National Collegiate Players

National Collegiate Players, also known as Pi Epsilon Delta (ΠΕΔ), was an American co-educational honor society for participants in collegiate theatre. It was founded in 1919 at the University of Wisconsin, finally going dormant around 1990.

History
Pi Epsilon Delta was established at University of Wisconsin on June 8, 1919, by students who were interested in theater. The first group contained seventeen men and women, including four faculty members. Its first president was Ray E. Holcolm. Pi Epsilon Delta was established as an honor society to recognize and encourage collegiate theatre. Its activities included supporting dramatic performances, playwriting, and the study of drama and encouraging leadership in these fields.

By 1922, Pi Epsilon Delta had a total of five chapters, including added chapters at Washington University in St. Louis, University of Minnesota, and Northwestern University. In June 1922, Pi Epsilon Delta merged with Associated University Players to form National Collegiate Players. Associated University Players was founded in 1913 at University of Illinois and had chapters at Ohio University, University of Washington, and University of Oregon. All but its chapter at the University of Washington voted to join the merged organization.

The merger was facilitated by two faculty members at the University of Wisconsin, Gertrude Johnson, professor of the speech department and grand chancellor of Pi Epsilon Delta, and Merle R. Raines, an English instructor and grand secretary of the Associated University Players. Pi Epsilon Delta was an honorary society, while the Associated University players were a theatrical production group.

The ideals and scope of the new National Collegiate Players were identical to Pi Epsilon Delta's. However, all chapters were allowed to produce theatrical shows. The merged organization's name was adopted due to resistance to continuing the form of a Greek letter organization, viewed as another secret order.

The first chapter installed after the merger was Iowa State University in April 1923. The society established the Junior Collegiate Players for students at junior colleges at Stephens College in 1949. It also sponsored a Summer European Theatre Workshop for its members every two years starting in 1959.

By 1962, the Players had initiated some 9,000 members. The National Collegiate Players became an honor society when it joined the Association of College Honor Societies in February 1963.

In 1977, the Players had 44 active chapters and 44 inactive chapters. It had initiated 15,000 members. Its headquarters was located at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The National Collegiate Players went dormant around 1990.

Symbols
The Pi Epsilon Delta membership emblem was a key that included the comedy and drama masks of ancient Greek theater and the Greek letters ΠΕΔ. Founding member Frances Allen Tucker designed the key. Its motto was Palamay en Drama or "Art in Drama".

The National Collegiate Players maintained the key and motto of Pi Epsilon Delta. Its publication was Players, which was first published in 1924.

Membership
Students were admitted to the National Collegiate Players based on a point system for achievement in acting, construction, costuming, directing, playwriting, stage design, stagecraft, and the completion of courses in dramatic arts, speech, and literature at an accredited institution. This was a modification of the point system used by Pi Epsilon Delta before the merger of the two organizations.

Only upper-class women and men were eligible for membership which was limited to seven to twelve active members per chapter. Applications for membership were voted on by the local chapter and approved by the national council, thus providing both national and local recognition for members.

The Players also initiated honor members who had made significant contributions to academia or the theater profession.

Chapters
Following is a list of the chapters of the National Collegiate Players. Inactive institutions are indicated in italics.

Collegiate

 * Mary Wickes (Washington University), actress
 * Anne Simley, academic and founder of the theater department at Hamline University
 * Haila Stoddard (University of Southern California), actress, producer, writer and director
 * Jon Whitmore (Washington State University) chief executive officer of ACT and president of Texas Tech University and San José State University

Honorary

 * Judith Anderson, stage and film actress
 * Henry Fonda, actor
 * Helen Hayes, actress
 * Cedrick Hardwick, stage and film actor
 * Charles Laughton, actor and director
 * Raymond Massey, actor
 * Agnes Moorhead, actress
 * Tyrone Power, actor
 * Basil Rathbone, actor