THE MICHIGAN DAILY SUNDAY, MARCH ', 1918. -.,.._ -- - "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 - f 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 ___ __ _ r