Memphis State University - DeSoto Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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haki eStyecire an yp d th e a 7 evct •■■■■■ ; I-: ' .- 1 : The scene for the opera, The Marriage of Figaro was designed by students in the Dramatics Department. A scene from Romeo and Juliet, presented in 1953. The set was designed by Prof. Bradford White and the play directed by Prof. Eugene Bence. At left, the scrapboolc showing publicity given the Shakespearean Festival is observed by President Smith, Edward J. Meeman, editor of the Memphis Press-Scimitar; L. O. Dobson, president of Greater Memphis State, Inc., and William Marsh, assistant program director, Men, phis Adult Education Center. At right, Mrs. John McCall, president of the Coterie and, at right, Mrs. Charles Blackburn, chairman of the club ' s Festival project, and Dr. Don Streeter, pose with the Bard. The Coterie Club handled the ticket sales for the 1954 production.

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u of ihi Sk cimin % ?? pew The third annual Memphis Shakespeare Festival had as the production this year The Taming of the Shrew, pre- sented April 20-24. The festival had grown so that it became necessary to have six performances this year. The Taming of the Shrew is a play within a play. It revolves around players acting out the story of the taming of a shrewish girl named Katherine, who has given her father many headaches because of the way she treats all men who take an interest in her. As a result, she is unwed and it seems likely she will remain so. But one day a gentleman by the name of Petruchio comes to Padua, where he hears of Katherine. He proceeds to woo her but the events that take place during the courtship make this an outstanding show and an entertaining one. The cast for The Taming of the Shrew came from the MSC Student Body, from Southwestern and from Mem- phis as a whole. This is truly a civic production. Prof. Bradford White directed the production with Prof. Eugene Bence the technical director. Dr. Don Streeter serves as co-ordinator of the Festival. Prof. Ray Hill of Southwestern faculty portrayed Sly, while George Toutiatos, a MSC graduate who has recently completed a tour of duty with the Army in Germany, re- turned to take the role of Petruchio. And the role of Kath- erine was taken by Ann Brown Field, who has had considerable experience acti ng in Memphis Little Theatre productions. Others in the cast included Jim McDearmon, Vaughan Stimbert, Jere Joyner, Mike Long, George Fleisher, Mike Dalton, Mary Elizabeth Carlton, Bea Loob, Billie Farmer, John Jones, Marvin Smith, Allen Bates, Harry Fritzius, Wally Miller, Dennis Billingsley, Smoky Harwell, Carlton McFar- land, Hank Brint, Jim Moran, John Morgan, John Miller, Bill Petty, Roy McKee, Victor Atyas, Judy Livingston, Pat Bates and Martha Wallace. Page 28

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3 orendicd Miss Evelyn Kempe, Director One of the best in the South. That ' s the Memphis State debate squad. This group of 15 participating members and three in- actives has worked hard this year to deserve this title. At the end of the year the group had traveled about 15,000 miles over 20 states. The first trip was the Alabama Discussion Tournament in Tuscaloosa. Here a group of eight won 2 superiors and three excellents — more than any other school had ever won at that tournament. At the Tau Kappa Alpha Warm-up Tournament in Macon, Ga., John Jones was elected vice president of the Student Council for TKA for this area. Three weeks later two debate teams attended a Cross-Examination Debate Tournament at Pittsburgh, Pa. In competition with 26 schools a Memphis State team came in third. During three successive week ends in February the squad traveled around the country. At the Gulf Speech Festival in Hattiesburg, Miss., six students stacked up eight superiors and excellents to lead all others. At the State Tournament in Murfreesboro, the group won a first, second and third place. In Durant, Okla., every one of the six attending made the finals in at least one event. The group made 10 finals — finished with two firsts and a second. When Jack McNeil and Collins Kilburn went to Sewanee for the West Point Pre-Lim Tournament, they came home with a bid to attend the eighth annual West Point Invita- tional Tournament along with 43 other schools from over the nation. Representatives also attended the National Tau Kappa Alpha Tournament at Kalamazoo, Mich., the Southern Speech Association Tournament at Dallas and the West Point Tour- nament during the third quarter. Other activities of the group have been the seven intra- mural speech events which this year attracted more than 250 students; the four high school speech institutes sponsored by TKA, and several parties throughout the year. Forensics Squad First row, left to right: Anne Williams, Charles Pennel, Carolyn Pruette, Avron Brog, Liz Barrom and Gary Sullins. Back row, left to right: Johnny Jones, Bill Shaw, Jack McNeil, Collins Kilburn, Arnett Phillips and Jim McDearmon. Page 30