Louise Murphy & Masquers Drama Club; Friendly House

Collection

Identifier: 2009-06

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Masquers Dramatic Club scrapbooks containing photographs of Masquers productions and personal candids,ephemera including programs and tickets, newsclipping, Murphy family photos, Davenport High School class reunion books, creative writing, Marvin Mudd World War II Army Air Corps photos in Germany and a Friendly House history.

Dates

Creation: circa 1920-1946

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials are available for use in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center only.

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Biographical / Historical

Louise Murphy married Paul Murphy at Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1943. In a newsclipping regarding their weddingit states she was “prominent in Tri-City dramatic circles. She is a charter member of the Masquers drama club of the Friendly House. She is also active in the Unitarian drama club.”
Louise Christine (Murphy) Murphy died July 8, 2003 in Moline, IL. Her obituary can be found in the Quad City Timeson July 9, 2003, page C5. It states she was a member of the Unitarian Church and the Music Guild in Moline. She wassurvived by sisters Arlie Mudd and Edith Griffin, both of Davenport. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Paul; and sister, Rosalie Murphy.

The Masquers Dramatic Club performed and was affiliated with the Friendly House.

Information regarding the Masquers and other theater groups:
Source: The Democrat and Leader, Sunday Morning, September 8, 1946; section 3 page 1
Masquers began in October 1931 when Harry Downer directed Miss Louise Murphy to open an evening class of dramatics. Downer and Murphy trained members for a year and then organized the group into a club, electing officers and becoming known as “The Masquers”. They started a seasonal schedule in 1935.
Source:The Democrat and Leader, Sunday Morning, February 22, 1948; section 3 page 1
First dramatic club in Davenport and oldest dramatic group in Tri-cities “The Playcrafters” [sic-based on later statement in article, believe this should be The Friendly House Players”]organized in 1913 by Mrs. Agnes Montanus. Composed of small group of theaterminded Davenporters with the old Friendly House as their headquarters. Their first presentation was the German operetta, “Preciosa”.In Jan. 1925 the Friendly House building was destroyed by fire and the Players lost all of their equipment and properties. Despite that loss the Friendly House Players remained active until 1932. The following year a group taking a course in dramatics at the new Friendly House organized the Masquers Dramatic Club....only Rock Island boasts of an organized club, “The Playcrafters” in existence since 1920.