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Show ,2.6 imitated by players east of the Wasatch Moun Written histories of drama in Manti feature the of several prominent players who were later the leaders names of Castle Valley communities, and accounts of plays pro duced in Gunnison show the same titles as were used east of migrated, were tain barrier. the Wasatch.2 traveling shows whlch entered Castle Valley left their influence. One former undoubtedly early a son of one of the first resident, Huntington settlers, in telling the story of a traveling play he witnessed as a small The in boy, few years remembered the incident so well that he sang the song the leading man in the show he had seen almost years earlier in the old log meeting house at Hunting performed by seventy ton.a Local players occasionally were proficient enough to be chosen by traveling stock companies to tour and perfqrm as Such achievements were looked upon with awe and members. admiration by the populace. Besides the Church and the traveling stock company, other forces which played a part in forming a The newly-founded background for dramatics in Castle Valley. colleges of the state sponsored dramatics,4 as did the various academies and seminaries. Dramatics was encouraged in the elementary schools, and later, in the high schooof Utah. there were ' Summary Dramatics in America became increasingly popular The out during the fir st half of the nineteenth century. standing feature of the period was the exc e LLenc e of the Stock companies existed in every large city, and acting.. Theatre was popular, traveling c omp an Le s toured the country. alhough most churches had not to it. tional opposition Christ of as yet overcome their tradi The philosophy of leaders of the Church of Jesus Latter Day Saints, which was'organized in 1830, 1Carter, 2 Ibid., op. p , cit., p. Ill. 108. Jo Fleming Wakefield, Jr., interview, April 6, 1953. statement in personal 4The Department of Speech of the University of Utah of the oldest in the Its first play was pro country. duced in 1895, a to bullet.in issued in October of according one 1952, announcing the opening of its ballet theatre. is |
