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MR. HUTCHINS' PLAY.

Some months ago when our artist friend, Mr. Hutchins, expressed his idea of what the Harrow theater dramatics might do in adding to the fame of Deerfield, the hopes thus expressed seemed fanciful. In view of what he and his company of players have accomplished in a poetic drama this week, it seems entirely probable that these dramatics may come to have a large place in the life of a village known the country over for its art spirit.

The enterprise is assisted by Deerfield's prestige of past achievements, which has given the village a reputation the country over for original work in craftsmanship. The same spirit that has made the Deerfield embroideries the superior of anything of the kind in the country is also capable of accomplishing large things in other lines of art. Amateur players never can do the work of professionals, but a company of educated amateurs in a drama of poetry and idealism may have its superiority in some aspects to the superficial work of the ordinary commercialized theater. The outdoor stage in a rural setting has its own charm, something that the most gorgeous painted canvas never attains, and it has its own superiority to the conventional theater for any play requiring a rustic setting. The success of the Ben Greet company is a suggestion of the possibilities in this field.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Will Hutchins was the programmatic leader of the Deerfield Arts and Crafts movement and tried to elevate and refine its output. The Harrow Theater, held outdoors in a field on Deerfield's Street, featured local townspeople and experienced amateurs from the New England Region. The minimalist stage included few props and the production relied more on the talents of the actors than the quality of the scenery. Ben Greet, referred to at the bottom of this article, produced highly acclaimed spare productions of Shakespeare. During the early 20th century the Ben Greet Players toured throughout New England and New York.

 

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"Mr. Hutchins' Play"

publisher   Greenfield Gazette and Courier
date   Aug 7, 1909
location   Greenfield, Massachusetts
width   2.25"
height   5.0"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L02.096


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See Also...

"Preparations for Jeanne D'Arc at Vaucouleurs"

Jeanne D' Arc Performance

"Jeanne D'Arc At Vaucouleurs"


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