With unmistakable Shavian gusto, G. B. S. himself swept aside the first block on the road to the Veterans' Theater Workshop's "Saint Joan" last night. Replying to a Workshop request for permission to do the play here, Shaw cabled: "DELIGHTED TO HEAR ST JOAN BEING DONE AT HARVARD STOP HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE JOAN PLAYED BY MALE."
Quivering slightly after receipt of a copy of the wire forwarded by the nono- generian's New York agents, Mendy Weisgal '45, 1G, told reporters that he had gone over the head of Shaw's Boston representatives, the Baker Play Company, because of possible conflict with Maxwell Anderson's "Joan of Lorraine," currently playing in New York.
"All our worries are flown on the wings of song," said Weisgal after a closer inspection of the cable. Workshop President Jerome T. Kilty '50 was equally confident: "With this wire in our grasp," he said, "we cannot be caught empty handed."
Bergner to Witness Casting
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bergner, who portrayed Joan in the original German production, told Kilty at the Boston theatre where she is currently appearing that she would attend casting tryouts at a time to be specified later.
Kilty, who will direct the Workshop offering, will seek Miss Bergner's advice particularly on the casting of the lead role. He announced yesterday that tryouts for the 20-odd male roles will begin today in Sanders Theatre from 1 to 5 o'clock, continuing tomorrow at the same hours.
Blair M. Boyd, Jr. '48, who was elected last night by the Workshop as production manager for the show, has scheduled crew tryouts for later in the month.
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Lining Them Up