'Times' Charged With Distortion Of Theatre Festival's Intentions

William Morris Hunt '36 last night attacked the New York Times for what he termed "a gross misrepresentation of facts" in an article which revealed that Siobhan McKenna, star of "Chalk Garden," would act the title role in an August production of "Saint Joan" for "the Harvard University Drama Festival."

Statements Unauthorized

Hunt, one of the organization's executive producers, stated that the use of "Harvard University" was completely unsubstantiated. The University will merely donate the Sanders Theatre stage to the drama group and will have no connection whatsoever with it, Hunt added. The group will be known as the Cambridge Drama Festival.

Also, the assertion that "Saint Joan' will be put on Aug. 6-25 as the third and final item in the drama festival" is "completely unofficial and unauthorized," according to Hunt. "The question of whether the Cambridge Drama Festival will be a reality this summer is still unsettled; there are no certainties," Hunt emphasized.

Representatives from the Drama group have contacted several leading stage personalities, among them Miss McKenna. Such work is necessary for the groundwork in a theatrical series. However, Hunt said "all plans concern possibilities and nothing more."

The Times' article also implied that the first of the three productions would star Burgess Meredith in "Hamlet" and that Arthur Kennedy and Mildred Dunnock would act "King John" in the second bill, if they were available.

No Commitments Yet

Once again, Hunt stressed that "no commitments would be made for quite some time," and that any offers made at the present time are merely on an exploratory basis. There has been no decision yet made on policy except that the plays presented will represent the classical theatre.