THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, MARCH ', 1918.
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"Let's Go!" Company Numbers 46;
Chorus Linked Closely with Cast
One of the most novel features of "Let's Go!" lies in the fact that
practically every member of the chcrus has been given some special skit
to perform. The chorus is thus linked closely with the main cast. and Ile
chorus men and women have far more individuality than in former years.
The complete personnel of tlie company is as follows:
Ruth, a fair daughter of Michigan ............ lone Wilber, School of Music
Tom, in love with Ruth........................Robert R. Dieterle, ' S
Marjorie, another of Michigan's fairest................Marian Treadgold, '2+t
Jerry, amorously inclined towards Marjorie ...........Paul M. Moore, '19
Mrs. Clapsaddle, an Ann Arbor hash-house mistress... Winona Beckley, '19
Archie, of peace-at-any-price inclinations ...............H. P. Bennett, '19
Mrs. Felton, mother of Tom......... .................Gretchen Jones, '20
Colonel Olcott, Jerry's father...........................W. R. Frazer, '20E
Professor Tush, a faculty man ........................Carl T. Hogan, '20E
Marie, a dainty maid of Paris..............................Eva Bowen, '18
Suzette, another little Parisienne .......... Pauline Collier, School of Music
Goddess of Liberty..... .............Charlotte R. Craig, School of Music
,Head Red Cross Nurse .................Charlotte R. Craig, School of Music
Understudies-S. Elizabeth McDonald, '18 and Dorothy Sample, '19.
Show girls-Delcia Gilbert, '20; Yendys Marshall, School of Music; Mary
Overman, '19; Mary Oakes, '20; Helen Roelofs, grad.; Clara Yutema, grad.;
Ruth Dailey, '19, and Eiladean Browne, '19.
Ponies-Margaret Jewell, '20; Portia Walker, '18; Florence Field, '20;
Marjorie Van Norman, '20; Frances Hibbard, '20; Mary Brown, '19; Dorothy
O'Connor, '20, and Katherine Johnson, '20.
Men-C. W. Blom, '19E; A. A. Carter, '20P; Robert Yerkes~ '20; E. S.
Larsen, '20; Cornell Smith, '20; H. H. Anderson. '20; A. R. Melcher, '18D;
E. L. Spanagel, '19E; C. D. Hipp, '19; S. E. Doolittle, '20; L. A. Lund-
quist, '19; Knight Mirrielees, '20E; P. A. Shinkman, '20; N. C. Roegner,
'20E; Gilbert Byrne, '19; Paul Quarry, '19; E. L. Pettyjohn, '18, and M. L.
Moses, '20.
"LET'S GO!I" WILL
BE FIRST OPERA
WITH REAL GO-EDS
MONOPOLY OF
PTSITE S
IN
B A UTIFUI (AM-
TO APPEAR
PLAY
IONE WILBER
Appearing as Ruth.
TIN PREVIOUS OPERAS
BACK 1918_PRODUCTION
G R E A T DEVELOPMENT I' l 0 M
"MICHIGENDA" TO "FOOLS'
PARADISE"
Behind "Let's Go!", the 1918 Union
opera, there lie ten years of effort and
advancement. -
"Michigenda," the first opera, pro-
duced in February, 1908, was re-
hearsed and played within 17 days,
and not until recently has the time of
the production been changed to the
spring months in order to give more
time for polishing the plays, many
of the early operas being given in
the fall. Donal H. Haines, '08, was
its author and Roy Welch, '09, com-
posed the music. The leading role
SCENERY BETTER MORE
ELABORATETHAN EVER
CONSTRV(TOR PRAISES SETTINGS
FOR UNION'S 1918
OFFERING
"The scenery for 'Let's Go!' is the
best and most elaborate I have ever
seen for any Michigan Union opera,"
was the statement made yesterday by
Hiram Cornell, who has built the
scenery for every Union opera, with
the exception of "Fools' Paradise."
Six different scenes will be shown
in the two acts of the play. Three
will be reproductions of familiar places
in Ann Arbor, while the others are
laid "over there." Of the latter, the
dugout scene, copied from a photo-
graph of a dugout being used by Mich-
"For the Apparel
Oft Proclaims--"
Clever costuming will play a large
part in putting the "Go" in "Let's Go!.
from all present indications. Infinite
in variety, the costumes embrace
everything from a Prince Albert to
zeppelin, suits, and show conspicuous
originality of design, particularly in
the specialty costumes for the ponies.
The war-time note in the production,
is accentuated by men in khaki and
women in Red Cross uniform, while
the ever-present street suits, sport
coats, and tennis clothes serve as a
background for more striking apparel.
Animated Knitting Bags
In this age of knitting, what could
be more apropos than the appearance
in the first act of eight animated knit-
ting bags of gayly colored cretonnes?
Then there are the costumes for the
Bluebook chorus--blue tarletan bal-
let dresses which somehow seem to
offset the note of gloom necessarily
struck by the mere mention of the
word bluebook. But the pieces de
resistance are the Zeppelin suits worn
by the show girls in the second act
Playing their searchlights over the
audience, they come out wearing the
cleverest suits ever of khaki, with
leather puttees.
Character Parts
The character parts give opportunity
for an elastic stretch of originality and
variety in the designing of their cos-
tumes, for they range all the way
from Mrs. Winslow (she of the famous
soothing syrup) to the Goddess of Lib-
erty, Gaby Deslys and Helen of Troy,
to say nothing of a Cockney, a Scot,
a Turk, an Italian, and several English
bobbies.
Snappy tailor-mades, with the ac-
companying swagger stick, and
Frenchy street dresses of black and
white complete the costume array for
this year's production, which bids fair
to surpass all previous efforts in this
line.
OPERA GOSSIP
You'll see Mary Pickford, Poca
hontas, Cleopatra, Gaby Deslys, and
the rest, but only the Sherlocks will
be able to pierce Fatty Arbuckle's
disguise.
The weary actor or actorine talking
in sleep: "Anticipate your entrance";
"Come on, put a little pep in this
stuff"; "We'll stick till we lick old
kaiser Bill"-ad infinitum.
The audience at this year's opera
won't have any kicks coming. On the
contrary, they'll all be going. If you
don't understand, ask the chorus men
-the lucky dawgs!
Procrastinator, shirker of campus
activities, bolter of classes, hold ever
before you the dog-like faithfulness,
the conscientious constancy of the
1918 Union opera committeemen who
haven't missed a rehearsal yet!
both of whom are Detroters, have
worked together for a number of years,
and are well-known in this line of
work. Mr. Schoessling, who hails
from Chicago, is one of the best scenic
artists in the middle west. With this
combination the opera officials feel
confident that the scenery will be of
the highest class.
Use Majestic Stage
Through the courtesy of Manager
James Wanzeck, the Union ,was given
the use of the Majestic stage for the
building of the scenery. An elaborate
scaffolding has been built at the rear
of the stage, and platforms and sliding
frames have been installed to facili-
tate the painting of the few thousand
yards of canvas which will be used
in the six scenes.
CHORUS TO HAVE MORE
THAN THIRTY MEMBERS
Production Abounds with Opportuni-
ties for Display of Dramatic
Talent
Real, genuine, honest-to-goodness
co-eds are actually going to sparkle
behind the footlights at "Let's Go!"
For the first time in history, the
audience at a nion opera will be
privileged to behold the genuine
feminines instead of imitation ones.
And all indications point that the fe-
male of the species will be more deadly
than the male, that is, as regards cap-
tivating the gladdened gazers.
There'll be show-girls, gowned in
the latest modes, and ponies--with
the latest equine kicks.
Large Chorus
The chorus will contain more than
30 members, every one of whom has
shown great ability in the rehearsals
held up to date. The awkwardness
which has attended opening perform-
ances in previous years, when men
were required to trip lightly in high-
heeled slippers, will not be witnessed
this year.
Beauty Superb
The Gargoyle, and other institu-
tions which have spoken lightly of the
beauty of Michigan's women students,
will be forced to adopt a new policy
after the opening performance of
"Let's Go!" Florenz Ziegfeld, with
his well known faculty for monopoliz-
ing the various types of feminine
beauty, has found rivals in the per-
sons of the members ot fhe opera
committee who selected the girls for
"Let's Go!" When the entire female
chorus makes its entrance in the first
scene of act one, there isn't a chance
in a million that a single pair of -opera
glasses will be idle.
Chances for Good Acting
The martial note which runs
throughout the play gives the chorus,
as well as the principals, an oppor-
tunity for some excellent acting. As
maids whose beaux are leaving for
duty overseas, and as Red Cross
nurses, the girls have every chance
for emotional expression.
From every-day .Americans in the
first act, the girls change very natur-
ally and gracefully in the second act
to dainty French maidens. Members
of the French department may,,by at-
tending "Let's Go!", learn the quickest
ways of turning backward students.of
"la langue francaise" into most de-
lightful Parisiennes.
HEARD BEHIND THE SCENES
"Pony chorus;" bawled the boy.
"Oh, Mable, I just can't go on!" she
sobbed, on the blonde's dimpled
clavicle. "What am I going to do? I
can't find it anywhere. It was right
here just a minute ago."
"Don't tell me, Mayme, you've lost
your cerise marquisette skirt?"
"Oh, no, worse than that, my lip
stick."
Reporter to pony: "Do you know
any cute things in the opera?"
Pony (in disgust): "No, there are
only three, and I haven't even met
them yet."
They say in the opera that when a
girl is knitting she doesn't pay any
attention to what you say to her.
Aber nit!
"When a feller needs a :friend"--
that place in the "Lets Go!" chorus
w1=ere the show girls pin the roses on
the chorus men.
We wonder if Mr. St. John's vocabu-
lary is ever hampered by the presence
of ladies.
"Camouflage those hands!" groaned
the artistic soul as, the chorus men
tiitted floatingly forward.
One of the opera staresses is begin-
n1ng to worry about the pony chorus.
She is unaccustomed to wild animals,
she says.
Somehow, it isn't the easiest thing
in the world to add that touch of
realism to the love scene when you've
been stung on a partner.
Y
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MARIAN TREADGOLD
Assuming the part of Marjorie.
was taken by Harold Patterson, '09,
while Robert Bazley, '11E, sang the
song-hit, "When Night Falls Dear."
"Culture" Was Second Opera
As this production was well re-
ceived, plans were laid for a second,
"Culture," which appeared in the fall
of 1909. Lyrics and music were again
contributed by Haines and Welch, and
Earl V. Moore, '12, wrote one song.
"Koanzaland," in December, 1910,
brought in an African jungle. The
book and lyrics were the work of
Donald Kahn, '11, and Fred Lawton,
'11, and the music of Earl Moore and
Robert T. Moreland, '11.
The singing of "My Dear," by
Frank Bechman, '11, was the popular
feature of "The Crimson Chest," in
1911. Arthur Moehlman, '12, and
Francis Riorden, '12, were joint au-
thors, and Arthur Fornier, '12, and
Earl Moore composed the music.
"Awakened Rameses"
Joseph Hudnut, '12E, introduced
much local color into the "Awakened
Rameses" the next year. "College
Love" and "My Girl at Michigan" met
with great success. Rowland Pixel,
'12-'14L, contributed the music and
Karl B. Matthews, '13L, and Frank
Picard, '12, the lyrics.
"Contrarie Mary," shown in 1913,
was written by Robert G. Beck, '13L,
the music being the work of Willis
Diekema, '14, and Rowland Fixel. It
(Continued on Page Five.)
PAUL M. MOORE
Taking the part of Jerry.
igan men, will probably be the most
striking. In this the dugout itself oc-
cupies the center of the stage, while
in the background a soldier can be
seen patrolling the trench.
Reproduce H. C. Station
Another scene which will be pro-
duced in close accord with the original
'is the one representing the Michigan
Central station, which is used in the
third scene of act one. An effort is
being made to have this complete in
every detail, as it forms the back-
ground for the main scene of the act.
The baggage room, the section be-
tween it and the station proper, and
even the inclined road in the back-
ground will be reproduced.
Build Hospital Interior
Much time has been spent in build-
ing the interior of a convalescent hos-
pital in England, which is shown in
the final scene of the last act. An-
other set-up will show the Engineer-
ing arch, as seen by one looking south-
east down the diagonal walk.
The drops will represent the, east
corridor of University hall and the
exterioi of the American University
Union in Paris, both being painted
from actual photographs.
Rush Work
Hiram Cornell and William Saxton,
the scenery builders, and Otto Schoes-
sling, the painter, are working night
.and day in order to complete the work
in time. Mr. Saxton and Mr. Cornell,
I
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