Pauline Phelps (November 13, 1870 – January 6, 1963) was an American writer and playwright, known for writing short monologues for recitation, and for her collaborations with partner Marion Short."Two Women Dramatists"
''Minneapolis Journal'' (November 27, 1901): 5. via

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Early life

Pauline Isabelle Phelps was born in

Simsbury, Connecticut Simsbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 24,517 at the 2020 census. The town was incorporated as Connecticut's 21st town in May 1670. History Early history At the beginning of the 17th century, the ...

, the daughter of George Mortimer Phelps and Abigail Case Phelps.

Career

Popular recitation pieces by Pauline Phelps included historical works such as ''Rosalind's Surrender'' (1901) and ''As the Moon Rose'', comic pieces with titles like ''Aunt Sarah on Bicycles'' and ''Telephone Romance'' (1899), and the unusual ''Shakespearian Conference'', in which a cast of Shakespeare's tragic characters gather to discuss the ways to increase the audience for Shakespeare plays. Phelps's plays were often performed by amateur community and school drama programs. Her ''Daughters of the Revolution'' starred vaudevillian performer Neil Burgess as Hannah Thurber, in a 1903 production. Phelps often collaborated with her partner Marion Short on writing plays, sometimes using the joint pen-name ''Paul Marion.'' Works by the duo included ''When a Woman Loves'' (1900), ''The Girl from Out Yonder'' (1906),"'The Girl from Out Yonder': Adelaide Thurston's New Play"
''Emporia Gazette'' (January 16, 1907): 1. via

'' A Grand Army Man'' (co-authored with

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of m ...

and performed on Broadway in 1907, with

David Warfield David Warfield (November 28, 1866 – June 27, 1951) was an American stage actor. Life and career Warfield was born David Wohlfeld in San Francisco, California, to German-Jewish parents, Louise and Sigmund Wohlfeld. His first connection wit ...

and

Antoinette Perry Mary Antoinette "Tony" Perry (June 27, 1888June 28, 1946) was an American actress and director, and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing. She is the eponym of the Tony Awards. Early life Born in Denver, Colorado, she spent her childhood asp ...

in the cast), ''As Molly Told It'' (1909), ''Jack's Brother's Sister'' (1916), ''The Flour Girl'' (1920), ''Shavings'' (1920, based on a novel by

Joseph C. Lincoln Joseph Crosby Lincoln (February 13, 1870 – March 10, 1944) was an American literature, American author of novels, poems, and short stories, many set in a fictionalized Cape Cod. Biography Lincoln was born in 1870 in Brewster, Massachusetts, o ...

), ''The Belle of Philadelphia Town'' (1925), ''Cosy Corners'' (1922), ''Stop! Go!'' (1930), ''The Wistful Widow'' (1932), and ''Sweet Clover''. They also adapted some works by English playwright Ina Leon Cassilis for American performance. ''Sweet Clover'', one of the first of her collaborations with Marion Short to reach the stage, was called "by far the strongest play turned out yet by American female dramatists" by a critic from the ''Philadelphia Record''. Actress Adelaide Thurston starred in two early Phelps/Short plays in the 1900s, ''Sweet Clover'' and ''The Girl from Out Yonder.'' Late in her career, Phelps turned to adaptations. She adapted

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

's ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

'' for performance in 1939, and wrote a stage adaptation of ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' in 1941, as well as stage adaptations of

J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succ ...

's ''The Little Minister'' (1940) and

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

's ''

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'' (1941). After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

several further short plays and adaptations by Phelps appeared, including ''

Madame Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lut ...

'' (1954).Pauline Phelps
''Madame Butterfly''
(Wetmore Declamation Bureau 1954).

Later life

Pauline Phelps traveled to North Dakota to marry Hugh Connoran Short and reside in rural Billings County. They were married in Dawson County Montana in 1942. Social security records list her death in the town of Medical Lake, Spokane County, Washington in January, 1963.

References

External links

A photograph of Pauline Phelps
in the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Pauline American dramatists and playwrights 1870 births People from Simsbury, Connecticut 1963 deaths