Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
There are thousands of productions with scenery delivered by Sosman & Landis that were not recorded by Thomas G. Moses in his memoirs. In 1919, new scenery for the “Let’s Go Peggy” was designed and delivered by Sosman & Landis and Kansas City Scenic Co. The two firms had partnered together on many projects, including the scenery for the Elks’ Opera House in Leadville, Colorado in 1901.
The “Topeka Daily Capital” reported, “a carload of scenery is being built in Chicago for the production and will be received here in time for the stage rehearsal scheduled for next Monday night” (20 Oct. 1919, page 6).The setting for the first act was in Madrid and the setting for the second act was in Palm Springs.
The “Topeka Daily Capital” reported, “’Let’s Go Peggy Will Be A Home Grown Production By James A. Darnaby” on October 13, 1919 (page 6). Here is the article in its entirety:
“’Let’s Go Peggy’ arrived in Topeka yesterday with James A. Darnaby and his corp of assistants who will direct the production of the fall show for the Elks. Mr. Darnaby has written the show expressly for the Topeka Elks to include several features not unusually written into a play of this character. In it are incorporated part of the original draft of ‘Janitor James’ and ‘Who Do You Love.’ He will open the same show with a professional company in Chicago January 1.
’Let’s Go Peggy’ starts in Spain where Major Hamilton, member of a socially prominent family is about to leave for America. A stunning and very rich widow desire to marry him. His son, however objects to the match, likewise, her daughter. To overcome their objections the elderly couple agree with the youngsters that if the son and daughter don’t marry they must not stand in the way of papa and mamma marrying.
The second act includes a minstrel oleo sketched in as the performance of a blackface glee club at a charity ball in Spain and the cast requires about thirty blackface comedians. Mrs. Anne Saunders Darnaby has written all of the music.
Madame Chenault will arrive Tuesday to direct the ballets and Miss Helen Runyan, musical director, will direct the choruses.
The first rehearsal will be held Tuesday and Mr. Darnaby will confer with the entertainment committee of the Elks’ club this morning with regard to a selection of the cast. The performance will be given at the Grand, October 28, 29 and 30.
Miss Runyan is staying with her aunt, Mrs. James Cannon, who is in Topeka with her husband, James Cannon, who is superintending the contract for building the East Sixth Street concrete road.
Everything which goes with the show will be new. The Kansas City Scene Co. is building a complete set of scenery for the entire show and Lester o Chicago, is making new costumes for the parts.”
Later advertisement would note that scenery for the show was provided by “Sosman & Landis, Chicago, and Kansas City Scenic Co., Kansas City” (Washburn Review, 22 Oct. 1919, page 3).
On October 25, 1919, the “Topeka State Journal” reported, “Delegations of Elks from all over the state will see the opening performance of ‘Let’s Go Peggy’” (page 6).
“Lets Go Peggy” continued to be a success at Elks’ venues over the years. The show went on tour to other Elks theaters over the years. On March 24, 1922, the “Ottawa Herald” reported the show was “declared by many to have been the best home talent production ever presented “in Ottawa, Kansas (page 4). J. A. Darnaby and Anne Saunders Darnaby were still traveling with the production that involved thirty locals.
To be continued…
