Butler Community College - Grizzly Growl Yearbook (El Dorado, KS)

Page 25 text:

' ...jazz is alive and well at Butler College. -a spectator Randy Ruark of The Lantern staff, left, inter- views two musicians from Maynard Ferguson ' s band at a rehearsal for the February concert on the campus. Band members prepare for the con- cert in the college gymnasium while students watch the proceedings. Maynard Ferguson 2 1

Page 24 text:

Maynard Ferguson Big band plays Jazz artist Maynard Ferguson and his band delighted a large audience here Feb. 22. Ferguson, performing only two days after his son ' s death, was not present earlier in the day for a clinic attracting several hundred high school students, but members of his band proceeded with the clinic. At Ferguson ' s concert, popular songs included MacArthur Park and Hey Jude. Butler ' s Jazz Arts Big Band, which opened the concert a half-hour before Ferguson came on stage, teamed with the Ferguson band in Gonna Fly Now, the theme from Rocky. Appoximately 38 schools were represented at the afternoon pops clinic. Among those attending the concert were students and teachers form various colleges and universities, as well as from the high schools represented. The clinic started with each band member in- troducing himself with a short solo. Then the band broke up into sections and opened up for students ' questions. Though it has been some time since the band released an album, Steve Wiest, one of the trom- bonists, said the Ferguson band will release an albumin Japan. Butler ' s jazz band, directed by Doug Talbott, got a chance to show what it had learned at the clinic by doing the warm-up for the concert. The concert attracted one of the largest crowds in history for such a campus event, drawing people from a wide area of the state. Prime seating was provided in half the Gym, and most of those seats were filled. Rhonda Brooks, cen- ter, and Ann Ridgway receive musical pointers from Dennis Diblasio of the Ferguson band. 20 Maynard Ferguson

Page 26 text:

Drama Department Presents ' 110 in the Shade ' i he Drama Depar tment ' s first produc tion, 110 in the ] Shade , directed b Bob Peterson, was presented Oct. 6-8. 110 in the Shade was written by N. Richard Nash. It was a musical version of the play ' The Rainmaker . The setting for the production was a small drought ridden community. The problems begin when a traveler claiming to be a Rain- maker, Bill Starbuck, (Played by Robert Blanken, Clay Center sophomore) offers to bring the town rain within 24-hours for the price of $100. While trying to smooth talk everyone in the town Starbuck fin- ds himself interested in Lizzie Curry, (played by Susan Shields, El Dorado freshman) who wants nothing to do with him at all. When Starbuck recieved the cold shoulder from Lizzie, he began sweet talking her, telling her she was beautiful and lovely. However, any hope to gain Lizzie ' s affection was lost when Noah Curry, (played by Rick Doty, Wichita freshman) Lizzie ' s brother, tells her that she is too much of a dreamer and that she needs to face facts— the reality is that she ' s plain, not beautiful. The beginning of the second act finds Starbuck and Lizzie emotionally involved in a romantic scene under the stars where they build and support each other ' s dreams and ideals. The romantic ambience is silen- ced when Sheriff File (played by Darren Van Buskirk, El Dorado freshman) comes to arrest Star- buck as a fast-talking, smooth- moving con artist. The Curry family realizes that this con artist is Lizzie ' s only hope for a moment of happiness, stret- ching the truth to the sheriff, they tell him that Starbuck has all ready left town. The suspicious sheriff argues with them furiously and Starbuck, not understanding the situation, comes in unexpectedly. After some arguing, File and Starbuck try to persuade Lizzie to choose between them. Lizzie is con- fused and scared and does not know which one to choose until Starbuck says the wrong thing and Lizzie realizes that File is the man for her. Somewhere within that instant, rain starts falling all over the drought ridden community. Star- buck, with his job completed and the towns people happy, leaves a broken hearted man. The cast also included: David Grisham, El Dorado, as H.C. Curry; Kurt Haynes, Wichita, as Jimmy Curry; Kris Johnson, Augusta, as Snookie Undergreff; Towns people and members of the chorus were Tina Meis, Augusta; Jennifer Pyle, Clay Cen- ter; Neal Burgkamp, Colwich; Russell Barbour, Todd Schwartz, Brian Shepard, Angie Lindsay, Lisa Kelly, Maia Harms and Shirley Suttle, El Dorado; Mellisa Unger, Independence; Elizabeth Cott, Pretty Prairie; Pat Burch, Towanda; Eddie Baker, Walter Stewart and Cindy Stout, Wichita. Russell Barbour was the rehearsal stage manager. Kris Johnson as Snookie and Kurt Haynes as Jimmy Curry bring on mass applause with their popular singing and dancing act. 22 110 in the Shade