Ben Greet Players: featuring Henry Joyner and Daisy Vivian

              BEN GREET PLAYERS
featuring
HENRY JOYNER and DAISY VIVIAN
in Original Adaptations of William Shakespeare's Immortal Plays


MACBETH
MERCHANT OF VENICE
HAMLET

Management
HORNER-MOYER, Inc.
3005 Harrison   Kansas City, Mo.



The play's the thing
Henry Joyner and Daisy Vivian present digests of the great Shakespearian masterpieces, Macbeth, Merchant of Venice and Hamlet.  They are original adaptations, each play being condensed with no loss to the narration.  During the past few years it has become prohibitive for large touring companies to present the plays of Shakespeare before schools, colleges, universities and clubs throughout the country.

By an entirely new and authoritative method of production this company accomplishes the presentation of immortal Shakespearian dramas with a small cast.  Their method is to give all that portion of the text which constitutes the essence of the play.  This is supplemented by brief narration amplified from back stage, and recordings, completing the atmosphere necessary to round out the production.


Every member of the company has appeared with the original Ben Greet Players, under the direction of the late Sir Philip Ben Greet, considered the greatest authority of his time on the English drama, and whose devotion of over thirty-five years to producing the plays of Shakespeare won him a knighthood from King George the fifth of England.  This long and close association with Sir Philip, the personal devotion to Shakespeare and long-established acting ability of Mr. Joyner and Miss Vivian insure the authenticity and excellence of this production.



Not of an age-but for all time





IMPRESSIVE PRODUCTIONS
AUTHENTIC COSTUMES

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HENRY JOYNER began his career in Chicago with Willard Mack.  Then followed a number of years in Shakesperian repertory with Sir Philip Ben Greet.

New York productions include: David Belasco's The Merchant of Venice, with David Warfield; J. M. Barrie's The Admirable Crichton, with Walter Hampden; Somerset Maugham's Our Betters, with Ina Claire; William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes; Rachel Crothers' A Little Journey; The Theatre Guild's A Sleeping Clergyman and many others.

Recently he was seen as the Historian in Paul Green's The Lost Colony, at Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

DAISY VIVIAN (Mrs. Joyner) was born in London, England, and educated at Margate College, Kent.  She began her theatrical career in Alice in Wonderland at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, with William Greet.  She afterwards came to America with his brother, Sir Philip Ben Greet, touring with his Shakespearian repertory company throughout the country.  In New York she has appeared under the management of Thomas Dixon, George Tyler, Charles Hopkins and Stuart Walker.  On the road she managed her own company in Rostand's The Romancers.

ORIGINAL ADAPTATIONS
APPROPRIATE LIGHTING, MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS




BEN GREET PLAYERS
HENRY JOYNER and DAISY VIVIAN

A Few Comments from Recent Appearances
Paul Swain Havens, President Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pa.:

It is a pleasure to tell you how greatly we enjoyed the magnificent performance of Macbeth.  We were interested in the unusual method of presenting the heart of the play through the use of a few characters and weaving the thread of continuity by the use of a loud speaker.  This method brought out certain contrasts in a most effective way.

Charles S. Colden, County Judge, Queens County, N. Y.:

Your performance of Macbeth at Grace Church Parish House last Friday was delightful, as was evidenced, of course, by the repeated and sustained applause of your appreciative audience.  We who have to do with the Parish are particularly happy because of the many fine comments which have been made to us with reference to your remarkable interpretation, and on behalf of the Rector and Vestry I thank you for affording all of us such a pleasant evening.

Rev. Ernest Sinfield, Grace Church, Whitestone, N. Y.:

Your presentation of Macbeth was, I believe, the most illuminating of any I have ever witnessed, and I have seen many.  It was an education in itself, and its cultural value to all of us who saw it cannot be described.

R. H. Vining, Professor of English, New River State College, Montgomery, W. Va.:

This company gave the best Shakespearian performance we have had in this area for many years.  I have seen almost all of the present day companies in The Merchant of Venice, but have never seen so convincing a Shylock as Mr. Joyner.

L. duRocher Macpherson, author of Evidence, The King of Nowhere, The Happy Ending:

I believe I have seen all the great actors and actresses of my time in Macbeth, yet never was the intensity of its drama so movingly conveyed to me as by that unique presentation of yours.  It should certainly be seen in all the university and college towns of the United States and Canada.

Ralph Weaver, Attorney-at-Law:

You have accomplished, with three characters and artistically, the difficult task of extracting the essential narrative without losing a single important speech…. The story and its meaning come to life in shining poetry.

Carl V. Herron, Secretary, West Side Y. M. C. A., New York:

I wish to express the appreciation of both myself and the West Side Y. M. C. A. for the very excellent presentation of Macbeth which Ben Greet Players favored us with on Tuesday evening.  I hope this unique method of offering Shakespeare will be made available to a great many people throughout the coming year.

The Wilson Billboard, Chambersburg, Pa.:

Last Saturday evening Ben Greet Players presented Shakespeare's Macbeth to a fascinated Wilson audience.  The absence of minor characters and of all scenery heightened the importance of the excellent acting, and left room for the imagination of the spectators to play a part.  Daisy Vivian held the audience spellbound through her dramatic sleep-walking scene, and Mr. Joyner played Macbeth with practiced ability, showing particular skill where he had to talk with persons not present on the stage…. The whole performance proved a remarkable success.  The limitations of cast and scenery failed to detract from the thrill of seeing this Shakespearian tragedy in actual professional production-a new experience for many Wilsonites.

Wade S. Miller, President, Shenandoah College, Dayton, Va.:

Our students and faculty thoroughly enjoyed your recent presentation of Macbeth.  I am sure that your new method of presentation using only three players makes it possible for many people to see and hear your productions who otherwise could not because of the expense involved in a large supporting cast.  I commend your productions to any group desiring a splendid dramatization.