Galt Collegiate Institute and Vocational School - Specula Galtonia Yearbook (Galt, Ontario Canada)

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SPECULA GALTONIA 29 We wondered if Mr. Donaldson noted the rugby sock which was part of Ewart's costume and if he got after Ewart for not returning it. :K as Pk We almost jumped for fear when we saw the awesome face of Walker as the bold, bad spirit. However it all seemed to come 0E all right and Walker seems to be his old self. wk vs -1- President A. D. Iredale, First Cornet player of the orchestra, owes much to the operetta. As a result of the practice he received while working the Magic Ruby, he can now play his instrument very well with only one hand. 'Fifi' We never realized that Burnet was so sprightly and light on his feet until we saw him clod-hopping around with four or five ladies. With all due respect to Bunker, though, we must say that he makes much less noise when he's standing sti . -C. A. L. '65 The Orchestra Lighter Move the Minutes Edged with Music. ROGRESS made this year by the Galt Collegiate Orchestra was apparent in its first public appearance under the direction of Mr. Nichol, A.C.C.O., on the evenings of N-ovember 28th and 29th, at the play presented by the Staff Players Club. One of the numbers rendered was Schubert's Marche Militaire to com- memorate the centenary of the Master Melodist's death. The several numbers given were heartily received. Since then the Orchestra has played an important part in all the meetings of the Literary Society and at the annual Commencement Exercises. Last fall our school was highly honored by a joint recital of two celebrated artists, Leslie Hodgson, internationally famous pianist, and John Deacon, tenor, given in Tassie Hall. Mr. Hodgson's choice of music was widely and brilliantly inter- preted in a display of masterful technique and pleasing style. Mr. Deacon has a magnificent tenor voice and gave a sym- pathetic interpretation of widely diversi- fied types of songs. Together these artists provided a rare treat for the music lovers of both school and city. For the first time in the history of the Collegiate, music forms a part of the curriculum, and a Glee Club, whose mem- bers number over sixty, combined with the orchestra in the presentation of the oper- etta reviewed above. -K. E. ' The Staff Players Club N the evenings of November 28th and 29th, the comedy drama Lightnin' consisting of a prologue and three acts was presented by the Staff Players Club. The action in Lightnin' centres about the whimsicalities and drolleries of Bill Jones fCarter McKeeJ, a Civil War veteran nicknamed Lightnin' because he never moved very fast. He has a harmless propensity for telling tall yarns. A swift succession of tense scenes, interspersed with fiashes of humor, made a combination which had the audience on their toes from the first to the last. The different parts were well distributed and very ably acted.

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28 SPECULA GALTONIA - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 4 A A 4 4 A 4 A A 4 4 - A 4 - - 4 4 - - - - A l A 4 - - - - - - A l - 4 4 - - f F15 an ig -X gr MUSIC and DRAMA 4 1- A A fi :s1?76?I?75i1T7oYiWi1f7?'iWFTRWSEWKVWRMYFKVT707T751?7iflh7fVT51T756WT1fKT1WT1P751?7oT1iKi1W1FKi1li'WW1i12 , The Magic Ruby HE presentation of the operetta The Magic Ruby by the Glee Club and Orchestra of the G.C.I., under the direction of Mr. J. L. Nicol, A.C.C.O., proved to be a great success in every way. Both nights saw capacity houses on hand arfd when the show was over they were loud in their praise of the whole cast and especially of those who so ably took the more important parts. The plot of the operetta centres around the Magic Ruby, the property of the Rajah of Rajahpore, which insures the strength of the Rajah's kingdom. This ruby is stolen by the bad spirit, Raj the Rakshaka, who has under his command the Imps of Darkness, who dance for the enjoyment of their master. Meanwhile Harry Lisle, a clerk in the Government Offices, has fallen in love with Nelly O'Neal, the adopted daughter of Major-General Bangs, V.C., and Nelly in return loves him, but her father will not consent to their marriage because Lisle is poor. When the Rajah discovers that his ruby is gone he offers great wealth to the one who brings it back to him, and with the thought of Nelly in his mind, young Harry Lisle goes forth to find the ruby. He galns the friendship of Electra, the Goddess of Light, and with her help he wins over the Imps of Darkness and finally gets the ruby itself. In a colorful scene he re- stores the ruby to the Rajah and then turns to Nelly, while the Major compli- ments him and drops all his old objections against him. In the midst of the pro- ceedings a great commotion is heard and presently Pat McGee and Ah Sin enter together, with the wicked Raj the Rak- shaka a captive between them. Leona Rieman, who played the part of Nelly O'Neal, has a very good voice, and both looked and acted her part well. Her lover, Harry Lisle, was well played by Jack Sanderson, who also has a splendid voice. James Waring, who took the part of Major-General Bangs, V.C., proved that he really would make a good major, while his array of medals almost made him lean to one side with their weight. Harold Wildfong made a thoroughly dignified rajah, although we hardly knew him be- neath all the make-up. The humor in the operetta was supplied by the constant bickering between Clifford Burnet, who played the part of Pat McGee, a homesick Irishman lost for love of his homeland and a certain sweet col- leen of whom he sang, and John Ewart, who made a very good Chinaman as Ah Sin, the Rajah's servant. These two gen- tlemen acted up so that we were afraid they really were after each other's throats. Raj the Rakshaka, a bad spirit of dark- ness, and Electra, the Goddess of Light, were portrayed by Cecil Walker and Alice Iredale respectively and both these people proved beyonddoubt that they have talent. The dances of the Imps of Darkness and the Spirits of Light were very pretty and lent an air of lightness to the operetta. The choruses were splendid and far be it from us to pass any remarks on them. Really we had no idea that we had such musical talent in the school. The Orchestra, which provided the music and accompanied the singing, proved that they are getting stronger and better every day. Much of the success of the operetta is due to the untiring efforts of our Principal, Mr. Wholton, who gave freely of his time and experience to insure that the operetta would be a thing of which the school could be proud. Miss Duggan, who looked after the dances, and the Misses Sabine and Knapp, who supervised the making of the costumes, are also to be praised for their work. Mr. J. L. Nichol, who conducted the musical part of the operetta, is indeed to be congratulated on the results he obtained. The Glee Club is now starting to work on a more difficult theme, which they in- tend to present sometime next year, and if they can repeat the success of the Magic Ruby the position of music and dramatics in the school will be strongly established.

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