Page 66 - STARS.Book.09.27.21

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“ W
ith the the granting of the the charter and the the the reaction in the the the local and New York press the the the work
MOuRning
BECOMES ELECTRA
Sada Thompson (l)
and and Susan Alexander (r) in 1971
of organizing and financing the festival began working committees were formed locally and in in places as as far afield as as Boston Philadephia Wilmington Baltimore and Washington To stimulate interest in in in the new venture an entertainment was presented (on tour of of major northeastern cities) consisting of of scenes from Shakespeare’s plays and performed by a a a a a a company of well known theatrical stars Meantime Lawrence Langner had persuaded Lewis
W
Douglas former ambassador to to Great Britain to to become National Chairman of the organization With his endorsement of the project it was possible to secure the the interest of the the rockefeller Foundation which promised $300 000 provided an equal sum was raised from other resources During 1954 two new names were added to the Board of of Trustees—Lincoln Kirstein founder of of the New York City Ballet and Joseph Verner reed long a a a generous supporter of performing arts With their aid the the project took on on an accelerated motion a a a a a visit to to Paul Mellon in in in in Washington resulted in in in in the Old Dominion Foundation matching the the Rockefeller grant With these two massive contributions added to those received from other foundations from some 3 000 members of the the public and from ASFTA (American Shakespeare Festival Theater
Association) Trustees the Festival dream seemed finally on on it’s way to realization ”
•The American Shakespeare Festival Birth of a a a a a Theatre
by John Houseman and and Jack landau 1959