Avenal High School - La Neva Yearbook (Avenal, CA)

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he: MOUSE THAT This year the Senior class presented the hit comedy, The Mouse That Roared. The exceptionally humorous satire tells of the strife of a very tiny duchy named Grand Fenwick. The minute country ' s export market was stolen when an imitation of their precious wine, Pinot Grand Fenwick, was suddenly being manufactured in the United States. To meet the financial demands. Grand Fenwick decided to declare war on the United States. The true motive of the plan, which was to lose the war and receive financial aid from the generous United States, is known only by the Duchess Gloriana, Count Mountjoy, and Mr. Benter, however. The army is finally organized and a simple minded back- woodsman known as Tully Bascom leads the forces. They invade New York City in broad daylight with bows and arrows ! By some ridiculous fluke, they capture the Q-bomb which puts the United States at their mercy. However, the play does end happily. The United States is forced to pay an annual tribute to Gloriana of twelve dozen pomogranites. The microscopic country, five miles long by three miles wide, tells the rest of the world no war and lives happily ever after as the little mouse with the power of a mighty lion.

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Did the doorbell ring. Mrs. Ritter? Why, Mr. Spindler — you bold thing, you! ' Practice makes perfect; yet this proverb seems to have been disproved by the amateur theatre group, directed by the bossy and dominating Mrs. Pampinelli, that practices in the first act of Torch Bearers. Mrs. Ritter, who is positive that her starring role will give her fame on Broadway; Mrs. Fell, the sweet li ' l ol ' lady with a man-trappin mind; Mr. Spindler, the brain- less and incompetent helper of Mrs. Pampinelli; Mr. Hossefrosse, the forgetful and suave actor; Miss McCrickett, the young, pert, and delightful actress; teen-aged Teddy Spearing, interested in jazz and gals, and Mr. Twiller, the happy-go-lucky and stumbling actor all put forth their best efforts to produce a play worthy of an Oscar. All during the first scene humor and more than a touch of reality are combined, climaxed when Mr. Ritter, aghast at seeing his wife ' s acting , falls in a dead faint from the top of the piano. Finally the big night arrives, and the second act shows the zany anxieties of a cast: lost props, late actors, falling scenery, loss of memory, lighting problems, and a curtain that won ' t open for curtain calls. While Mr. Twiller and Mrs. Ritter get stuck in a doorway and Teddy faints, Mrs. Pampinelli continues to direct the play in her usual flighty and imperious manner. In the third act the play being over, the cast adjourns to a victory party; however Mrs. Ritter returns home to discover her husband in a rage! After seeing his wife ' s acting, Mr. Ritter is sure tliat it will be impossible for Iiim to hold his head high in public. As Mrs. Ritter bursts into tears, Mrs. Fell and Mrs. Pampinelli arrive and thoroughly upbraid Mr. Ritter for his lack of appreciation of culture and talent. While the argument continues, Higgens answers the phone, and as a result of tlie conversation Mrs. Ritter is offered a movie con- tract! The suspense mounts. Is it love or money? ? ?? Love wins, and Mrs. Ritter decides to keep her home intact and stay with her husband rather than become a star And they live happily ever after ! I tell you, Mr. Hossefrosse, he ruined the scene! Someday you ' ll learn that the bird ' s wing gester is the only gesture!

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CAST Gloriana Debbie Stierlen Tully Bascom Ray Moore David Benter Dan Bradbury Count Mountjoy Richard Baggs Norma Terry Engstrom Helen Bobbi Thornton Ann Lynn Savage Mrs. Bascom Pat Brannum Royal Page Susan Hicks Will Mike Gialdini 1st Soldier Ray Brown 2nd Soldier Marge Suits 3rd Soldier Judy Raines 4th Soldier Chuck Johns 5th Soldier Robert Munoz 6th Soldier Gilbert Garza General Snippet John Sagaser Wac Jill Jane Crowder Wac Debbie Jeffra Wright Tom Mulligan Jim Brewer Professor Kokintz Jim Goodnight Mrs. Reiner Pat Hildebrand The President Mike Flanigan Miss Wilkins Linda Cunningham Mr. Beston Ben Nunley Miss Johnson Kay Petersen 1st Tourist Joy Hansen 2nd Tourist Barbara Crider 3rd Tourist Kay Hamner 4th Tourist Cheryl Abell