Yuma County, Colorado
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1927 "Follies" production in Wray
January 27, 1927 "Not Flo Zeigfield’s, But Our Very Own Follies to Appear in Wray.
Next Monday and
Tuesday nights at the Tyo theatre, promises to be Red Letter Days in Wray, for at that time the
Follies are coming to town - not only coming, but are here, for the cast for this
wonderful play is entirely made up from Wray business men, and there are sixty-three of them.
In real life they may be males of the hard-boiled variety, but for purposes of this event
they will become a reincarnation of the lovable gentler sex - that is, many of them will,
and they will impersonate the whole theatrical field from Joe Jefferson to Charley Chaplin;
from Madame Sarah Bernhardt, the late Divine Sarah, to Galli Curci,
the modern operatic star.
This event will be a "carnival of fun and spasms of laughter" from beginning to end,
and in order to fully appreciate these prima donnas "strutting their stuff,"
ic will be necessary to come out and hear them, and once heard they will want :o be heard again.
Monday and Tuesday nights, January 31st and February Ist, is the time, and the Tyo Theatre
is the place. Reserved seats will have to be chosen early. Buy your tickets for Monday night
at Simpson's Drug store, and for Tuesday night at the Rexall."
February 1927 "The Womanless Wedding entertainment, which has recently scored some very successful showings in neighboring towns,
was given in Wray Monday and Tuesday evenings of this week at the Tyo theatre under that auspices of the P. T. A. and the able direction of Miss Myrtle Colaw of
the Colaw Producing company.
"The Follies" featured an all main cast, composed of 63 of Wray's prominent business men and it proved to be one of the most unique and successful
performances ever staged here by amateurs.
A crowded house greeted the actors with cheers and applause after each performance. Mbny who attended Monday night returned for the second performance Tuesday night.
Chorus girls, ballet dancers, comedians, prima donnas, screen stars, Spanish dancers, and even our famous contemporaries in political and industrial life frolicked
and danced about the stage to provide fun and amusement for the audience.
So deceiving was the make-up, so clevexr the impersonations, so concealing and revealing the costumes that it required a very keen eye to detect thw features and
mannerisms which would betray ithe true identity of the characters.
k , -1 Wttl Many women 'oik were incredulous over the stunning appearance mala members of their families made with
the aid of feminine apparel and « little rouge and powder. Others wera convulsed with laughter to see their
dignified masculine friends and staid business acquaintances contributing their share of comedy to the entertainment in a
way that was anything but staid and dignified. Several prominent men in the public life of today were represented and the
take-off in these instances was very successful.
After each show, contests were held to determine the best inmpersonator of the fair sex.
By elimination, the judges selected Ellis Akey Monday evening. Ellis was a member off the chorus. Harold
Bashford, taking the part of Miss Palm Beach, waa chosen as the most attractive 'lady' in the Tuesday evening.
Pictures of the entire cast were taken Mionday night and are now on sale at Renzelman's studio.
The play was a huge success financially. As about $450 was cleared from both performances, the P.T.A.
will have gained a neat addition to their general funds by the efforts and success of Wray business men,
who in contributing to a worthy cause were loyally supported by the people of this community. The appearance
of the 'The Follies' here will be remembered for some time to come."
February 3, 1927 " The Misses Ada Roush, Grace Bullard and Vivian Johnson and Loyd Amy of Joes and Kirk motored to
Wray Monday night to attend 'The Follies'.
Last week’s Wray Gazette carried a picture of a play cast at the old theatre with a request for information
about the photo. The following is a clipping from the Wray Rattler around 1926 furnished by Mrs. Ellis Akey and includes a list of the actors. “The Follies,” in comedy revue, staged and presented hy the Myrtle M. Colaw Producing Company of Illinois, with a cast composed of about 50 Wray business and professional men, drew packed houses Monday and Tuesday evenings of this week. The performances were given under the auspices of the Parent Teacher Association of this city, the local organiza Lion having participated in the profits resulting from the sale of the tickets. The shows were staged at the Tyo theatre, and in this connection the Rattler wishes to make note of the fact that Mrs. Tyo very kindly donated the use of her fine playhouse to the P. T. A. one night, a fact much appreciated by the P. T. Association. The complete cast was printed in the Rattler last week. Dr. Earle Haas was the most fascinating leading lady and Paul Groves was the charming bride. The affair was advertised as a carnival of fun and spasms of laughter, and that just about describes the entertainment. In the beauty contest, Ellis Akey was award ed the prize, a box of candy, for being the most beautiful woman in the cast. The judges were O. P. Ayers, Josh Jones and Buffer Roberts. It put the judges in a hard place, as there
were many beautiful women in the cant.
The chorus girls, consisting of Dean Henry, Ellis Akey, H. A. Cox, John Starnes, Joe Graham and Rollie Hawks,
and the ballet girls, consisting of E. M. Hedrick, Tom Cartwright, Russell Edmunds and Teale Orndorff
, were especially attractive. These beauties capered about the stage in a most pleasing manner, judging from the
encore they always received.
Back row, left to right: Dr. John (J. H.) Larson, Everett Cunningham, John Dalrymple, Ralph Crews, Rill Schelly,
Henry Hitchcock, Roscoe Roberts, Dr. J. L. Buchanan, Jim Beach, Dewey Goodman, Harold Bashford, Coach Laase,
Dale Cornish, Guy Richards, Dean Yates, James Hulen.
Third row, left to right: Dr. Earle Haas, Ellis Akey, Claude Funk, Sam Williams, Billy Smith,
J. G. Bostrom, Clyde Cunningham, Jack Kearns, Vance Marshall, Barr Groves, Harve Cox, Roscoe Bullard,
Ted Heindel, Earl Graham, Vernon Dedman, Al Hurlburt, Willis Warner.
Second row, left to right: Joe Graham, John Starnes, Rollie Hawks, Dean Henry, Frank Hurst, Paul Groves,
Bill Saunders, Oliver Graham, Teale Orndorff, Earl Hedrick, Russell Edmunds, Tom Cartwright.
First row, left to right: Chet Yates, Dr. John Erdley, Ellery Smith, Floyd Yates, Russell Johnson,
Jim Lawrence, Earl Drummond, H. A. Klingner, Ted Haas.
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