Modesto Junior College - Buccaneer Yearbook (Modesto, CA)

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a The first play of the year given at the Modesto Theatre was Candida, by Bernard Shaw. The play deals with a successful minister. Reverend James Morell. whose whole sphere revolves around him: his loving and attentive wife, Candida, his secretary. Proserpina Garnett. and his assistant curate, Lexy Mill, who all adore him. Eugene Marchbanks, a young poet whom Morell had found upon the embankment disowned by his rich family, falls in love with Candida and quite shakes Morell ' s view of life by his own interpretation, for Eugene affirms that Candida would be more happy with him than with Morell. Katherine McClure. who played the part of Candida, the loving wife of Morell. did a good piece of work in portraying the woman who loves everyone, whose soul goes out to all those in physical or mental pain. Cecil Davis, who portrayed Reverend James Morell. played up to ability as usual, and we all know what Cecil ' s abilities are. His moods were especially good. Kenneth Bartlett, as Eugene, gave a good presentation of a young poet desperately in love with an older woman, caring for nothing but to have Candida with him in a tiny shallop sailing the seas of romance. Archie Dixon, who played the part of Mr. Burgess, the father of Candida, contributed a good part of the comedy in the play. His many disillusionments as to the sanity of the house- hold were laughable. Eleanor Brophy. as Proserpina Garnett, the prim and easily shocked secretary, was also a comedy character. She offered quite a con- trast to her prim conduct in the last act when she with Burgess and Lexy Mill came in drunk. LeVerne Leiter was cast as Lexy Mill, the faithful assistant of Morell. Although he didn ' t have much to say, when he said it, it certainly went over. a fact that is characteristic of all of LeVerne ' s performances. The awards for this play were given to Kathryn McClure and Archie Dixon. [36]

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The College Players Officers Cecil Davis President ELSIE CuNHA Elsie Cunha Vice-President Katherine McClure Marian Davis Secretary :„ Mildred Downey Charles Morris, Jr Treasurer Charles Morris, Jr. GlENNA HosmeR Reporter ELEANOR BROPHY Art Editor Carleton Lehman Historian DOROTHY POULSON Advisor IRENE CHILDREY HOCH With the purpose of keeping players united and thus perpetuating dramatics by co-operation and teamwork, the College Players was first formed. Member- ship was allowed to all who actively participated in any production. With a very great increase in the number of members, there was a danger of forgetting this purpose. To remedy the situation, the club was reorganized, and thj constitution rewritten, limiting membership. Under the present system, meetings are planned in advance by the executive board, and initiations of those fulfilling the requirements of the club are made after the presentation of each play or other production. Among the social activities enjoyed by the College Players during the last year was a masquerade on New Year ' s Eve. To this were invited all the alumni who had been members of the organization. The success of this social was evident in the fact that one alumnus drove a hundred miles to attend it. Later the cabinet of the organization was entertained at a buffet supper preceding the initiation of members of the cast of Blow Your Own Horn. The backstage workers, the capable staff of technicians who accomplished so much in staging and lighting effects, deserve much credit for the success of all the productions during the year. [35]

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1 Blow Your Owe Horn The second play of the year was the spirited comedy Blow Your Own Horn, by Owen Davis. The theme is of a poor soldier, Jack Dunbar, just home from the war who, roaming the country with his kid brother Bud, comes on a millionaire business man, Nicholas Small, who tells him that the reason for his failure is that he never blows his own horn, Charles Morris, Jr., who played Jack Dunbar, the poor soldier, went over big. The audience will long remember his first appearance with his side kick LeVerne Leiter, as Bud. Skinny ' s portrayal of the kid brother struck the audience in the right place — particularly his appearance in the velvet suit which was too small to sit down in. Viola Donkin, as Ann Small, did a very commendable piece of work as the daughter of the newly-rich Mr. Small. Her hysterical scene was especially well done. Theron Cline, who was Nicholas Small, very wise in the ways of man, was the best millionaire imaginable. Who would have thought that Theron could act as well as he could play football. ' Of the remainder of the cast, Emil Carlson deserves honorable mention for his humorous portrayal of MacAnders, the gardener. The rest of the players included Rachel Hoist, as Mrs. Jolyon, the hostess: Matt Corrigan, as Mr. Jolyon, the host: Edward Dennett, as Augustus Jolyon, their son, engaged to Ann Small: Einar Ahnstedt and Charles Ransome, as Newton Cole and Austin Bevans respectively, guests of Mr. Jolyon: Hilma Girard, as Mrs. Hester Yates, a rich cottager: Gladys Crowell, as Julia, her daughter: Dorothy Hill, as Mrs. MacAnders, cook of the Jolyons, and Orlena Hawkins, as the maid of the Jolyons. The awards for the two best performances in this play were presented to Charles Morris, Jr., and Viola Donkin. [371 u,