College of the Ozarks - Soto Yearbook (Point Lookout, MO)

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Much Ado About As Fall encompassed the sur- rounding country-side, The School of the Ozarks theatre department staged Much Ado About Nothing , a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare. As Shakespeare's title indicates it is surely a comedy with many comedy situations. The first of these is a word-duel between Bene- dick fMark Virklerl and Beatrice tBecky Lloydl who have a brisk con- tempt for love and for each other and who finally fall in love to their mutual surprise if not that of the au- dience. In Shakespeare's hands, Beatrice is 114 Activities othing one who is throughly bored by the average man prefers to have a good time by herself. The other comic sub-ploy con- cerns the two constables, Dogberry iBill Wilsonl and Vergila lDonna DeWittl, who track down the villian, Benedick which they do by accident. Excellent acting, a good story, good set construction, a lot of laughs, suspense and scheming all worked together to make the play enjoyable for everyone. The pro- duction was directed by lames L. Meikle, chairman of the theatre de- partment. TOP LEFT- The two villians, Tim Mullins and Tom Warning, plan out the dirty work. TOP RIGHT- Becky Lloyd trys to help the bride, Karin Lloyd, who has swooned. ABOVE- Fred Scarborough and Fred Pfister decide to play a joke on Benedick and Beatrice. BELOW- Mark Virkler decides to go along with the plan.

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Exit The King The School of the Ozarks theatre department presented Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King in March. The subject of the play pertains to a muse of death in the absurdist sense. The Absurdist movement devel- oped, in part, as the consequence of modern man's delirium over losing the battle of understanding a con- fused world. The dying king is portrayed by Mark Virkler, and his court from two queens tLora Falahi-Kharaghan play- ing Queen Marie and Christy Tick- nor as Queen Margueritel to the ser- vants rise to the occasion. The set is made of hard angles and rectangles and dark, coffin-like shapes, with the black costumes re- inforcing the play's theme. Both set and Mark Young's direction show influences of recent London theatre exposure. Exit is the School's third attempt of an Absurd theatre and it's second Ionesco. TOP RIGHT- The doctor tells the King that he IS going to die. CENTER- The two queens, Christy Ticknor and Lora Falahi-Kharaghan, have their big stand-off. BELOW- The last burst of energy of the King, BELOW RIGHT- Queen Marie tells the King, Mark Virkler, to be strong and to live in the present only. 116 Activities