The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

[Original version of the column. Text in red are tagged with <sic> (needs correction); text in purple are tagged with <orig> (needs regularization); and text in blue are tagged names of persons or organizations. View emended version]

      

WASHINGTON—I do not know whether the Neighborhood Playhouse, at 16 West 46th Street, New York City, calls the demonstration which I saw last night, graduation exercises or not, but in their studio, with no scenery to speak of, their students, first and second year graduates, presented some scenes from plays and then showed us the dance technique and other things which they had learned.

The audience was crowded into half the room and the rest of the room was left free for the students. I became completely absorbed in watching the methods develop before me which I think are going to bring to the American stage a new type of production. I have told you how much I was impressed by the Civic Repertory Group producing "Bury the Dead" and here among the students of the Neighborhood Playhouse I saw future actors and actresses of the same type being educated.

They work on their own interpretation of a scene and the picture they gave of the youth problem today was poignant and realistic. Under Martha Graham's and Mr. Horst's direction they learn control of their bodies and proper movement, until to see them walk, or enter or leave a room gives you a feeling of strength and direction.

I enjoyed talking to them afterwards. They are so eager, so alive and so responsive one can not help but long to help them find the answers to their problems.

I flew back to Washington this morning—a gorgeous day and a very smooth trip. I had a most interesting hour and a half with the social welfare/workers, working on W.P.A. projects all over the United States.

A picnic luncheon on the lawn with a group of thirty-six people from Arthurdale, West Virginia, who have come up to entertain at the Veterans' Garden Party this afternoon. They are going to sing some old time folk songs, dance some square dances and have their own orchestra accompany them.

We also have Miss Mary Brosseit performing with a lariat. This is the only Garden Party to which the President comes and after everyone has been received and has had ice cream, cake, sandwiches and lemonade, they sit around and enjoy the entertainment, we hope! The Marine Bank plays while they are being received and I am thankful to say that this year it is a perfect day.

E.R.


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  • Washington (D.C., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, May 22, 1936

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

  • Brick, Christopher (Editor)
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  • Regenhardt, Christy (Associate Editor)
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  • Black, Allida M. (Editor)
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  • Binker, Mary Jo (Associate Editor)
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  • Alhambra, Christopher C. (Electronic Text Editor)
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Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published with permission from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

TEI-P5 edition published on April 28, 2017.

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a draft version of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. My Day column draft dated May 21, 1936, FDR Library, Hyde Park, NY
TMsd, 21 May 1936, AERP, FDRL