The Theatre Guild, located in Ancon, Canal Zone, was started nine years ago by a small but enthusiastic group drawn from both the Republic of Panama and the Canal Zone. Its first organizational meeting was held at the Armed Forces Radio Station in the Canal Zone, and its first production of three one-act plays was given for two nights at a movie house in Diablo Heights in the Zone.

Because the theater was used for movie showings on other nights, rehearsals had to be held in another building some distance away, and cast and crew moved scenery and props to the theater the day of the opening. The one-acts were followed by TWO BLIND MICE, DOVER ROAD, SPRINGTIME FOR HENRY and AH, WILDERNESS.

In 1951 the Guild was able to rent and refurbish a building in Ancon, which had been a medical clinic. Without professional help, Guild members installed 166 theater seats, built a stage, light board, make-up and prop rooms and a carpentry shop. The first production in the new theater was HARVEY.

Since the two-run days at Diablo, the number of performances has been increased to six and membership in the organization has grown from a handful to 400. The price of admission, however, has remained at the nominal $1.00.

Our players and directors include people of the permanent Canal Zone community, members of the Armed Forces stationed in the Canal Zone, diplomats accredited to Panama and businessmen of all nationalities in Panama and the Canal Zone. One of the Guild's most polished performers in the past, Adolfo Arias Espinosa, is now Panamanian Ambassador to the Vatican.

Others have made their professional break on Broadway and in Hollywood: among them, Robert Loggia, who has had featured roles in several movies and off-Broadway productions and is a frequent performer in television in New York; and Patricia Quinn, who some months ago made her off-Broadway debut in the Maxwell Anderson play, THE GOLDEN SIX.

Nancy Acly, one of the Guild's most popular ingénues, appeared with the Peterboro Players in Peterboro, New Hampshire the last two seasons. The Guild has also contributed to the impresario ranks with Paul E. Davis, whose Theatre Marquee in New York last year housed the successful Frank O'Conner play, GUESTS OF THE NATION. It is represented in the playwright division with Martin Halpern, who during 1958 had a play produced by the Poet's Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

During the filming of THE NAKED AND THE DEAD in Panama in 1957, several Guild members were chosen for feature and bit parts, among them Charles Walsh, James Mattingly and John MacTaggart.

Some of the Guild's performers have come to its stage complete with professional credits. These include Sandra Kaufman, a featured dancer in the Broadway musical, THREE WISHES FOR JAMIE: John Aniston, who appeared several seasons with the Allenberry Players in Allenberry, Pennslyvania, and director Fred Berest, formerly with the Pasedena Playhouse.

Although some of the Guild's players have gone on to the professional ranks, many of its early supporters have remained to contribute to its growth, including Adela Bettis, who directed the Guild's much-applauded production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK in 1958: Len Worcester, who made his debut in SPRINGTIME FOR HENRY in Diablo and has since acted in 13 productions and directed 4; Claude Aycock, a Canal Zone school teacher, who directs and is also the Guild's favorite character actress; and Roy Glickenhaus, a businessman, who commutes between Texas and Panama and usually finds time while in Panama to direct or act in a play. Roy is in the cast of THE MOUSETRAP, currently in rehearsal. It is slated to be presented on March 9 and stars John Mayles.