tty FRANCES GRIFFIN
Young people interested in milking the theatre a career, go to l.ake Summit
each season to study and to gel practical experience. Here Dorothy Masterson
(extreme right) of Charlotte teaches a group some of the fundamentals of the
theatre. They are, left to right. Carolyn Dubbins of Philadelphia, Vance
Mizelle of Davidson College. Pat Orr of Hendersonville, Pete Jacobson of
Charlotte. Kay Masterson of Charlotte and Mary Frances Watson of Brevard.
A State Theatre?
Director of HcndersonvHle’s suc¬
cessful Vagabond Players visual¬
izes state-sponsored dramatics.
Robroy Farquhar, born in England
of a Scottish father and a Welsh
mother, lives in his adopted North
Carolina mountains and puffs hard on
a pipe dream.
In the smoke, he sees his Vagabond
Players as a state-endorsed theatre,
taking live drama to the people of
North Carolina at popular prices. And
most clearly he sees his Players taking
“Dick Whittington and His Cat."
“Anne of Green Gables" and all the
other children's classics to the small
fry of the hamlets.
“I want to give them something be¬
sides the bang-bang of the movies and
the yakety-yakety of radio and tele¬
vision," he says in a voice that hints
of his British rearing.
“I want. . . ." But perhaps it w'ould
be best to sec what he has already, be¬
fore looking further at his pipe dream.
For one thing, he has the Lake
Summit Playhouse at Tuxedo, near
Hendersonville — a rustic little build¬
ing that once was a dilapidated old
schoolhouse. In the summers — five
nights weekly and on Wednesday and
Saturday afternoons — his Vagabonds
put on a play, a different one each
week.
Established Playhouse
Since Mr. Farquhar first came to
North Carolina in 1940 and started
Summer theatre around Henderson¬
ville, the Vagabonds have attracted
hundreds of tourists and residents of
the area with their professional drama.
And the little Lake Summit Playhouse.
Robroy Farquhar
THE STATE. MARCH IS. 1952
with its capacity of 312, is well-known
among Tar Heels.
Mr. Farquhar himself has moved to
North Carolina permanently, direct¬
ing the community theatres of Bre¬
vard and Hendersonville during the
winters. While the Summer season is
going on. a group of promising young¬
sters live in the Lake Summit com¬
munity — studying drama, helping
with the productions and often taking
roles.
“I like to give these apprentices as
much actual experience as possible."
Mr. Farquhar says. "I don't believe
in letting them come up here and do
nothing all summer but move scenery
and sweep the floors. If I have some
apprentices who develop enough to
take roles, I often change my choice
of plays to include them."
So, that's how it is with Robroy
Farquhar now.
But there's still the pipe dream. . . .
Permanent Base
He wants, first of all. a permanent
base — possibly purchase of the Lake
Summit area or a similar one with
buildings for year-round use. Already
the Vagabonds have received their
charter as a non-profit corporation,
but a capital outlay like purchase of
a base, takes, of course, capital.
Mr. Farquhar feels there may be
individuals and foundations who
might help take care of that matter.
But the Vagabonds are a young or¬
ganization and they need the cushion
of prestige before such sources can be
tapped.
The pipe dream has included an
answer to that. too. The State of North
Carolina might endorse the group as
an official state theatre, as Virginia has
done with the Barter Theatre. And, of
course, if the State would follow Vir¬
ginia's plan in making an annual ap¬
propriation ($10,000 to Barter), the
dream would come closer to reality
more quickly.
Then, with state endorsement and
some willing givers to make the per¬
manent base possible, the Lake Sum¬
mit Playhouse could continue as a
Summer stock company. But its fa¬
cilities for apprentices could be en-
( Continued on page 13)
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