Mendon Had Early Drama Company ~ Index
Mendon, like all other early settlements, had to furnish its own amusements. It was along about 1860, the first settlers had arrived but a year previous and established themselves in the fort. Grandfather (Edward) Wood had seen a drama in England called "Among the Green Bushes." He wrote it from memory and the parts were written out and cast. It was played in one end of the fort one night and the other end of the fort the next night. (Due to limited seating.) Repeated performances kept the settlers amused and entertained all winter.
Cast Members
Some of the cast were Grandma (Julia A. Kimball) Wood, Margaret Foster (only a child at that time), Isaac Sorensen, Roger Luckhman, Robert Sweeten, Alfred Atkinson and some of the Hills. The play was presented in Maughan's Fort the same winter, so Mendon could claim the first dramatic production in Cache Valley.
Following that time every winter was spent producing dramas and farces for their own entertainment as well as to raise money for public benefit. Of course all labor was gratis. Scenery and costumes were crude. A buffalo robe or a tarpaulin from the quartermaster or even a soldier's uniform salvaged from Johnson's Army invasion were treasured properties.
In 1862 a fully organized company was putting on such plays as "Michael Erle," Ben Bolt" and the "Floating Beacon," masterpieces that only professionals would undertake. The settlement was fortunate in having some real dramatic talent in its midst. Tom Crowshaw and later Phil Magotts, as well as Rebecca Hardman.
Walter Paul was president in the early seventies with John Donaldson as stage manager and Isaac Sorensen a treasurer. James H. Hill claimed the job as doorkeeper and curtain roller from the start, which position he held for many years.
Paid In Produce
Money was scarce those days and almost anything offered would be accepted as admission such, as candles, vegetables, grain and dried fruit. Proceeds received in cash were used to stock a library. Male members of the company were Henry Gardner, Alfred Gardner, Joseph T. Wood, Jacob, Christian and Henry Sorensen, John Hughes and Traugott Stumpf. Lady members were Elizabeth Wood Stumpf, Seny Sorensen, Susan Hancock, Effa Willie, Annie Paul, Sarah Walker, Lydia A. Andersen, Margaret Foster, Sarah Graham and Martha Paul. Later members included the Whitneys, all talented in drama. Their father played in the original Salt Lake troop. Andrew Sorensen was especially talented and directed the play for years. Among these were "East Lynn," 'The Lost Ship," "Innkeeper of Abbiville" and "Lady of Lyons" with casts including Emma Sorensen, Delila Bird, Alex Baker, Emil Stumpf, Jr., August Harder, Morey Baker, Jemina Foster, Alfred G. White and others.
About 1908 a younger generation took over with L.K. Wood as general manager for many years, and Annie L. Richards Hughes as secretary and treasurer which position she still holds. She also appeared in several plays. L.K. Wood designed and painted new scenery with Herbert B. Whitney, Matthew A. Forster, Henry C. Sorensen and Wayne Willie assisting. These men all held positions in the organization and played important roles in the casts. John D. Baker, Jacob Sorensen, Jr., Frank Sorensen and Oliver Taylor shared responsible positions as well as playing parts.
Drama was received with such enthusiasm that the people spent the winters in this work continuously until about 1925 when the movies replaced the drama. Such plays as "Up Vermont Way," "Call of Authority" by L.K. Wood, "Brookdale Farm," "In the Shadow of the Rockies" "Lone Tree Mine," "Imogene," "Under the American Flag," "Shore Acres" and others. During the centennial year of 1947 the plays "Under the American Flag," "Road Back Home," and "Yankee Detective " were repeated by request under the general management of Wayne Willie and director L.K. Wood, to large and appreciative audiences. The townspeople having always supported the organization and enjoyed the productions. Joseph and Viola Larsen, Earl and Glen Buist, Alvin Kidman and Geraldine Kidman, John Baker and others were included in the casts.
The task of writing out parts and acting as prompter, one of the least appreciated yet most essential jobs, was for years taken over by David Elder Buist, who emigrated from Scotland. He received only tickets for his family to attend the shows for his services. Others to whom tribute should be given are Alfred Gardner, Isabella Foster, Isabella Stumpf, Pearl J. Wood, Delone Larsen and Pearl Bird.
Music Was Free
The music played between acts was performed free of charge. The Sweeten, Wood and Whitney orchestras should in the course of the eternities be rewarded, as their labor too was gratis— not more than complimentary tickets. Florence Bowen Wood played the lead in several shows with pronounced ability and Denver Copen and Vance D. Walker and others added to the troop in later years, interpreting heavy roles on a creditable way. Lizzie Stumpf Barrett displayed considerable talent in comedy roles and has continued to entertain the public with readings.
The enjoyment we received from our work fully repaid us. Financing the ward, buying pianos, helping finance missionaries and other worthy causes brought a source of satisfaction far beyond that of monetary gain. We were bound together in friendship and unity. The winters passed too quickly. Even spring did not have its usual welcome as the drama would have to be put aside for our labor on the farm.
The conclusion of each season's work would be climaxed with a party and review of the plays and perhaps a preview of the next season's work. Those were happy days filled with true friendship and rapture that only the drama can supply.1
Mendon Home Dramatic Company
The Mendon Home Dramatic Company was one of the most outstanding means of entertainment in those days. When I was first asked to take part in the Dramatic Company, I was a little afraid. I was only a kid and I was afraid I couldn't do it well enough, but they insisted on me taking a part and I did and I guess I did all right for I was asked to be in all their shows and I was really flattered that they asked me instead of someone else to take the part; but they insisted on my taking the part and from then on I was in all of their shows. So I guess I did all right. I knew my lines before some that had been in long before me.
The Old Rock Meeting House was always filled to over-flowing for all of our shows; so the people must have liked them. We financed the ward. We never got a cent out of our shows –only the small expenses that we had– for books and other minor things. I played and took part in the Old Dramatic Shows for years and years.
Isabella and I would sit all day long and write the parts off for the Dramatic Company shows. We only bought one or maybe two show books, and all the parts had to be written out for those who were in the play. "Mother Dear" would get the dinner. I wasn't married then– just a young girl.
I recall one big three act play that we had to write all of the parts for. In it I played the part of the sweetheart of Alfred Gardner. He was married and had three children. He was much older than I was. He had to kiss me several times. I didn't particularly like this; but of course it was in the play and I had to do it. Later on, in other plays, Henry C. Sorensen played the leading man and Mary Wood (Durfey) was the leading lady. Henry was quite a lady's man; he'd take me home from the rehearsals, and I thought he was the only boy around. I surely liked him, oh, so much! He and another boy, I cant't remember him now –this is sixty years later– took me and my dear friend, Arminta Willie, buggy riding around town. It seems as if it was after church. It was only nine o'clock when we came back; but mother was at the gate waiting for us to get back, and she surely scolded me for being late coming home. I was surely embarrassed when she was there scolding me. It was only nine o'clock! What do the young folks think now, what time is late? Not nine, I know, one or two a.m. –not 9:00 p.m.
When the Home Dramatic Company was in full sway years ago, we'd go to other towns and put on our plays. We went to Beaver Dam, Collinston, Wellsville, etc. All of the plays were put on in the Old Meeting House. We had Sunday school and church in there also. We had a stage where two classes were held; one on the south side of the stage and the other class was held on the north side of the stage. The rest of the classes were down in the main part of the building with big red curtains separating the classes. Of course when we built our new (yellow brick) church we had the classes separated in rooms– there was a room for each class.
The old church house faced the east and our staged faced the east too. It was about three feet higher that the rest of the floor. It was here that we rehearsed all of our plays. We'd take these plays to other towns and present them there as mentioned before. The church house was lit up by lamps. There were four of them set in a chandelier; one on the south of the stage and one on the north side and one in the middle to light the front part of the stage.
We spent all winter putting on shows. As soon as one was played we'd start to prepare another. Isabella and I would start writing up the parts again. After we had practiced our shows at night we'd have to go home through the square. How we got home through the square without any street lights seems a mystery now. But we always managed to do it. It wasn't so hard to go through the square then as there were no houses nor buildings. The houses of the people along the street, after we had gotten through the square, were all lit up. There were James B. Hancocks; John Lallis; next to Hancocks; then Uncle Joe and Aunt Junie Wood, on the corner and across the street East was old Henry Hughes' home, then across the street west was the Relief Society granary, there wasn't any lights there, and then on the hill north was my home.
There were always three or four young fellows practicing the show and I didn't have to go home alone. I always had some of them to take me home. Some of the boys I liked better than others. I went with a boy that was some relative to Harry Bartlett's mother. I don't remember what his name was now. I also went with Henry C. Sorensen and Linn (Linden K.) and Lon (Alonzo K.) Wood. They would all take me home after practices. The Wood boys' sister was Mary Liz Wood. She lived where Jesse and Ada Walker live now. She was the leading lady in some of the plays. She married a (Francillo Finley) Durfey man and they moved to Beaver Dam. She didn't like the "Liz" on her name so we called her Mary. She had one or two children and died while giving birth to the third.2
- Mendon Had Early Drama Company, L.K. Wood.
- Mendon Home Dramatic Company, Elizabeth Ann Stumpf Barrett.