege = ok 25 ae