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

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Casts of Characters “Quitters” Jacqulyn Philip Sarah Sha wn a Agnew The Ensemble Lori Busscn Ruth Casper Dawn Lovcwell-Mermis Beth McCue Tana Ruder Barbara Russell “Noises Off’ Shawn Stew art- Larson Dotty Gtley Todd Baker Lloyd Dallas Sean Gunther Garry Lejeune Rebecca Wcstblade Brook Ashton Joan Gedraitis Poppy Norton -Taylor Scott Jacobs Frederick Fellows Heather Thomas Belinda Blair Scott Jecha Tim Allgood Wayne Alan Sipe Sols don Mowbray “Glass Menagerie” Beth McCue Laura Wingfield Shawn Stewart -Larson Amanda Wingfield Richard Parrott Tom Wingfield Sean Gunther Jim O ' Connor “Corpse!” Scott Jacob Evelyn Farrant Rupert Farrant Todd Baker Major Ambrose Powell Virginia Crabtree Mrs. McGee Q. John Boone Hawkins A FRAGILE WORLD. Laura Wingfield, played by Beth Me Cue, Sandy, Utah, fresh- man, evades her mother ' s questions by seek- ing refuge in her glass menagerie. (Photo by Jean Walker) BLOCK BY BLOCK. Singing the story of the windmill block, Ruth Casper, instructor of psychology, and Beth McCue, Sandy, Utah, freshman, piece together the history of their quilt during the production of M Qu liters. (Photo by Carol Schryer) 22 Theater

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Before the opening curtain, the stage crew spends hundreds of hours Backstage n oversized palmtree crashed down in front of my feet and cov- ered me with dust. I hadn’t been able to hear the palm tree because its fall was muffled by the squealing of an electric saw. Steve Larson, director of techni- cal theater, spotted me and pulled me back into the cage. Verbal communication was impossible at that noise level. Larson stepped into the middle of the room, dragging the palm leaves behind him. I barely made out six or seven guys moving huge pieces of lum- ber on a balcony- type arrange- ment about 15 feet high. Larson looked at me and pointed up there. How was I to get up there? More gestures followed until I could make out some home-made lad- ders. When I reached the top of the ladder, I was at eye level with Dean Baum’s feet. Baum, Quinter graduate student, had Joined the backstage crew at the beginning of the fall semester as a requirement for his stage craft class. Baum said he liked working backstage because he was inter- ested in the Held. “There are also so many differ- ent things to do. you don’t get bored. Every set is different; every show is different. There is always something new to do, Baum said. Climbing yet another ladder. I made my way to another crew member. “Hey, watch that big hole in the top floor, Troy Langdon. Winona senior, shouted. Langdon has been part of the backstage crew for two years, both on work-study and as part of class projects. A secondary education major with speech and semantics emphasis. Langdon says he en- joys being part of the crew. “I have lots of fun here. The people are fun to work with. I also know that this will help me later. If I will ever be asked to put on a play in high school, I know I will be able to do it, Langdon said. Langdon traded places with Aaron Reece, Burdett sophomore. For Reece, working backstage is just a regular work-study job, but one he wouldn’t trade. What we do is just another job. so we shouldn’t expect any more credit for what we are doing than other work-study workers, I really enjoy working with the crew and working on the sets. I’ve been trying to schedule my classes so that I can work here.” Reece said. The backstage crew members on work- study come in every day from 2:30 to 5: 30 p.m. Members of the stage craft class are expected to put in 40 hours a semester to get an A. Another member of the crew came because he knew he would be able to work with wood. Car- penter Doug Palmer, Scandia senior, was master electrician for the two fall productions. As part of his work-study job. he not only did all the lights, but helped build the sets. “I love this,” Palmer said. “I love wood.” Palmer said the set for “Noises Off ” was difficult, as the crew had to build a second floor. It was kind of hard to get it there. Palmer said the backstage crew deserves more credit, especially when more elaborate sets are re- quired. “But if you want credit, you don’t go backstage. You know that when you go into it, he said. Bettina Heinz SETTING THE STAGE. Steve Larson, (cen- ter) director of technical theater, discusses aeatin arrangements for “Noises Off n with Terry Heina (left), Cuba senior; Lisa Storer, Brownell junior; Bhonna Williams, Herring- ton freshman; Dean Baum, Quinter gradu- ate student; and Sue Ann Wolf, Ellis senior, (Photo by Carol Schryer) Campus Life 21

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The struggles of pioneer women, antics of twins help create a season of Stitches and stiffs ll the world ' s a stage — at least in Malloy Hall. The season be- gan with a por- trayal of pioneer women’s rugged lives, marked by emotional highs and lows in the musical “Quilters” the first week in October. “Quilters” tells the story of women pioneers though Sarah, the matri- arch of the family, who talks about all the quilts she has made in her lifetime. “The quilt is the thread that car- ries through the play,” director Stephen Shapiro said. “The spotlight is on the female role in establishing the plains. Us- ing all women helps to emphasize that,” Shapiro said. The spotlight in Felten-Start Theater then switched from pioneer women to the light-hearted produc- tion of “Noises Off.” With ‘‘Noises Off,” the area of theater also began inviting high school students for a preview per- formance. The director was Lloyd Frerer. The first spring production brought truth in the disguise of illu- sion to Felten-Start with Tennessee Williams’ “Glass Menagerie.” The classic play focuses on the delicate character of Laura Wing- field, a 22-year-old shy, crippled girl. The most unusual aspect of the production was the stage. It was only the second time in the history of the area of theater that a three- quarter stage was implemented. Shapiro, director, and Steve Lar- son, director of technical theater, chose this stage to emphasize the message of the play. “The focus is on the acting be- cause of the closeness of the audi- ence. The scenery, music and lights provide a wonderful background, but the main emphasis is on the four characters. The three-quarter struc- ture emphasizes this even more,” Shapiro said. The actors said they enjoyed the family play because they could iden- tify with the content. “It tells a lot about relationships. After seeing it, you might want to re- examine your relationships with your siblings and parents. It tells you that some things are beyond control,” Shawn Stewart-Larson, Hays graduate, said. The season concluded in a mood of comic suspense when a twin chased his brother in an attempt to murder him in the production of the mys- tery comedy “Corpse!” Director Frerer said “Corpse!” is a fairly recent play that is frequently performed on the college circuit. A review in the University Leader by Kristy Love, Palco senior, said the production offered something for every type of audience. “The Saturday night performance of this mystery-comedy for a nearly full house was quick-paced and en- tertaining, with all the actors, as well as the behind-the-scenes people, on top of things,” Love said. Bettina Heinz CAUGHT IN THE ACT. Evelyn Parrant, played by Scott Jacobs, Englewood Colo., freshman, threatens Major Powell, played by Todd Baker, Beloit sophomore, after he catches the major trying to steal a pearl necklace in the production of “Corpse!” (Photo by Carol Schryer) Campus Life 23