Title: The Grass Harp, Kenyon Players, Plainfield NJ (1958–1959)
By Richard Flitz (Collin Talbo)
In the Fall of 1958, a singular piece of theatrical magic took place in the grand ballroom of the Monday Afternoon Club on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield, New Jersey. The Kenyon Players, a celebrated local independent company named after the club’s legendary mid-century anchor Eliza Elvira Kenyon, mounted a production of Truman Capote’s whimsical, poetic drama, The Grass Harp.
At the helm of this artistic triumph was director Arabelle Hubbard, working under her professional Manhattan stage name, Ara Wells. Bringing New York-level precision and vision to the Garden State, Arabelle orchestrated a production that would ripple all the way into the state-wide championships.
Stepping Into the Treehouse
As a young actor, I had the immense honor of being cast in the central role of Collin (listed in the program by his full book surname, Collin Talbo), the orphaned teenage narrator who acts as the emotional anchor of Capote's story. Together with the eccentric Dolly Talbo, Collin escapes the rigid constraints of society to go live in a giant chinaberry treehouse.
Transforming a formal, elegant ballroom stage into a rustic, mystical woodland sanctuary required extraordinary creative vision from Arabelle and our technical crew. Night after night, the elegant floorboards of the Monday Afternoon Club vanished. The stage crew built a magnificent, beautiful, and remarkably lifelike treehouse. Serving as the base of a massive, ancient southern oak tree, the structure was masterfully engineered out of 2x4s, heavy-gauge chicken wire, and canvas, meticulously painted by remarkable local artists. In front of a fabulous hand-painted woodland backdrop, the tree hut came to life.
A Pedigree of Theater Royalty
The production was deeply rooted in serious theatrical heritage. My father, Alfred Flitz, was an elite actor who honed his craft as a member of legendary actress-producer Eva Le Gallienne’s pioneering repertory group in New York City. He brought that professional gravity directly to our local stage.
The community theater pipeline was highly competitive, and our production of The Grass Harp boasted exceptional talent. My dad’s closest friend, Charles H. McKinney, was a pillar of the Kenyon Players and the sitting President of the New Jersey Theater League (NJTL). While Charlie originally shared the stage with us in Plainfield playing the Sheriff, he gracefully stepped out of the acting lineup for the tournament to maintain total neutrality as league president.
The Race Against the Clock: The 1959 NJTL Tournament
Our local run in the Fall of 1958 was so acclaimed that we were entered into the prestigious 1959 NJTL Drama Tournament, a fierce competition spanning multiple weekends. On Saturday afternoon, March 14, 1959, we traveled to the Hillside School Auditorium in Montclair, New Jersey for the final leg of the tournament.
The stakes were incredibly high, governed by strict tournament rules. Each company was allotted a precise, unforgiving window of time to completely set the stage, perform the play, and strike the set. Because of the tight timing, our tree hut had been intentionally designed to play beautifully on an empty stage.
But a moment of theatrical fate was waiting for us in Montclair. Walking onto the stage before our officially timed rehearsal, I happened to look up into the flies and spotted a rolled-up piece of theatrical scenery. When the crew flew it down, it revealed the most breathtaking, perfect woodland scene one could imagine.
A long, tense discussion ensued with the tournament judges: Could the Kenyon Players use a house backdrop already hanging in the venue? Scouring the rulebook, the judges ultimately decided there was absolutely nothing prohibiting it. Our canvas tree hut was quickly rolled into position, the beautiful house drop was flown in behind us, and we performed our hearts out.
Celebrating the Cast and a Second-Place Triumph
The competition that final weekend was legendary. We found ourselves up against a powerhouse performance of Euripides' tragedy, Medea, mounted by the Westfield Community Players. Ultimately, Westfield took home the first-place prize, but the Kenyon Players proudly captured Second Place in the State—a massive victory for our close-knit Plainfield company.
The production was made unforgettable by an extraordinary ensemble cast, including Muriel Tobin, Kenneth McCullough, Frank Blifford, Dorothy Candee, George Leverence, Demetria Loosli, Spencer Steenrod, and Edna Shuster.
Special mention belongs to Claire Neese, a dear, lifelong friend who played Catherine Creek, the loyal "Malugin maid." Over the years, Claire and I shared many stages together. She was a master of her craft, frequently dominating the NJTL Tournaments and winning First Place Acting Awards throughout her celebrated regional career.
Decades have passed since the final curtain fell on that Montclair stage, but the legacy of Arabelle Hubbard’s brilliant direction, the timeless set pieces, and the night a community theater company captured lightning in a bottle will never fade.
The Historical Cast List (As Printed March 14, 1959)
- The Reverend's Wife: Muriel Tobin
- The Reverend: Kenneth McCullough
- The Barber: Frank Blifford
- The Baker's Wife: Dorothy Candee
- The Postmaster: (Uncast)
- The Sheriff: George Leverence (Stepping in for Charles H. McKinney)
- Dolly Talbo: Demetria Loosli
- Collin Talbo: Richard Flitz
- Catherine Creek: Claire Neese
- Judge Charlie Cool: Spencer Steenrod
- The Choir Mistress: Edna Shuster
- Directed by Arabelle Hubbard
