Baldwin Wallace University - Grindstone Yearbook (Berea, OH)

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Mother Courage and Her Children Experimentation and innovation were the goals of director Neal Poole in his staging of Bertolt Brechtis play, Mother Courage and Her Children. This production was the first to use a modern translation by Peter Sander, dramaturge for the Cleveland Play- house. It featured also an original, haunting score by the Playhouse music director, David Gooding. The title role was portrayed by guest artist Ellen Dar- ling. Presented in conjunction with the Peace with Justice Program, Mother Courage traces the nomadic life of an army provisioner. During the course of the Thirty Yearsi War, she loses her three children in her efforts to survive and to support them. However, peace withjustice is but one aspect of the play; virtue and human nature also encompass its theme. Mather Courage performances were December LS in the Studio Theatre. .'.' . ,9 h a h ..' k o -- ,, OWV 7 i477 l. T... t above: Dan Lazuta tSwiss CheeseL Francesca Norsen tKalIrinL Ellen Darling tMether Couraget, and P: Dcmsch tEiliQ. above: Jeff Smart tCookJ. Ellen Darling. 221M01her Courage and Her Children above.- Jeff Smart. Ellen Darling, and Pam Schaffer thetteJ.

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Street Scene n shock ofher motheris sudden death, Rose Maurrant tAndrea Putnami is being comforted by Dr. Wilson tProfessor Sill Altmant and her close friend Sam Kaplan tMark Kopcienskit while the neighbors gather around l0 witness the nournrul event. drs. Anne Maurrant tDaphne Sealeyi sharinga peaceful moment with herson Willie tTom Orangeit her pride andjoy. During the fall quarter, the pro- scenium stage ofthe Art 8; Drama Center was transformed into a bustling New York Street for Kurt Weili's American Opera tiStreet Scene , performed by the Bat- dwin-Waliace Conservatory in cooperation with the Speech 8c Theatre Arts and Women's Phys- ical Education Department, the show boasted the talents of ali three areas. Weiil's creation from the Elmer Rice play is a realistic glimpse of the destructive, powerful side of human nature which can neither control nor redirect the destiny of our lives. The universality of the show allows the stage to be set on any street in any town during any period of time. In this depicted New York neighborhood, the Maurrant Fam- ily becomes the target of tragedy. Finding n0 compassion from her husband. Mrs. Maurrant tplayed by Daphne Sealeyi searches for someone to fulfill her womanly needs. The rumors run rampant of her affair with the miikmam Mr. Sankey tportrayed by Geoffry Spoenemani. Tension Hairs when the immigrant neighbors pass on the iinewsf'. Meanwhile Rose tpor- trayed by Andrea Putnami and Willie tportrayed by Tom Orangei try to conceal their motheris wrongdoingsi Aware of his wifess infidelity, yet also of his own reluc- tance to reveal his love for his wife. Mr. Maurrant tplayed by Ronald BarkettJ explodes in an act of im- passioned violence, killing his wife and her lover Ironically, the neighbor's reaction to the destruc- tion of the Maurrants is one of ex- citement, for these sad irreversible events have brought a Hurry to their otherwise dull lives. Joseph J. Garry, Jr., a B-W gra- duate and weIi-established play- wright, honored the Conservatory with his precise guest direction. Supervising the score and musical mood of the production was Stuart Raleigh. The intricate, realistic set design was the imaginative crew ation of Douglas Hall, Costuming for the ragged setting of 1929 was supplied by Mary Ann Fruth. Street SceneXZl

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Gemini the controversial play of the year On January 28, 29, 30 and Feb- ruary 4, 5, 6, a very humorous, yet sensitive story comes to the B-W stage. Gemini, a story about peo- ple we meet everyday. Some of those people we view as social out- casts, others we can identify with. Everyone has gone to school with a Herschel, knows a Bunny, and has been a Francis, Randy, or a Judith. These characters due to their per; sonai quirks, are mistaken for be- ing socially unacceptable. The sexual situations and pro- fanity are apparent in the show, but it runs deeper than that. Gemi- m' deals with all this with great hu- mor. The play is an adult comedy and may contain material which is offensive to some. This was the be ginning of the controversial play. The posters that also showed a view of a manis pants and zipper brought the posters down off the campus walls. The scene here is showing them getting ready it: sit down For dinner which was prepared by Bunny. Geminif23