University of Southern California - El Rodeo Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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SCENE FROM CHARMING lEANDER Shakespeare Club The Shakespeare Drama Club, under the direction of Professor Jay L. Ches- nutt, has presented six plays this year, in very creditable manner. The plays selected varied in theme from sparkling comedy to heavy drama. A group of three plays, Modesty, by Paul Hervien; Piper ' s Pay, by Margaret Cameron, and The Rising of the Moon, by Lady Gregory, were presented about the middle of the first semester. Modesty is a clever little comedy turning on woman ' s love of flattery and man ' s appreciation of that weakness. The characters are amusingly contrasted — the attractive young woman who believes herself impenetrable to flattery, the blunt man who tells her frankly of her faults, and the other wise man who tells her gracefully of her virtues. Piper ' s Pay also holds up one of woman ' s foibles, the passion for the col- lection of souvenirs. Each character is well drawn — the young wife breaking into society, and her friends, the matter-of-fact bachelor girl, the frivolous bride, the self-assured society matron, a maid, a reporter and a detective. The Rising of the Moon is one of the best representatives of the Irish school in drama. All three plays present ample opportunity for variety of character-work and development of situation. ORATORY Page 270

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MILLER DODSON WRIGHT CONSTANT PATTON EDWARDS Freshmen FRESHMEN BEWAIL Oh, it ' s climb, climb, climb, Till we wear our shoes away; And it ' s time, time, time. That success should come to stay. Oh, it ' s work, work, work. Till the calling of the roll: ' Nd never shirk, shirk, shirk. If we want good breath control. ' Oh, it ' s rave, rave, rave, Till our hair is turning white ; But it ' s brave, brave, brave We will try to be, and right. OR A TOR Y Page 269

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Early in the second semester another program of plays was presented : a five- act comedy, The Twins, by Plautus; Pater Noster, by Francois Copee, and Charming Leander, by Theodore de Banville. These plays were trans- lations, the first from the Old Latin and the last two from the French. The Twins is an old five-act play upon which Shakespeare founded his Comedy of Errors. The men ' s parts were taken by girls in a ver)- acceptable manner. Pater Noster is an historical play of the period after the French Revolu- tion, when the communards were in revolt. The priest has been killed by the communards, while his sister, wrought almost to insanity by grief, has turned against God and man. Touched by an appeal from the cure, she for gives, and saves the life of one of her brother ' s murderers. In marked contrast to Pater Noster was the last number of the program, Charming Leander. The characters are Leander, a romantic young dream- er; a fussy old man, and his dainty daughter, Columbine. A spirit of whim- sical gaiety pervades every speech. Through affiliation with the Shakespeare Club, the students learn not only the fundamental principles of stage technique in acting, but also plan costumes, arrange stage settings and direct plays. THE CASTS MODESTY The Widow Grace Millar Jacque James Pawson Albert Elmer Duncan PIPERS PAY Peggy Mrs. Gussie Fleishman Freda Clifton Patton Mrs. Carr Florence Don Carlos Mary Clark Jean Webster Mabel Gertrude Bloomfield Reporter Frances Wood Maid CORINE DOBSON THE RISING OF THE MOON The Ragged Man Ray Hughes Sergeant Leslie Craig Policeman No. 1 Edward Olson Policeman No. 2 Voltaire Perkins PATER NOSTER Rose Margaret Edwards Cure Althea Henrickson The Bandit John Clark The Neighbor Corinne Burns The Maid Rhea Crowther CHARMING LEANDER Leander Esther Welch Columbine Claribel Constant Orgon Florence Don Carlos OR. TORY Page 271