Joliet Junior College - Shield Yearbook (Joliet, IL)

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Bl.lft8l'flieS are Free One of the most valuable experiences that any of us can get from college is the non-professional entertainment that we, as students, offer one another. Admittedly, these experiences aren't as numerous or elaborate as they might be at a four year college with more financial encourage- ment and a larger enrollment, but perhaps it is these problems that make what we finally do produce here that much more valuable because we overcome them. We have art displays, music recitals, a literary magazine and less frequent- ly, but most impressively, the plays and musicals presented throughout the year by the J. C. Players. Butterflies Are Free , their first production this year, was a smooth and successful study of two characters, Don Baker and Jill Tanner. The plot of this 3-act play revolves around Don's struggle to free himself from an over-protective mother and gain his independence as an in- dividual. Keeping Don from making his break is the fact that he is blind and lacks self- confidence. From the blindness to the self doubts, Tom Reeves plays Don Baker with professional ease. Don might never have escaped the death grips of motherhood if he hadn t met Jill, the flighty girl next door. She is full of hangups herself, yet capable of seeing into Don's problems and giving him the advice that he needs. Jill is played by Cindy Seng, who of the three major characters, has the least experience and comes across the most memorable. My favorite part of the play was probably the least important. It came when Don and Jill were alone in the first scene. They were just talking, but it was so natural that the actors could no longer be distinguished from their roles. The play disappeared and it was only the three of us in the living room fTom, Cindy and mej. I refrained from involving myself in the conver- sation, however, because somehow I knew that if I did, Mrs. Stone would never give me another front row seat. The actual highlights of Butterflies were when Jill stood up to Mrs. Baker, when Mrs. Baker decided she wasn't going to be Donny's crutch anymore and when Don and Jill, both suf- focating in their own weaknesses, realize that they can help one another. Each one of these scenes calls for a change in the state of mind of the characters involved, and each one was successfully conveyed. These were H16 h3l'dESt and the I110St Cl'llCi3l points in the play, and their polished, flawless conveyance can only be attrihuzieerri to the hard work of the cast and a fine job er.-E directing by Robert Mallary. Juco's veteran actress, Peggy Granieh, who played Mrs. Baker, was surprisingly effective in the role that was probably the hardest to iden- tify with for a college-age actress playing ep- posite her peers. The relentless sarcasm, -at times, laced the emphasis of a truly sceptical vicious attitude, but Mrs. Baker's domineerireg presence was definitely felt, body and soul, both on the stage and in the audience. The emotion charged scene where Peggy, as Mrs. Baker, ex- poses her inner self to Donny and they embrace rivals every other moment, including the climatic ending, for pure intensity and impact. Then there was Ralph. Ralph is one of the weirdest people I have ever seen. There are only four characters in Butterflies Are Free , but had there been forty, I am sure Ralph would have stood out. Don't get me wrong, Ralph was convincingly weird, I must admit that I left the theatre thinking that if I ever met another direc- tor of porno-plays he would be just like Ralph. Ralph was played by Tom Smith. Your part was only on for a few minutes, Tom, what can I say? You certainly didn't have to say anything. You see, Tom, as Ralph does this unforgettable shiteatin' grin. If you don't like drama, you should have come to the play just to see it. Maybe if you missed it and you run into Tom in the halls and ask him really nice, he'll do it for you. I have always felt fortunate to be able to write for a small community like JuCo and enjoy the communication and feedback that writers for papers with large circulations miss. For someone like myself and I know for the J . C. Players, this response is the only payoff. As I look through the

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program, I count over fifty credits for people who contributed their time and energy to mak- ing 'ButterElies a success. l see only a few that I know - Tom, Paul, Art, Jackie, Lee and Sue. I wish I could name everyone, from the improved seating arrangement to the lighting and makeup. They all deserve congratulations for an ex- cellent production. . ,-visa: , ?t C .- S- m .... l , -- F Q ww: If 51 ill: ' 35. .xg Pecyggu-ma9 ' my .2ssz2', ' .M e 2 -Q , 'ITECSZ1 '-inure' . -1 1 Z: ir-1 '-'- t S' e:ss1:s:.,,. ,..:.'ge5ig1::nga,x::YtF Eu-. , was :17:.::r.-:1' -EIEEVELQ'--332- :9Tf ::, . Irfrlrz- 5 - 5:4 L 111: tzgzrrr :...i.,::L:Z1E':L 11I..k.E :.'L::' ' Z. '31lf'r- j-'11, 'fy-rg zz-1,: zzzitff' -f2ffYffEfSE1?I155?I Tllbi. 3575555533 ' ' ' A X 255- .,f'fEiF:ii1E:i:filzzjljiifl Ai1h?EE'S5Sr,:gj35fi??f:: . -Lg' -'..Q1ff 1f5:r1::.:g:::.:E?EEg5g 13- .Q Q 1 ff if 'Q .5 ' 5 .5i'E...,a: Mig, Q ,,,,,,,,. e Eff, V- -V--11 4..-