P. 1 The fact that the Greeks in the United States are beginning to enter the fields of American literature and fine arts is sufficient to provoke the interest and even the ardent admiration of all. The Greek immigrant no longer confines himself to business and manual labor but is rising to higher intellectual levels and aspires to contribute to the advancement of the fine arts of this country.

In this connection we wish to call especial attention to the noble work of Mr. D. Machalaros, who, besides publishing various poetical works in English, has rewritten his play "Theodora" for presentation on the American stage. Mr. Michala-ros thereby aims to contribute his poetic talent to the progress of the American drama and at the same time to prove to the American public that the Greeks in America are not worshippers of profits, as it is popularly believed, 2but are also making progress in the field of fine arts. Indeed, their contributions to the progress and advancement of this nation are diversified, embracing all branches of learning.

Mr. Michalaros has chosen as the theme of his play, an episode in the history of Byzantium, and his hereine is Theodora, the Empress of the East.

Mr. Michalaro's aim is to present, on the American stage, an episode of the history of Greece in the Middle Ages, thus portraying for the American public that sequel to ancient Hellenism which is known as the Byzantine Period, - a period unknown to most of the world and even to the Greek populace.

A brief summary of the play follows:

Theodora, before becoming the wife of the Emperor Justinian, performed as a dancer on the stage of the Hippodrome and had married in Egypt a certain Ahmed, whose father was Ahmed the Elder, a pagan priest. Theodora bore to Ahmed a son whom she named Leon. Abandoning her husband, Theodora journeys to Constantinople with her son Leon. Theodora's husband goes to Constantinople in search of his wife and his son but is seized and slain at the command of Theodora, who had already married the Emporer Justinian.

The father of the slain Ahmed, however, after learning of the tragic fate of his son, goes to Constantinople and, after disguising himself as a monk, succeeds in finding his nephew, Leon, and conspires against Theodora in order to avenge the death of his son.

The old priest by his sagacity and his knowledge of the art of astrology wins the respect and admiration of the people of Constantinople and plays an important 4part in the insurrection of Nika, aimed against Theodora.

At the moment when Justinian's throne is about to be overthrown by the rebels, and the emperor seeks to flee to save himself, Theodora summons the generals of Byzantium and orders them to take an oath of allegiance to her, that they will fight against the revolutionists. At Theodora's instigation, a general named Belisarius takes an oath of allegiance to her, swearing that he will fight the rebels against the orders of Justinian, who at Theodora's command is seized on the charge of coward-liness and desertion. Theodora is proclaimed Empress and Belisarius succeeds in checking the rebellion. Thus Theodora triumphs.

But at this moment of exaltation, fate takes a hand and bids Theodora drink from its bitterest cup.

Among the conspirators is a young man named Leon, an officer at Theodora's court, who had joined the revolutionary movement at a moment's notice and would have killed the Empress, unaware that she was his mother.

Theodora herself did not know that Leon was her son by her first husband. Theodora orders the young officer, Leon, to be seized and blinded;. Ahmed, the old monk, Theodora's former father-in-law, is also seized and brought before her. She does not recognize him, but he recalls to her incidents of her earlier life before she became the Empress of the East and also tells her of her child.

She attempts to learn of the whereabouts of her son, and the old man reveals to her that he is none other than the young officer of her court, Leon.

Theodora orders Leon to be brought before her, but he is totally blind and groaning in agony. The scene of recognition is the most tragic passage of Mr. Michalaros's play and is indeed pathetic.

Finally the son, as the result of his mutilation dies in his mother's arms, 6and the old man is led away to the gallows.

This, in brief, is the plot of Mr. Michalaros's play which last Sunday was presented to an American audience, on the stage, of the Studebaker Theater.

The plot and its development possess the qualities requisite for a real dramatic work.

This play, as a whole, was well presented and gave to the audience a favorable and lasting impression of its author, a Hellene whom the Greeks in America, especially those of our own community, should recognize for his noble contributions to American literature. He has already gained recognition from the American press as the author of his published poems and in the favorable comments of newspapers, on the first performance of "Theodora."

The stage setting of this production, in spite of many pains taken to perfect it, did not fulfill the requirements of the play. The players, though they are members of the Hull House group, failed to play their parts well, with the exception of the old priest Ahmed, whose part was played by 7Mr. Louis Alter, a veteran of the American stage whose distinguished acting set him apart from the other members of the cast.

Mrs. Eunice Thompson, to whom the leading role of Theodora was assigned, did not play her part well.

The second and the third acts of the drama are very weak; it is only in the fourth act that a poignantly dramatic scene is set before the audience, the recognition of Leon by his mother Theodora.

It we take into consideration the fact that this was the initial performance of the play, and that meager financial resources were available for its production, it is only fair to say that the work merits approval, and we firmly believe that if its author makes a few necessary corrections, it will remain on the stage.

This is also the opinion of many other critics who closely followed and studied the performance.

In this production of the play, the author incorporated the Byzantine Chorus, which sang with great feeling. Their choice entitled in Byzantine Greek, "Ti Iper Macho Stratigho" and other Byzantine hymns which made a deep impression on the audience.

This chorus, which gave very melodious renditions of these Byzantine airs, was under the direction of Mr. G. Papageorge.

In the various intermissions, incidental music, including a variety of popular Greek selections, was played by Mr. E. Varzos's orchestra. The audience was highly pleased by these numbers.

Both the Americans and the Greeks who witnessed the presentation of the play 9were so highly impressed by it that they requested the author to step on the stage, and he received generous applause.

S. Kotakis