1950 - 1940 Theatrical Production History

Anne Cooke Reid, a Washington, D.C. native grew up in Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indiana and Illinois. Where her father, an architect supervised construction of U. S. pot offices. 

Below is a transcribed audio recording of Anne Cooke-Reid speaking about her time on faculty at Howard University 1947-1958. She mentions her experience with the Howard Players and the Department of Drama. 

Cooke-Reid: In 1921 the Howard Players was an extra curricular student organization created by Alain Locke and Montgomery Gregory. Sterling Brown picked up and directed the Howard Players after Gregory left. Cook-Reid took over the Players from professor Sterling Brown. Brown continued to act in the plays and he taught the students literature and writing in his classes. 

I came to Howard to establish an academic department which was to train undergraduates in the basics of the theatre arts in general. It was related to the concept and philosophy of the humanities. Technical courses in movement, speech and acting. My philosophy was that Theatre belonged to the arts. Every art is built on its craft. Despite genius, one learns his craft. Give the students a sense of I CAN. By learning what was involved in the variety of the total craft of theatre. 

Students worked in all areas of the theatre. Including writing. As there were sufficient number of students there was a seminar in writing and Owen Dodson took over that training. The point of view was that theatre is a communal art, a popular art and a world art. It was important for our students to know the entire spectrum of world theatre. 

The responsibility I saw was three fold 1.) Train those students who wanted the basics. Not to become great stars with just 4 years who could in the basics. To have a broad view of the theatre and its relationship to the humanities and the arts. To develop eye and ear. 2.) To serve as a performing center for all of the students. All students had the opportunity to see what world theatre was like. 3.) Because there was no professional theatre in the community we felt we had a responsibility to provide performances for the community. Our audiences were at least half and half members of the Washington Community and members from the larger Howard University community.

Our concern was with the fact that world theatre is a part of which would be folk and what we today would call ethnic theatre. A special reason that the department which included James Butcher, Owen Dodsen and Cooke-Reid...(the rest is unintelligible)

American theatre and drama present very few roles for black people for people of color. Which presented stereotypes. The opportunities for training and expression was narrow. My thinking was to be prepared to go out and attack this world as actors designers, playwrights and they needed to explore as interpretive artists as creative artists the entire spectrum as I have already said...(the rest is unintelligible) In all ways to fight the meaning of what theater really is, the dangers of the stereotype. That explains in general why the approach to theatre was what it was.

Theatre in a segregated community 

Growing up in Washington wasn’t so difficult. There was access to many things. The young person growing up in Washington was not deprived of these kinds of things. When you are learning your craft you must have a model and know what’s best in your field. You must have something for which you are working towards. I can go to the library and read the best. I can go to the Philips or National gallery to see the best. But theatre is a cumulative thing and you cannot sense it and you don’t know what the ideal is unless you can see theatre. Even the vocalist can hear a great artist perform. The young artist can hear and say "Ah" that’s what they are talking about. The theatre student does not have that model set for him. The danger is whether it is segregation or isolation the tendency is that one sense of what is fit and good drops and a low ceiling of excellence in performance sets in. 

No matter how good the students are at theatre arts, but you were living in a place where you could say now students go out and see what we’re talking about regarding excellence. 

I remember in 1948 my second year here we selected to do a play by Ibsen, The Wild Duck and it was my turn to go on first and Ibsen was someone I was interested at the time. I directed the play and it was worked out that the Howard players and the three faculty members traveled to Europe to perform.” 

Spring Semester 1941 (no season theme)

Howard Players attend and won best play and best actor at the N.I.D.A. festival held at A & T College. Mr. Beiswanger, drama critic for Theatre Arts Monthly Magazine chose Howard’s production of "Terrible Meek" as representative of good drama.

1. KIND LADY written by Edward Chadorov

Directed by Ella H. Weaver

Date: May 9, 1941

Produced at the Howard Theatre

Presented by the NAACP

• Cast: Richard Wells, Charlotte Wesley, Violet Kennedy, Mary Joe Greene, Elizabeth Jordan, Benjamin Hunton, Lawrence Whisonant, Gloria Hayes, Edgar Felton, Craig Wesley, Dorothy Walker, Marilyn Jones, Phillip Butcher

• Stage Manager: Richard Wells

2. MUSICAL REVUE 

Directed by James W. Butcher 

Assistant director Helen White

Date: May 24 & 25, 1940

Produced in Medical School Auditorium

• Cast: Pearl Bass, James Lightfoot, Edwinna Harris, Eloise Sawning, Gloria Taylor, Connie Rhetta, Aurelia Johnson, Dickie Wells, Cordella Burwell, Wilma Burton, Violet Kennedy, Katie Sayden, Ernie Wilson, James Murphy, Robert Smith, Thelma Truitt, Catherine Swanson, Eleanor White, Ursulla Weekes, Margaret Brown

3. TERRIBLE MEEK 

Directed by James W. Butcher 

• Cast: Samuel Jackson, Dick Wells, Ursula Plinton