Civic Amateur Theater Selects Friday The 13th For Presentation Of 'Thirteenth Chair'

Civic Amateur Theater Selects Friday The 13th For Presentation Of Thirteenth Chair^

Mystery Wilt Be Presented At Mendelssohn

Daniel Meikle To Be Detective In Group’s Second Offering Of Season

Ann Arbor’s only remaining organization of amateur players, the Civic Amateur theater, with a dear calendar for their public productions of the year, has chosen the aileged hoodoo date of Friday the 13th for its second offering, "The Thirteenth Chair," by Bayard Veiller. The well-known mystery drama will be given at 8:30 tomorrow night in the Lydia Mendelssohn theater, by a cast of members of the group drawn from the talent of the town and campus.

Added to the general awesomeness of the superstitions associated by the audience and the characters with the number 13. carried through the play, is the startling murder with which the story starts, and the suspicion directed upon almost every member of the cast, any of whom might have committed the crime. Then there is the mystery of the trance medium and the darkened stage for her Beance, and all the cross-investigations. often comic, of all the self-appointed detectives from among the dinner guests, each suspecting the others.

Inspector Jim Donahue will be played by Daniel G. Meikle of E. Huron St., and will me supported or hampered in carrying out the duties of the law, by Mark Luedi of N. Main St., and Gordon Wood of E. Huron St.

Others In Cast

In the group of dinner guests of the Crosbys, played by Ben Howard of Lincoln Ave., and Kathryne Slagle of W. Liberty St., are John Prendergast of W. Liberty St.. Madeiynne Clarke of Spring St., Marjorie Kromer of Hamilton PI., Frank Benner of Cornwall PI., John Hartman of Prospect St., Mrs. Douglas Angell of W. Hoover Ave.. Michael Monroe of S. State St. and Beulah Ankenmann of S. Forest Ave., with Chester Jan of E. Ann St., Edith Summers of Packard St., F. Ray Bayliss of Kensington Dr., and Blanch Holpar of Stockwell Hall.

The directing and production work for the play also is done entirely by members of the theater group. Mrs. Harold Goldman of Granger Ave. is chairman of ushers. Mrs. Meikle is directing and the stagecraft duties are done by Ralph Morrill of Olivia Ave., Wendell Hobbs of Pauline Blvd., George Gill of Lincoln Ave., Miss Ankenmann. Chester Hunt of Oakway and Richard D. Cutting of Granger

Mrs. Axel Johnson of E. Jefferson St. and Mrs. Gill have charge 1 of the costuming, and Mrs. Diana Chatterton of W. Huron St. is chairman of make-up. Mrs. Thelma i Dyer of S. Divisiion St. has ar- i ranged for properties. Jack Bender < of Monroe St. is directing the light- i lng. 1

The box office at the theater is 1 open all this week. 1

THE FAMILY HAD A MURDER MYSTERY: Members of the Crosby family, which gave a dinner party without due regard for the superstition of 13, appear above in a group from the cast of "The Thirteenth Chair,” to be given at 8:30 tomorrow night in the Lydia Mendelssohn theater by the Civic Amateur Theater. Tickets are on sale at the box office.

From left to right above are: Kathryn Slagle of W. Liberty St., Ben Howard of Lincoln Ave., and Edith Summers of Packard St.