THE STATE
Page Nine
July 7, 1934
CONSIDERING the position that
North Carolina holds today in
the field of dramatic art, it is
hard to believe that not so long ago.
the whole state was stricken from the
mailing list of Samuel French, lead¬
ing New York publisher of plays, be¬
cause it was considered that we did
uot have sufficient interest in dramatic
art to warrant their spending the small
amount for necessary postage to mail
their piny catalogues.
But that was before 1
1»
IS, when Pro¬
fessor Frederick II. Koch came to the
University of North Carolina and the
Carolina Playnmkors were organized.
Today, the whole state has become dif¬
fused with dramatic art, the Carolina
Dramatic Association Is-ing known and
admired in all parts of the country.
The organization, of which Profes¬
sor Koch was prime instigator, now
embraces 65 dramatic groups, repre¬
senting city and county high schools.
Little Theatre and community organi¬
zations and college and junior college
groups, and extending from the moun¬
tains to the sea.
Prior to coming to North Carolina
as Professor of Dramatic Literature
at the University, Professor Koch was
at the University of North Dakota,
where he hold the sumo position.
По
already had a wide reputation in the
iterary and theatrical world as a
lioncer of a now dramatic school. In
he 16 years ho has been at the Uni¬
versity, lie has added remarkably to
reputation.
In North Carolina, Professor Koch
ft many new problems in the dra¬
matic art field because of the state's
wide variety of type* of individual
social and industrial life, ranging from
tainecrx in the high mountains
to textile workers in the Piedmont sec¬
tion and tenant farmers in the east.
But he has successfully handled all the
iroblems with his remarkable inge-
iuity.
Professor Koch introduced into
North Carolina tin» idea of coo|>ern-
'tive authorship of the rural commu¬
nity drama. Soon after coining to the
University, ho organized the Carolina
Playmakers for the local production
of folk plays. Two years later, the
Playmakers made their first tour of
the state. They have made 21 tours
since that time.
The Show-Bu« of the Playmakers is
a model of completeness. On top are
carried three set* of their own scenery,
including stage properties, costumes
and portable lighting equipment. They
have played to overflow audiences in
The Man Who Made North
Carolina “Drama Conscious”
PROF. FREDERICK H. KOCH
★
“op’ry” houses, town halls and school
auditoriums in villages, towns and
cities all over the .«tale a* well as in
forty other state*. They have played
in the University Theatre at Yale,
three times at Columbia University,
at the State House at Boston, and at
Washington, where President Coolidge
cordially received them.
Everywhere the Playmakers have
played, they have l«en enthusiastically
greeted, adding to their already wide
influence and power. They have played
to a total audicin . . more than 200,-
000.
A portable stage of the auditorium
of the Chapel Hill High School audi¬
torium had to sulliee for the produc¬
tion of the Playmakers' plays for a
time but through a grant of a national
foundation. Smith Hall, one of the
oldest and most attractive of the Uni¬
versity buildings, formerly used us u
library, has been converted into a ls*au-
tiful theatre.
Professor Koch's method of iustruc-
tion is unique. He seeks “to inspire
rather than to dissect; to stir rather
- By -
MAJEL IVEY SEAY
★
than to analyze." He especially em¬
phasizes the cooperative clement in
which he has been admirably assisted
by the departments of literature, his¬
tory, music, art and engineering.
Professor Koch has inspired and
aroused an unusual amount of dor¬
mant dramatic talent in the stale,
Paul Green, Lula Volmer, Hatcher
Hughes and Ann Bridgers being among
the outstanding successes who have
mndi* valuable contributions to Amer¬
ican folk drama. Thomas Wolfe and
Jonathan Daniels have also made eig-
nifieant contributions in tho field of
the novel.
Tho official periodical of the Caro¬
lina Playmakers and the Carolina
Dramatic Association is the "Carolina
Play-Book,” which came into exist¬
ence seven years ago. Each issue of
this publication contain* a new play
which has been successfully produced
at the University. This magazine is
so notable that it has been exhibited
ut the Century of Progress Exposition
at Chicago, in the International Ex¬
hibition of Periodicals.
Kenneth Macgown, in "Footlights
Across America, ” expressed the .senti¬
ments of critics the world over in this
genuine tribute: "North Carolina Ims
done more than any other state to
justify a plea for local drama. ... I
am thinking of tho life effort, of one
man which has fulfilled itself richly
and strikingly through the people of
North Carolina — Professor Koch."
North Carolina no longer is con¬
sidered a dead slate in dramatic art
for famous work in student plavwrit-
ing and production is going on at the
University of North Carolina and over
the entire state — work of which North
< 'aroliuians are justified in boasting
