The Republican, September 9, 1886. The Coldwater Dramatic Club has re-organized and will soon render a popular play entitled "Above The Clouds."
Coldwater Review, October 28, 1887. The REVIEW is glad to announce that a new theatrical club of strictly home talent has been organized in this city. The club is composed of young folks, members of Coldwater's elite society, and, judging from the aptitude and interest displayed at rehearsals, it promises to furnish to our amusement loving people many evenings of pleasure during the coming winter. They are now earnestly at work preparing for their debut in the theatrical world, which will be the presentation of "The Last Loaf," a neat, interesting drama of two acts. The proceeds of the evening will be donated to the M. E. church, and the entertainment, being a worthy one for a worthy cause, we bespeak for them a house filled from pit to dome. The play will be put on at the Rich's opera house in about two week's with the following cast of characters:
Mark Ashton ...................... Charles Pauley Caleb Hanson ...................... O. J. Tichenor Harry Hanson ...................... Ed Hutchinson Dick Bastle ...................... J. A. Templeman Tom Chabbs ...................... Bob Heakel Kate Ashton ...................... Mrs. O. L. Tichenor Lillie Ashton ...................... Mrs. J. A. Templeman Patty Jones ...................... Mrs. T. P. Overman
Nescatunga Enterprise, December 2, 1887. The Coldwater Dramatic Company will appear in "Last Loaf" Friday evening December 9th at Callahan's Hall. Admission 35 and 20 cents. Ticket office will be in the Enterprise building.
Coldwater Review, November 18, 1887 Rich's opera house was comfortably filled, Tuesday evening, to witness the above play, the first of the season, by the Coldwater Dramatic Club. The entertainment was a church benefit, the performances opening with exercises by a number of Sunday school children - young misses and boys, who had received careful and skillful training by Mrs. D. E. Hutchins, the indefatigable Sunday school worker. The stage under her magic hand, had been transformed into a lovely bower of beauty and artistic loveliness. The curtain rose at eight o'clock, disclosing a happy and pretty scene - that of a May party, with lovely Lottie Chandler, surrounded by a profusion of flowers, as queen. The boys and girls were in costume and presented an appearance both lovely and enchanting. Our little friend Palmer Fox and pretty little Mabel Miles were the picture of childish innocence on a teeter board, while others were amusing themselves in swings and other childish sports. The beautiful queen was surrounded by a bevy of lovely maids of honor, who with song and flowers crowned their queen. They were Ethel McClain, Mabel Harding, Maggie McIntire, Gertie Stafford and Laura Carter. The queen stepped from her flowery bower, when the winding of the May pole by paul Jones, Irwin Stafford, Frank Kimple, Lottie Chandler, Ethel McClain, Mary Hutchins, Minnie Cole and Myra Hathaway the beautiful songsters of the evening was acted with such grace and exactness as evinced their perfect training. Pretty little Miss Baker tendered "The Swallow's" in excellent style.
The Last Loaf.
Then came the Class of Bees composed of Vera Darroch, Mabel Miles, Eva Halliday, Hattie Fox, Collie Chandler, Shirley McClain, John Scott, Roy Gentry, Hal Meade and Frank Reynolds, whose acting won the hearts of the audience.
At the close of these exercises amateurs came before the audiences and presented in an elegant manner the touching little drama of "The Last Loaf." So well was the play rendered that many claimed for it better acting than most traveling troupes give us. Charley Pauley as Mark Ashton, O. L. Tichenor as Caleb Hanson, Ed Hutchinson as Harry Hanson, J. A. Templeman as Dick Bastle, Bob Henkle as Tom Chubbs, Mrs. O. L. Tichenor as Kate Ashton, and Mrs. T. P. Overman as Patty Jones, acquitted themselves with perfect satisfaction to the large and appreciative audience. When all did so well all deserve the mede(sic) of praise so freely then. After the play Master Hat Meade bade the audience good night in a well rendered speech.
It is to be hoped that the club will frequently, during the winter, favor our people with amusement of the kind.
A pleasing feature of the evening was presenting Rev. Fox, the popular minister of the M. E. church, with a beautiful bouquet.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news articles to this web site!
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