This gay, light, frothy comedy was first produced by Jed Harris at the Empire Theatre in New York where it found a ready audience. The story concerns a number of New England college girls in general and one, Alexandra—called Alex—Benson in particular, who finds it very difficult to attract young men of any description; primarily because she feels that she looks very much like a horse with a fly up its nose, which as a matter of fact, she doesn't at all. Alex sets her heart on Sam Thatcher, a Yale man who has turned against college and regimentation to set off for Russia with a free-thinking, free-living, rebellious companion oddly called "The Lippincott," who knows everything about women except how to get along without them. When Alex can't seem to get very far with the courtship by herself, her girl friends decide to take the matter into their own hands to secure Sam for the sad and bewildered Alex. They conspire to make Sam jealous as well as interested in things other than communism, Russia, and candid cameras, and to raise Alex to the rank of belle of the ball. Sam, a sad funny figure the world over, finally capitulates under the ministrations of the many females, and he and Alex elope to the great delight of Alex's gang.
"Spring Dance is a bright and amusing comedy, splendidly adapted, in cast, subject matter, and its collegiate background to students of high school and college."—American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
"I recommend Spring Dance to any theatre that is still selling entertainment."—H. Miles Heberer, Director, The Manhattan Theatre, Kansas State College.
"Its youthful spirit and gay wit made it more than just good entertainment. Other Little Theatres will doubtless find, as we did, that the casting will give them a chance to capitalize on the natural popularity of young and enthusiastic actors."—Gordon Giffen, Director, Little Theatre of Duluth.
Spring Dance, when offered by colleges, high schools, or Little Theatres, draws extremely enthusiastic audiences.
(Royalty, $35.00.) Price, 75 cents.
CRAB APPLE
Comedy. 3 acts. By Theodore Packard. 4 males, 3 females. Interior. Modern costumes.
First done at Yale and several summer theatres, Crab Apple is a light and amusing play of contemporary American life enlivened with up-to-the-minute allusions. "She's got a good mind," is said of one character, "she's read 'Anthony Adverse.'" The play gives a brief glimpse of everyday life in the Hunter family, with Mr. Hunter grown crotchety and weary with business cares, making life miserable instead of pleasant for the family he has toiled for. His wife meekly accepts his grumblings and his tyranny. His children frequently threaten rebellion, but their feelings smolder until the situation is brought into sharp focus by the arrival of son Jim from college with a bride. This overt act of Jim's gives courage to his brother George to bring home a radio, banned as a nuisance by the head of the family, and to sister Amy to blossom out in a low-backed evening gown and plan to step out dancing. Mr. Hunter is only brought to reason by a conspiracy which makes him believe he is seriously ill. The family coddles him into a change of heart, and then finds it impossible to believe that their jest has become earnest and that their father's health is really in danger.