Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception - Annual Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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ONE OF THE RADIO PLAYS CATHEDRAL COLLEGE ANNUAL THE LEAST OF MY BRETHREN

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CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT A play fbere ir, my lord, .tome lezz -wardr long Wliirb if ar brief ai' I lmzfe klzozwz a playg B111 by len wordf, my lord, if if foo long, lltybicb umleel' il redi0lf5. -SHAKESPEARE . ' N the last clay of class before our Christmas vacation certain students ot the college department let their hair grow long and traded in their saddle-shoes for the sock and buskin, so they might tread the boards of Cathedral's stage in a fitting manner. The entertainment consisted of two plays, the first of Which was a comedy, It Will be All Right on the Night, a story about the woes of the coach and director of a play while preparing and rehearsing for the night. The part ot the coach was taken by Tony Praitano, that of director by Frank Mayor De Masi. They were ably supported by Doc Donovan, Ed Garvey, Iim Fitzpatrick, Ioe Dow- ney, Ed Nolan, Bill Hughes, Tom Minogue, and Bill Pigott. plus the usual back- stage group, headed by Dick Dutch Hendel and Iohn Curry. The second half of the Christmas entertainment was a serious radio play written by Mr. Peter A. I. Chiara, poet, playwright and essayist of great renown. Cin. sixth yearl. The play was written on an incident of World War l and pro- vided us with the proper Christmas spirit which we were inclined to forget during the former play and with such thoughts as Christmas' gifts and the Christmas holidays clouding up our minds. The one person to Whom we wish to express our deep gratitude at this point is Father Mulrooney, the faculty director for all aspiring student Thespians. He spends uncountable hours in coaching all the plays of the Cathedral stu- dents. and yet when the final spectacle is enacted, he receive no applause. So here's many thanks to Father Mulrooney for his untiring effortl Father Klarmann, Mr. Bernard Klarmann and Tom Gradilone provided us with something very seldom if ever before heard in Cathedral's gym. As a trio they played fine arrangements of some well-known musical masterpieces. Finally we had the Versatile lerry O'Brien with beard, book and heavy red suit playing the part of Santa Claus and distributing comic gifts to the faculty members, who received them in the spirit they were given. CATHEDRAL COLLEGE ANNUAL

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RADIO PLAYS EVER ,will it be said that talent died unwept, unhonored, and un- .,P?gQi 1. sung in Cathedral. Each student from the lowly Freshmen to the mighty Seniors is given an opportunity to develop his particular talent. Some display their prowess upon the field of sportg others take upon themselves the garb of actorg still others strive to rival Demosthenes With their mighty flow of oratory. Recently, a latent talent among a group of students began to smolder for recognition. These students boldly challenged the versatile Orson Welles. Their ambition was to write, produce, and act in mock radio dramas. As is the policy of the faculty, these students were afforded place and aid to give vent to their talents. Some were favorably inclined towards the directing fieldp the sound effects department enticed those mechanically inclined. The bud of acting in others burst into bloom in spite of that dreaded disease, mike fright. After much preparation the first program was ready to be presented over the newly organized Station CClC. Dubiously, the student body took their places in the studio fthe gym to you old timersl. The production staff took their places and checked their equipmentg the director gave last minute instructions to all the hands Then came the signal from the engineer You're on the air! That first program was the life of Maryknoll's Father Gerard Donovan. As the last notes of the signature melody faded out, the student body tore into thunderous applause. The broadcast was a success, Since that momentous day, there have been three mock broadcasts. The student body enjoys them because they are something new, something enjoyable. The boys behind the mike enjoy them because it gives them an opportunity to get into the swing of things. Not being satisfied with only directing and acting in the broadcasts, several students have taken to writing the scripts. A blood-curdling murder mystery entitled The Case of the Screaming Skull was written and directed by Hugh Mulligan '44. A witness to its success was the pale, frightened faces of the students as they left the auditorium after the show. Success Through Failure, a dramatization of the life and work of Father Edward Flanagan of Boys Town written by Iames Reilly '44, brought the student body behind the scenes of this beloved priest's work. One of the greatest handicaps to be overcome in the production of these radio plays is the choice of the proper script. There can be no female parts for obvious reasons. Another difficulty is the sound effects. Although the studio is not stocked with every mechanical convenience, the production staff can rival the great networks in ingenuity and originality. Sound effects are begged, borrowed, and confiscated from Father Denning's Lab, Father Klarmann's Music Room, and even, Pat's Engineering Department. No article about these mock radio plays would be complete without a word of thanks to Father Mulrooney. lt was he who originated this new entertainment and it is he who is the ever-helpful, ever-guiding man behind the scene. lt is his hope and that of the entire student body that these pro- grams will be a regular part of the assembly periods. IAMES R- REHALY ,44 CATHEDRAL COLLEGE ANNUAL