Theatricals Music Features
STAGE LUvlES EDNA
THOMAS FROM
EXECUTIVE ROLE
“Once a pancake, always a pan
cake,” Laughed Edna Thomas as
she sat in her dressing room at
tho Lafayette Theatre waiting for
the curtain to rise on the WPA
Federal Theatre Projects “Androc
des and the Lion” in which she
■ plays the role of Lavinia.
In the screen play of “Imitation
«Jt Life” Ned Sparks referred to
Louise Beavers as “once a pan
cake, always a pancake” because
she refused to give up her pan
cake making and live a "life of
«&se Miss Thomas says that tlhe
phrase easily applies to her own
tory of relinquishing, fo rthe pre
sent, her duties as assistant di
rector of the Negro Theatre to
play the part of Lavinia in "Andro
des and the Lion.”
“After being on the stage twen
ty years or more," said Edna
Thornes, “acting becomes such a
part of you that you can’t easily
resist tho call. When I was asked
to consider giving up part of my
work as assistant to Mr_ Smith ir(
order to do Lavinia, I secretly re
joiced. Linvinia had always been
a fascinating character to me, and
»ot having acted for almost three
years, I just couldn’t refuse."
While playing with Lenore Ul
ric in “Lula Belle,” the Theatre
Guild asked her to read the part
of Bess in “Porgy,” a play deal
ing with Negro lafe in Charleston.
Quyiously enough, Miss Thomas
was quite unfamiliar with Negro
dialect. Although born in Virginia,
aho was taken to Boston when only
r year old, so her background and
Recent were Bostonian. However,
ahe got the poems of Paul Law
rence Dunbar—all written ip Ne
gro dialect—and learned them and
went back and read the lines of
Bess. She was given a contract, j
Miss Thomas was elated. Here,'
Rt last was a true Negro play—:
tho play she had always wanted. J
Then suddenly, tragedy intervened.
Tho Helwards, authors of “Porgy,”
found her * to refined, too white”—
they wanted a -“natural.” Miss
Thomas was offered the part of
Clara in the same play, but she.
refused it, for, after announcing
to all her friends th atshe was
going to play Bess, this was a,
real humiliation.
I j? no re Ulric saved the situa
tion. When she 'heard that Edna
Thomas had signed a contract for
“Porgy” she was furious. She told
her to break it at once in order
to travel with her in “Lulu Belle”
So, instead of playing Clara, Miss
Thomas went on tour with Miss
Ulric. Later, however, she did play
the part of Clara in “Porgy”—
here and in Europe,
Miss Thomas’ next Negro play
was Hal Jofonson’s “Run LiP chil
lun”, in which she played the role
of Ella. “After hearing the plot
of “Run LiP Chillun” and read
ing the l ues she said, “I think it
would have broken my heart to
havo played Ella. For despite my
in Virginia and loved southern
Bostonian background, J was born
traditions.” Miss . Thomas’s last
important Negro, role . was in the
Theatre Un’on” “Stevedore.”
Three years ago Miss Thomas
played Lady Madheth in the WPA
Federal Theatre Project’s “Mac
beth.” Now, she is portraying a
Christian martyr in Shaw’s “An
drocles and the Lion.”
__ n O a
ALACHUA TEACHERS IN
ANNUAL MEET
Gainesville, Fla, Feb. 9 (ANP)—j
The Alachua County T chers As
sociation closed its annual meeting
here Saturday with the election of1
officers During the ten-day session !
addresses were delivered by Horace
F. Zetrouer, county superintendent
of education; Dr. J. D. Haygood,
professor of education, University
of Florida; Miss Charlotte L. Ford,
professor of education, Bcthune
Cookman college; Miss J. \V. Ro
berts, instructor in music, Bethune
'Cookman college; A. L. Holsey of
the AAA. Washington, and R. G.
Manchester*, city recreation direc
tor..
Officers elected were R. T. Smith
president; Mrs. Doffney Duval,
vice president; Miss Jesse Neal,;
secretary; Miss 'Carolyn Porter, as
sistant secretary and Mrs C. V.
Mills treasurer.
Edna Thomas, who won Broadway
Stardom in “Stevedore” and who
played Lady Macbeh in the WPA
Federal Theatre’s play of the same
name portrays “Lavinia” in Shaw’s
“Androcles and tre Lion," which
tho WPA Federal Theatre has re
vived at the Lafayette Theatre in
Harlem with a cast of 100 NegTo
actors.
LIKES DRAMA
Prcr. M. B. Tolson
1 rofessor of English and direct
or dramatics and debating at Wiley
college, Marshall, Tex., who Iso
finds time to be managing editor.
of The Oracle, organ of the Omega!
Ifit Pni fraternity Prof. Tolson is
a graduate of Lincoln (Pa.) and I
Columbia, ar.d his writings have
appeared in some of the best ma
gaz'nes. (Calvin Service).
BANS MARIAN ANDERSON
I). A R. IGNORES PROTESTS;
Washington, D. C. Feb. 8—Des
pite the protest of famous per
sons in the world of music includ
ing stars of the Metropolitan Opera
and a strong telegram from the
National Association for the Ad
.'ancemcnt of Colored People, the
Daughters of the American Revo
lutic-n voted to uphold its ban a
gainst the appearance of Mariar
\nderson in a concert which was U
have been held at Constitution Ha!'
here April 9.
The action of the DAR was taker
by its board of directors at a meet
' lg hero Thursday. It was followe
n the heels of strong protes
cro from Lawrence Tibbett and
' r- ten Flagstad, stars of the Met
'politan Opera; Leopold Stokow
•ki, former director of the Phil
tlelphia Symphony Orchestra; and
Walter Damrosch, famous coaipo
or and musician, of New York.
In a telegram to the DAR, sent
January 21, Walter White, secre
tary of the NAACP said:
“May we respectfully urge re-1
ocation of the ban on other than
white artists appearing in Consti
tution Hall. Specifically, the re
fusal to permit Marian Anderson,
distinguished Negro Contralto, to
sing there in April has shocked mu
sicians, music lovers, and fair
minded Americans, from a building
named by the Daughters of the
American Revolution ‘Constitution
Hall’, violates the very spirit and
purpose of the immortal document
after which the Hall is named.
NAACP attorneys are consider
ing filing a petition to have the
tax exempt ruling on the Hall res
cinded. The valuation on the
ground is $585,254 and on improve
ments, $2,043,000.
-0—
Henry Ford is one of scores of
internationally famous persons ex
pected to attend the World Con
gress of the Society of Automotive
Engineers, at the 1939 Golden Gate
International Exposition.
‘Huckleberry Finn*
Stars Rex Ingram
Mickey Rooney and Rex Ingram In “Huckleberry Finn.”
REX INGRAM SENSATION IN
"HUCKLEBERRY FINN"
HOLLYWOOD, February— A
Negro actor today is enjoying the
warmest public reception for a mo
on picture performance that has
been accorded one of his race since
Louise Beavers became a sensa
tion in ‘‘Imitation of Life."
The man ii Rex Ingram, prob
the finest Negro actor In Am
erica today. The rol.e is that of
Jim, the runaway slave in Metro
Goldwyn-Mayer’s filmization of
Mark Twain’s “Huckeberry Finn”
in which Mickey Rooney is starred
as Huck Finr.
When Producer Joseph L. Man
k'ewicz set out to make “Huckle
berry Finn”, he and Director Ric
hard Thorpe planned to make the
high point of the picture the ever
present love for freedom in every
man. This theme was centered in
Jim, the slave whose life was
wrapped up in his desire for a free
life, and the understanding of free
Jom which this great man brought
to a river boy.
Since the role of Jim was liter
lly a co-starring one with that of
I-Iuck, as played by young Rooney,
. IGM wanted the greatest avail
blo Negro dramatic actor. Rex
digram was .chosen. Ingram, who
iayed “De Lawd1’ on the screen
i “Green Pastures” and did sev
. al Broadway plays, was appear
g in New' York in “Sing Out Che
jws” at the time “Huckleberry
inn” was being planned.
Al:bough not a singer and dan
vr, ho was a hit with the “Frank
■l D. Roosevelt Jones” song, dur
;g which he danced. He was
Vougfht to Hollywood for the Jim
'do and today, as “Huckleberry
’ inn” is made ready for release a
rcund the nation, it is predicted
' a will be a sensation.
Already, the picture has been
previewed twice and it is a remark
able thing that half of all audience
reaction cards turned in have prais
ed his performance. Such reaction
for a Negro actor has never been
experienced in Hollywood before.
Meanwhile, Ingram has returned to
the Broadway stage to wait until
Hollywood beckons again with an
other fine role.
Professional models and actresses
were barred in the contest to se
lect a Queen of all Nations to rule
over the “Streets of the World”
concession at the 19C9 World’s Fair
of the West
—-1-—oOe
Every section of California will
bo included in an indu trial aeci-.
cent prevention protographic sur-j
vey to be exhibited at the World’s
Fair of the West on Treasuro Is
land. • <i
ELLINGTON MUSIC FROM
NAACF PARTY ON CHS
FEBRUARY 11
The time for the broadcast of
Cuke Ellington's band on February
11 from the NAACP aniversary
dance in Harlem will be 12 nvid
n'ght to 12:30 a. m. EST instead
ef 11:30 to 12:00 previously an
nounced.
NATIVES OF CEYLON KNOW
ONLY 3 NEGROES; ASK IF
RACE IS PAGAN
_
Colombo, Ceylon, Feb. 4—By'
Martin L. Harvey Jr. for ANP)
Ceylon, world famous for its tea,
is under British rule, from which
many benefets and some ills have
been received. The tea plantations
which we have visited were very
eff ciently operated, although the
workers both in the fields and ehe
wan.houses whee e the tea leaves
weeo cured received pitifully small
wages .judged by any standard.
The idea of organizing labor unions
has mado little progresi because
of the oversupply of workers, and
the sense of individualism among
the poorer classes.
Wo are amused to note the we
ird ideaH hold by many of the peo
ple, including the educated classes,
•sbouu American Negroes. Almost
. every. pers< n with wham we talked
knew about three American Ne
groes: Joe Louis,. Father Divine
and Bill Robinson. Some of -the
Christian people asked me if it
way true that all Negroes in A
m rica were becoming pagans, and
when I inquired as to the reason
for the question the -eply almost
invariably was, “Well, we heard
that they had stopped following
esus Christ and were following a
new Lord.” Bill .Robnson wan
known because of the Shrley Tem
plo pictures which were very pop
ular, and a group of high school
students to whom I -spoke were
amazed when I could not comply
with their request to give an exhi
bition of tap-dancing.
We met with several youth lea
gue. composed of college students,
which were organized for political
purposes. The burning question
was the achievement of dominion
status. -Intense nationalism was
expressed by many of these stu
dents, and I was told that a young
man who had received his higher
education in England was defeated
for a seat in the political assem
bly because he wore western cloth
ing. It would appear that this turn
ing away from western customs
and the rise of nationalism was
partly a result of the influence of
the Ghan ii movement in India.
I
LI. ROBINSON HEADS
LL-STAR CAST AT NAAC'I*
JIRTHDAY R\LL
New York, Feb. 8—Bill Robinson
Vmerica’s Number 1 tan dancing
tar has added his name to the
rowing list of stage, night club
nd rad o stars who will appear
. tthe 369th Armory here February
1 at thg Duke Ellington dance in
mnor of the thirtieth annivarsary
f the National Association for
he Advancement of Colored Peo
ple, officials of the Association
announced here today.
Other famous stars in the world
of stage and musical entertain
ment who are expected to appear
include: Willie Bryant who will be
master of ceremonies along with
Duke Ellington, Teddy Wilson, of
the Benny Goodman aggregaton
Fredi Washington, Mildred Baile^.
Ivy Anderson. Victor Moore, Al
berta Hunter, Henrietta Lovelace,
Mercedes Gilbert, tihe Radio Rouges
Milly Banks, I»uis Armstrong, W.
0. Handy, Cab Calloway, Rosita
Tharpe ,and many others.
Duke Ellington and his famous
'rehestra, who are donating their
•ervicer. for the affair, will play
hrougV.out the dance, which is ex
ctcd to attiact more than 6,000
-rscns to mak? the dance one of
■ largest affairs of its kind ever
held in Harlem.
Mor. ;h-<n fifty c’vic. Dolit '’''1
■*-bji un liberal organizations have
akcr boxes for the dance, which
is expected to draw an audience
from sections of New Yoik State
and northern New Jersey officials
announced that only ten boxes of
the 62 on the f'rst and s«cond tier
surrounding tbs armory are left.
The entire third tier wild remain
open to the public without charge.
Tho Columbus Broadcasting sys
tern, will send the music of Duke
Ellington over its network for haP
an hour on that n'ght, in order that
NAACP branches ehroughout the
country, who are giving similar
dunces, may tune in.
The program will be heard over
the CBS national hookup from 12
to 12:30 instead of 11:30 to 12 as
previously announced.
Key cities in many states out
side New York, where the NAAOP
has branches wilJ also hold dances
on the same night. The states heard
from to date include: Arkansas,
California, Illinois, Kansas. I»ui
siana, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Penn
sylvania, South Carolina, Texas,
Utah, and Virginia. Special dances
will also be held in sections of
upper New York State, and North
ern New Jersey.
— —0O0-■—
NATIONAL NEGRO BUSINESS
LEAGUE CHOOSES OKLAHOMA
CITY; ADVANCES PLAN FOR
NEGRO BUSINESS TRADE
JOURNAL
Atlanta, Feb. 3 (ANP)—< The
.939 session of the National Negro
'usinobs League will be held in
klahoma City, Okla., Aug. 29, 3U
nd 81. The strong Oklahoma City
lusincss League which, under the
leadership of President George R
’agland, Secretary M. K. Rowar
nd Chairman of the Executive
Committee Roscoe DtJnjee, ha
jeen waging a battle for more than
. year to bring the business men
>f the country to the oil capital of
he world, suceeded in winning the
Peering committee of the league
jver to their of thinking at its
meeting held here Saturday night.
Atlantic ‘City and Hampton In
I stituto were the two contest'nr
;roups, Hampton pointing to the
fact that business league are be
ing developed in many of the citic.
of that state and a state-wide or
ganization has been formed. Atlan
tic City dazzled the entertainment
feature for the famous resort be
fore league officials as well as
'ts proximity to New York’s World
iaae. Anita is running full flas.
fair. Tho growing interest in the
’eague, which W being shown by
business men all over the country
hos-o days, the widely varied busi
nesses of Oklahoma City as well
as the wide Hung programs for
study of progressive business met
hods and unusuals entertainment
won the day for the persistent
Oklahomans
JESSIE COVINGTON DENT $
JESSIE COVINGTON DENT of
Nerw Orleans, nationally known
concert artist, is being presented in
three p ano recitals in Texas thi.s
week. Mrs. Dent, whose playing
has been described as “a thing of
delight ” has been notably success
ful on the concert stage and has
appeared as pianist in practically
all of the major schools and col
leges of the South.
Mrs. Dent will be presented un
NEG ARGUMENT ORDERED IN j
I
TEACHER SALARY CASE
Baltimore, Mr., Feb. G Judge W.
Calvin Chesnut, in the federal dis-,
trict court here, has ordered addi
tional argument on February 11 ini
the suit to enjoin the distribution
of the stat? educational funds on1
Maryland for Teachers’ salaries
The suit was brought by Walter j
Mills, a colored principal of Anne
Arundel county, representing Ne
gro teachers and principals of the
state. Attorneys of the NAACP
arc acting for Mr. Mills. If the
injunction is granted it will hold
der the auspice.- of the NAA7P of
Houston on Feb. 8; by the Delta
8igma Thvta sorority, of whicth
she is a -member ,at Fort Worth on
Feb. 10 and by Tillotson college at
Austin on February 13. Later in
the month, Mi-s. Dent will give a
series of recitals in some of the
colleges in Alabama. Georgia and
The Carolinas. In April she will
play a recital at Dillard university
us the closing feature of the uni_
versity’s lyceum series. (ANP)
up all salaries in the state for
white and colored teachers. Mills
and his lawyers contend that the
distribution is unconstitutional
cjxu.se it discriminates against cx"1
ored teachers through p. state sti
tutc.
First argument on the injunction
was held January 14. Thurgood
Marshall, Charles H. Houston and
Leon A. Ransom of the NAACP le
gal staff appeared for Mills.
A typical Norweigan garden will
surround the NWweigian sports
cabin, housing its display at the
1939 California World’s Fair.
IRcnbesvous grille
(formerly the Apex Bar)
A COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF LIQUORS—BEERS AND
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345 W. Ontario St, Dc;>t. 39A, Chiccgj. I I.
