Edgewood Regional High School - Pearl N Ivy Yearbook (Atco, NJ)

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CHHJCO PLE The drama year, after a somnolent beginning due to the conflicting schedules of actors, got off to a leaping start when the Thespians presented the rollicking laugh-riot knee-slapping The Odd Couple. The Neil Simon broadway hit, which was transformed into an award-winning television series, was an exercise in comedy timing which our cast carried off with almost professional adroitness. The success was more mean- ingful to the cast, student directors and technical crew because they had assumed almost the full burden of production due to the fact that Mr. Charles W. Smith, director and drama head, was preoccupied with a personal production, the birth of his son lan David, co-produced with his wife, Mary Ann. This kind of devotion and acceptance of responsibility, that of the Thespains, under all types of obstacles is the guts of what makes dramatics at Edgewood a worthwhile activity for those who are willing to make the personal sacrifice necessary in getting a production on stagef, a breed which is rare indeed. Always looking for new and innovative ideas in drama- tics, the Thespians entered into another 'gfirsti' in local circles with the burgeoning of '4Oklahoma. Prompted by a sparsity of male singer-actors and faced with contracts that could not be broken fi.e., royaltiesl, Mr. Smith looked to the outside for assistance in rescuing the production. Fortune again smiled down upon us in the form of professional actors whom the Thespians were able to secure to come in and perform the major rolesg the noted Philadelphia actor John Barth as Curly and ,loan Wyler as Laurie. Talented semi-professional help also was rendered by Charles Bailey as Will Parker flVlr. Bailey has choreographed many shows in the Philadelphia area and also assumed this responsibility for usl . Walt Babij, an alumni of our school, played Ali Halcim. The students, somewhat reluctant at first to accept the idea, soon began to see the advantages of working with a Hprofessionali' cast. The obvious learning experience of work- ing side by side with talented performers became more evident as rehearsal began and grew with each meeting. Only two or three other schools in the nation have attempted this sort of thing and each time it proved extremely successful from the viewpoint of a learning experience, and ours, arrived at quite accidentally, was no different. The near-perfect, almost professional production brought to our district an opportunity to see, at prices easily afforded by all, a production they might never have been able to see and gave our student cast members the memorable experience of standing side-by-side with veteran actors and bask in the shared glory of applause that said JOB WELL DONE! OKLAHOMA 22

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THESPIAN SOCIETY, Back Row - L. Hartman, A. Fonseca, S. Capo- Q' Q Q j- A Q- ferri, S. Ridge, J. Poole, Mr. Smith, fadvisor,J P. A Bramlett, C. Scharff, D. Cole, D. Adams. Second fl Row - R. Scardino, C. Brown, J. Novella. Front Row - P. Volpa, R. Caraociola, P. Finklestein, J. . Napoliello, L. Delguercio, J. Ewald. V J STAGE CREW, J. Novella, S. Ridge, B. Harvey, J. Poole, R. Knoll, L. Fernandez, M. McBride, P. Volpa, C. Scharff, W. Wells, W. Cummings, J. Ewald, D. Adams, K. Gudas, V. Nunnenkamp, N. Speziali, T. Laquer, H. Jackson, R. Lowe, R. Martinez, R. Ludavich, P. Bramlett, L. Del- guercio, S. Applegate, C. Rowand. PENUMBRA Standing - A. Shifflet, N. Speziali, Mrs. Fouhey, advisor, M. Fernandez, A. Fonseca. 24 Seated - L. Delguercio, B. Harvey, J. Novella, P. F inklestein.