4 SUNDAY FEATURE SECTION SUPPLEMENT FEATURES THEATRES music LITERARY kirian hahntt SECTION TWO VOL. XXI. No. 117 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 1921 PRIC FIVE CENT "Top O, Th' Mornin Emerges Direction From ,e... Chaos Under The Of Shuter Hundred To Travel With Union, Opera CITIES TO BE VISITED ARE NOT /YET DEFINITEIT ANNOUNCED (By M. B. Stahl) When the Union opera special train pulls out. of the Michigan Central sta- tion at a little past one o'clock Friday afternoon, April 8, the longest trip ever taken by the organization will have begun. The return to Ann Arbor will not be made until late Saturday night, April 16, after "Top o' th' Mor- nin'" has been on the road for eight days. In the past the trips have been five and six days in length, but the cancellation of the J-Hop this year will enable the company to start Fri- day instead of Monday. Although the itinerary at this time is not complete, it is definitely known that neither Chicago nor Grand Rap- ids will be played. The impossibilityj of getting theaters in those cities made it necessary to look elsewhere for stands. w -I r rs , r ii- , r n t.rry. GrD-su ya H r m s. }r+: ' 1 . S vany, proprietor of the Blue Goose Inn are the other two comedians. = wliillilllililfllilliiliilllliliil~ lillilllll BeterThan 1920 .tUnioon Opera, Say Promoters Of Show MANY FORMER STARS WILL TAKE LEADING PARTS IN PRODUCTION; NEW TALENT WILL ALSO ADD TO SUCCESS; BROMEL PAINTS SCENERY (By Brewster P. Campbell) The Union Workshop, cluttered with odds and ends. Pieces of colorful scenery standing erect and lying prostrate. Shirt-sleeved youths, some de- claiming, some gesticulating, and yet others engrossed in intricate dance steps. Chaos, organized under the eye of a director, debonair, nonchalant, yet watchful. So, the impressionist might describe the nightly scene at the Workshop in the old Union building, where E. Mortimer Shuter is drilling the cast and chorus for the 1921 Union opera, "Top 0' Th' Mornin'," which will be pro- duced for Ann Arbor theater-goers March 29 to April 2, at the Whitney theater. "Top 0' Th' Mornin' " is something new in the way of University operas. It is the work of Russel Barnes, '20, who also wrote "George Did It," last year's Union production. That Barnes learned much from his first real Hundred on Trip More than one hundred people will make the trip on the special. The company numbers 55 and th'e orches- tra 20. Committeemen, stage hands and others will constitute a' group of about 20, in addition to two authors, E. Mortimer- Shuter, opera director, Homer Heath, manager of the Union. Earl Moore, music director, and a rep- resentative of the faculty. Headquarters of the organization enroute will be in three sleepers and a baggage car, transportation costs of which will amount to approximately $3,000. It is likely that a special loco- motive will pull the cars most of the way, but when in making special jumps they are attached to regular trains, fares must be paid for every person on board. The cost of the trip will be about $12,000 which is an estirated increase of $2,000 over that of a year ago. 'In- creased railroad fares, and living ex- penses on the journey account for the greater cost. An average of from $1,700 and $2,000 must be taken in each day to make- the trip financially successful. Y t e -: FIRST THOUGHTS AFTER A FIRST REID0IISOf THE OPERA Alumni Entertain That opera men will be royally en- tertained while away is vouched for by alumni in all of the cities which are proposed to be visited. Dances and parties after they per- formances are anticipated almost as enthusiastically by the players as the show itself, and hours which other- wise might be dreary are made more than full of pleasure. Enthusiasm for the Union opera is said to prevail in even greater amount this year than ever before, and "Top o' th' Mornin"' is assured of receiving large and cordial audiences every time a stop is made. SAULT STE. MARIE BECOMES STATE'S "CONVENTION CITY" Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.-Several state conventions are to be held in Sault Ste. Marie this year. The Mich- igan State Firemen's association will convene July 12 for a three-day ses- sion and the Michigan Pikes associa, tion meeting will take place late in July. Meetings for which the dates have not been fixed are those of the Michigan Postmasters' association, the Upper Peninsula' Development Bureau and the annual meeting of the Clover- land-Fair circuit. (By Stewart G. Beach)l As far as the book of "Top o' th' Morning" may be considered, this1 year's Michigan Union Opera will be; one of the most successful in the his- tory of the annual ventures. Filled with catchy lines, and a quantity of' real humor, the piece is clever from; start to finish, and what is more, there is a plot whose interest will serve to keep the interest of the audiences up to the highest pitch. As a general rule, a rusical comedy doesn't rely to any great extent upon its plot for its success. There are too many other features to hold the atten- tion of the spectators, and many shows fall down because of this very fact. There is no danger of such a calamity in "Top 0' Th' Mornin'." Russell Barnes has written a book which i-s even better than his success of last year, "George Did It," and the lines leave plenty of room for the humorous touches of, "business" which rehear- sals are perfecting. Locale in Ireland Of course, the locale of the story is Ireland-the traditional Ireland which we know-"the land of fair colleens, of whiskey, pigs and bricks, potatoes, fights and Irish cops," to quote a line from one of the songs, catchy music for which has been written by George H. Roderick, '21E.' The plot is quite up-to-date, too, by the way, considering all of this talk 'which we hear of the freedom of Ire- land. But there is no political propa- ganda. By setting the time at before the war, Barnes will escape any alle- gations which might be put upon him of propounding the Irish question, and in fact, all he does is to weave a pleasant little tale around an old le- gend which claims that when a certain fountain turns green, the kings will return to Ireland. Centers Around Fountain It is a great temptation here to tell all about the clever way in which the fountain is made to act-notice, there is nothing really said about whether it really does turn green or not-but in all fairness to E. Mortimer Shuter who is producing the opera, and to the cast and chorus who are working hard for its success, and lastly, of course, to yourselves, perhaps it would be better to just let it go at that. By the way, though, it might not be telling too much to say that there are' some mighty clever lines slipped in here and there which bring out the laughs at the expense of Ann Arbor traditions, and that there are some real comedy characters who know just how to bring these lines oqt to their best advantage, and that there is a love element running through the en- tire book, and that you will enjoy every minute of the opera. There are lots of other things about it too, such as-but perhaps it would be better to let those go for now. Let's not spoil it by giving out all of the things which will make the 1921 Union Opera the . best of them all. experience with play writing is evi-I denced from the first of the present opera, for at no time does "Top 0' Th' Mornin'" want in humor or lag in interest. George Roderick, '21E, who has written practically all the music this year has outstripped his effort on last year's tunes by far. There is not a song in the entire number which will riot stay in the memory and set one to whistlinrg (nc% it has been heardt Roderick's work has been supple- mented by that of Myron Chon, '2Z and Edwin Meiss, '23, who have b9th contribute I catchy tunes. Bromel Paints Scenes Little need be said concerning the scenic effects after it has been stated that Carl Bromel, who did this work for last year's opera, is at present en- gaged in making the sets for the com- ing production. The interior of the Irish inn, where the first act is laid, has already been' completed, and it is more elaborate than anything which has previously been seen in a Union opera. Chorus work, both singing and dancing, will be one of the principal features of the performance, and Mr. Shuter has been putting much time in with the various choruses, giving them daily drills. Duet and trio dances, which proved so popular in "George Did It," will be used again this year, and Philip Ringer, '22, whose duet dance with Matthew, Lamport, ex'22, received such an ovation last year, will be seen again in a duet dance with William Turner Despite the fact that two or three last minute changes were necessary in the cast, Mr. Shuter expresses him- self as being unusually satisfied with the principals for the production. Kemp Keena, '20, will play the lead- ing male part again, which is assur- ance that both the songs and acting for this role will be capably handled. Marlowe Stevens, '21E, who will be the leading "lady" gives promise of even surpassing Paul Wilson, '23L, who took the feminine lead last year. Rosenthal, a New One To Hilliard Rosenthal, '21, and How- ard Ramsey, '21E, belong the leading comedy parts. Both are new to the opera, 1ut have had experience. Prac- tically the entire cast has an oppor- tunity to do comedy work, however, for the lines are replete with humor. Other principals who will figure ex- tensively in the production are: Al- bert Schirmer, '22E, George Duftteld. '24L, Thomas E. Dewey, '23, W. Lloyd Berridge, '21, Earle C. Kneale, '22. (By Barney Darnton) Chiliconcarnish is about\ the only adjective that is qualified to describe the Union opera, for in the opera there is a bit of everything in just the right quantities to make la well-spiced offer- ing. Wait till you watch 'em, they're a gang of singing and dancing fools; and you will have politics, and revolu- tion, and a Rosenthal black-face act, and a Kemp Keena love scene, and a lot of the "Oirish," God bless 'em. Gets Under Your Skin Something about this "Oirish" stuff gets under your skin; you start think- ing about Mother Machree, and the city council back home, and the Black Tyrone, and Burke's (bottled in Dub- lin). All these are noble thoughts and they are slung in with each admission ticket to the main tent .Of course too deep concentration of the Burke's may result in a rather corpulent expense account next month ,and perhaps an unpleasant interview, but then, ideal- ists always did have a hard row to hoe. Speaking of idealists, this business of producing an ideal opera is frought with a lot of gross materialism. That sweet young thing you are going to see in another week, the; one over there on the right end of the star chorus, doesn't look so high-powered in the rehearsals. The acquiring of these League house ways by a red-bearded stripling of 184 pounds means a bit of work. In the work shop they work, and occa- sionally the place takes on the atmos- pheremof boc May's tea parties. Chamelon Effect The opera you see will have an at- mosphere too. It wil e oplxi the manner of the economic situation, and that complexity will be the result of a bevy of fairies, a fountain of the genus lizard which can change its color without the aid of the painters' union, and one of the kingingest kings you ever saw. All these will work in co-operation with a young American and an ex-bar maid, and a mean set of stage properties. It is announced that the "Oirish" setting for the "Top o' th' Mornin'" has nothing to do with the proposed Tur- ner-MacSwiney debate. "C'hiliconcarnish" Says Scribe of 'Oirish' -Opera I 1. 1 I F I Roderick At His hest, Aided Iy Comers, Writes Mlany Catchy Tunes (By Thomas Edmund) If music makes an Opera, the 1921 Opera will be the biggest hit in years, for variety, pep, originality and catchy tunes have combined with good lyrics to make the music something which will not readily be forgotten. Such songs as- "Fairy Fountain," whose light air is heard throughout the show, "Peggy O'Care," a love song of great beauty, and "Honey," the latest addition to the music of, the Opera, a song which promises to be one of the biggest hits of all, are going to be sung for a long time to come and will run through the minds of those who hear them, for week after they have forgotten their names Many Comedy Numbers "Love songs ain't all the Opera," ei- ther by any means'for it will probably be the best production for a long time, in regard to comedy songs. "Paris (Continued on Page Two) ........ 1 CABELL'S NEW BOOK "Figures of Earth" s Two Stores GAHA A Both Ends of Diagonal Wllalk