Findlay High School - Trojan Yearbook (Findlay, OH)

Page 16 text:

SHOWBOAT This year the FIndlay High Music and Theatre departments chose to revive one of America's great masterpieces, Show Boat. It is the only American musical of the 1920's to be per- formed today. It has enjoyed three Broadway revivals in 1932, 1946, and 1966 as well as three motion picture versions in 1929, 1936, and 1 95 1 . The original libretto has been altered to suit changing tastes, racial attitudes and the differing aesthetics of stage and screen, but its endurance has made the work a classic. The show has had a glittering history. It is based on Edna Fert)ers novel, but there are some differ- ences. In the novel. Magnolia is only 13 when Julie leaves and plays on the stage many years before Ravenal enters the scene; Andy is swept overboard when Kim is a young girl; Julie becomes a secretary to a Chicago gambler; Kim becomes successful on the stage and marries a famous producer and Magnolia goes back to manage the Cotton Blossom after Parthy's death. But what is most important is that Kern and Hammerstein combined to write the classic that lives today. With the pruning complete, Show Boat became more than a musical comedy. It was a musical play, a drama-withsong, that could not help but touch upon the life of anyone who viewed it. One of the most remarkable features is the role of Magnolia who appears to be the first character in the entire literature of the American Musical Theatre to change and mature before the audience's eyes. This type of change is what seems to typify our production. Many new things were tried this year. One cannot fail to notice the set. This is the first year in a long time that the set has played such an important part in the produc- tion. It would not have been possible if Ned Pahl and the carpentry classes had not been willing to build the structure. Cooperation did not stop here. Vicki Hardesty, the librarian, found a book on the history of all the productions of Show Boat and was willing to make special arrangements to pur- chase it. With a new orchestral director, some changes were also made. Two nights of nothing but music rehearsals before the show were tried. Dave Han- son and Don Jefferies tried to set the tempo of the songs t)etween the orchestra and soloists. Peg Fir- min took charge of all the dancing with small rehearsals for such scenes as Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine and Life Upon the Wicked Stage. Besides all of the chorus lines, the mam charac ters in this year's production were; Gaylord Rave- nal Tod Morger; Magnolia Hawks, Linda Daugh- tery; Captain Andy Hawks, Chris Kern; Parthy Hawks, Beth Benschneider; Frank Schultz, John Gordon; Ellie Mae Chipley, Erica Hennigs; Steve Baker, Dave Akin; and Julie (Dozier) LaVerne, Lee Ann Morgan. Congratulations to all those that par- ticipated — A JOB WELL DONE! ABOVE RIGHT Dave Akin and Lee Ann Morgan portray Steve Baker and Julie IjVerne. MIDDLE RIGHT: Beth Benschneider gives Chris Kern the devil for something. RIGHT: Sara Ringle plays Mrs. O Brien the landlady of the apartment complex. FAR RIGHT: Tod Morger and Linda Daughtery star the show as Magnolia and Gaylord Ravenal and fall in love BELOW: This is a view of the showboat and cast. ABOVE; Chris Predmore gives a little harem dance. 12 SHOWBOAT

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Winter Formal — Silver Dreams Rick Bell and Margaret Bellamy dance to the music of the Lee Howard Band. Silver Dreams was the theme of this year's Winter Formal. A lot of preparation was taken to make the dance a success. Work started on Sat- urday morning and was completed by time of the dance. The snow sure did get in the way of a lot of activities this year; one of which was the Winter Formal. Febru- ary 4, was the first scheduled date for the dance, but because of the 'Great 1 978 Blizzard it had to be postponed until February 25, 1978. The band was from Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was the Lee Howard Band and at least 200 people were pres- ent. Many students and their dates proved to be another John Travolta, doing dances from Saturday Night Fever. Joe Snow and Erica Hennigs display their dancing talent. They were just two of the 200 people that attended. WINTHJ FORAAAL 1 1

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FAR LEFT: Rich Corning as Valloo the sheriff seems to be a little upset. LEFT: Celia Cronenwett gives John Zoll a look of disgust. MIDDLE LEFT: Rick McCartney, Keith Risser, Ken DeHass, Mike Logsdon and John Zoll sing the old favorite of Old Man River. BELOW: One of the most difficult |obs is to get tf e makeup on right as Lee Ann Morgan knows. MIDDLE LEFT: Rick Burke and Brad Gerken sing at the World's Fair. Lee Ann Morgan sings the song about her B RIGHT: John Gordon and Erica Hennigs dance as the team of Schuitz and Schuitz. ■SHOWBOAT- 13