Fort Hays State University - Reveille Yearbook (Hays, KS)

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At 6:15 p.m. the trumpets sounded. All eyes were on the winding staircase as the lord and lady of the manor descended. With a regal air, the lord paused only long enough to be in- troduced. He then welcomed the subjects of the realm. Hear ye, hear ye, subjects of this realm, you shall be witnesses to the Toast to the Christmas season by his excellency, the Lord of this Manor. Let no man come into this hall, groom, page, nor yet marshal, but that some sport he will bring withal! For now is the time of Christmas. His welcome completed, the lord turned, and with his lady, proceeded up the staircase. The lord ' s subjects were then beckoned to join him at an event in which tradition blends with contemporary — the Madrigal Dinner. The lord ' s subject numbered in excess of 700 for the three nights of the madrigal performance, Steve Wood, Memorial Union director, said that although ticket prices were slightly higher, he did not think the increase was the reason all three performances did not sell out, as they have in the past. We get some people who come every year. It ' s an annual event for them no matter what, Wood said. Then there ' s the other group who either didn ' t like the dinner or who enjoyed it but don ' t want to go again. To add variety to the Christmas celebration, the menu of the five course dinner is changed in some way. Wood said that the changes are usua lly very slight because a majority of the people attending the dinner look forward to the traditional meal ' Some of the dishes Madrigal guests were treated to were broil- ed rainbow trout, carved top round and Yorkshire pudding, cornish game hen and English taf- fee trifle. Presiding over the holiday festival as lord and lady of the manor were Dr. and Mrs, Robert Luehrs (Dr. Luehrs is a professor of history.) Along with the ser- vants, serfs, musicians and singers and court jester, approximately 100 people worked to bring a touch of Old England to the modern world. — Leslie Eikleberry Finalizing the details for the Madrigal Dinner, ARA food director Cathy Getz instructs the servers how and where they should serve the banquet. Students who volunteered to work the banquet were members of MUAR Ambassadors. Trumpeters sounded the arrival of the Lord of the Manor, The Lord, Dr. Robert Luehrs, greeted his guests and announced that the feast would begin. During a break in the action of an other- wise busy Madrigal Dinner schedule, Steve Bomgardner takes time to rest. The Madrigal singers put in numerous hours of rehearsal before the dinner was presented. dinner

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jy usical and melodran ON STAGE AND SHARE SPOTLIGHT MATCH FORCES Hello Doily! , probably the most elaborate, ambitious and ex- pensive musical ever presented in Felten-Start Theatre, was perform- ed Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. Stephen Shapiro, assistant pro- fessor of communication, said the piay sold out every show but one, It was also the first time we ' ve done six showings since I have been here, he said. Despite having an extremely large cast of 30 members, Shapiro said everyone interacted with one another really well. Hello Dolly] tells the story of Dolly Levi, a matchmaker by I trade, and her dealings to ' match ' i herself up with one of her clients. That client was Horrace Vandergelder, played by Bob Maxwell, assistant professor of English, This character (Vandergelder) was very easy to come to, he said. Whenever they need an old crotchety character they ' ve got me. I feel like the students should have first crack at the parts, but if they ask me to play a part, Iil do it, Maxwell said. In complete contrast with Hello Dolly! , the department presented The Shadow Box, Nov. 7-20, Written by Michael Cristofer, the play won both a Tonv Award and a Pulitzer Prize in 1977, The play deals with the subject of death. Three different story lines, occurring simultaneously, are tied together by the death of one person in each story. All three people die of cancer. In the first cottage is Joe, Mag- gie and their son Steve. Joe, played by Lyle Theissen, Hays resident, has accepted his illness but is having a hard time getting Maggie, played by Melva Touchette, Hays senior, to accept it. Steve was played by Stephen Harkness, Derby freshman. Brian, his lover Mark, and ex- wife Beverly are in Cottage No, 2. Mark, played bv Frank Schmeidler, Hays resident, and Beverly, played by Brenda Meder, Victoria graduate assistant, both come to grips with the illness that Brian, played by Terry Weber, Chicago graduate student, has. The third cottage is occupied by Felicity and her daughter Agnes, Agnes, played by Ruth Shuckman, Hays sophomore, has grown tired and weary of caring for Felicity, played by Lanara Luthi, Hays graduate student. The interviewer, played by Denise Cole, Great Bend graduate student, discussed problems that each of the patients were having. Tad Clark Questioning the intentions of the inter- viewer, Felicity (Lanara Luthi) tells her of the discomfort and irritation she feels toward being interviewed. | Helping to comfort her ex-husband from i. the physical and emotional pain of dying, Beverly (Brenda Meder) helps Brian i : (Terry Weber) ease his way into the reali- “ ty of what his life means. the shadow bo29 t hriN Orhvni

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During the banquet, various types of entertainment that were typical of the English Renaissance are presented, A harpsichord player set the mood for the Madrigal Dinner, As a greeting to their guests, the Madrigal performers sing tumes welcome. Follow- ing this, the guests were led by the singers up the castle stairs to the banquet hall.