Cumnock School - Chronicle Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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STA The School of Expression had for its play The Mollusc , by H. H. Davies. Miss Hardison directed a cast composed of Marie Brown, juliana Monroe, Bill Pearson, and Kenneth jones. The play, an Eng- lish comedy, was exceptionally well received by a comparatively large audience. During the year several one-act plays were given in assemblies. These little plays were interestingly acted and, while they did not come up to the standard set by the more im- portant productions, the audience appreciated the presentations. Sev- eral well-known writers' plays were produced, and most of them provided RS OF THE FUTURE' SCHOOL OF EXPRESSION HELEN W. HOVEY good acting possibilities. The young actors and actresses handled the roles intelligently. Drama is gradually becoming a necessary part of every school sys- tem. lt gives young people an op- portunity to appear before fairly large groups of people. The actors acquire poise, the most important factor of a successful stage career. Cumnock is fortunate in having such a complete dramatic course. Every subject taken by students interested in drama is definitely important in this training. Make-up, interpreta- tion, story-telling, Shapespeare, voice and diction-all these are included in their daily training. 51

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'STARS OF THE FUT'URE SCHOOL OF EXPRESSION HELEN C. HARDISON As night falls and the stars grad- ually appear in the sky, young astron- omers turn their eyes heavenward seeking out a new starg so when the curtain rises on the amateur theatre, the eager audience turns its eyes stageward seeking out a new star. However, these brilliant bodies do not appear so often as the public might wish and the fact that the audience seldom finds a new lumin- ary never hinders its appreciation of a play. True to form, Cumnock has finished off a rather successful year in drama. The plays have been suc- cesses and are still being talked about. Both the high school and School of Expression are to be com- mended for their good work. After weeks of preparation it is gratifying to find one's contribution well re- ceived. All the praise given these young thespians and their directors, Miss Hardison and Mrs. Hovey, is well-deserved. Last semester the High School put on the play C-rowing Pains , by Booth Tarkington. The play was exg ceptionally good and spoke well for its director, Mrs. Hovey, who di- rected the large cast effectively. Booth Tarkington has-written an amusing human story of the trials of youth. The play held the interest of everyone in the audience. 50

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'ONE AC CREATIVE WRITING LILIAN WOODY, Sponsor HELEN C. HARDISON, Director It is felt that the most important work of the year was the presenta- tion of plays, written by the stu- dents of the creative writing class. The collaboration of the amateur factions is looked forward to with in- terest. The future Barries, Cowards, and Shaws wrote some interesting plays which ran the scale of dramatic TPLAYS possibilities. Many were unusual in theme. The experience of appearing in unproduced plays gave the future Barrymores, Cornells, and Hayes an opportunity to show their individu- ality. Such thorough instruction should make for celebrated alumni. Hats off to the School of Expression for its interesting work! ' The one-act plays written by the creative writing classes and produced by the School of Expression on the evening of May 29 at Cumnock, were the following. A DANCING APPENDIX, a comedy by Cutler L. Huebener. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, a situation play by Sheila de Richebourg. SOLUTIONS, a psuedo-mystery, also written by Huebener. SHAKESPEARE'S UNFINISHED PLAY, from the pen of Verna Herbst. THE CURSE OF LUCRETIA, Bill Pearson's one-act tragedy, and THE GREEN FLASK, a mystery written in an anonymously mysterious collaboration. 52