Memphis University School - Owl Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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In his premiere on the MUS stage. Priest Andrew Saunders consoles Don Quixote ' s niece and her governess, who are upset by the old man ' s erratic behavior. In a touching death scene, Don Quixote, played by Flip Eikner, is comforted by Dulcinea, who attempts to convince the knight that his life was not in vain. Having been imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition, Sancho, played by Skip Jones, attempts to guard his belongings from his cell mates. 22 SI I ' D! N I III:

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Netmen Take Fourth Place in the State Scott Hale Advances to the Quarterfinals The 1977 tennis team had another fine season under the direction of new coach Bill Taylor. Despite a lack of experience and no Senior lettermen, the Owls went on to finish fourth in the state. After a large turnout. Coach Taylor picked the team by mid-spring. The top seven players were Tiger Buford, Scott Hale, Philip Adams, Henry Hancock, Chip Grayson, Jack Stokes, and Bill Lewis. The Owls began the season with impressive victories over Briarcrest and Auburndale. After two easy contests the Owls traveled to Baylor to face a highly regarded team that had won the national title the year before. MUS lost, but still put on a fine performance. Buford won the number-one singles. while Buford and Adams took the number-one doubles match. The Owls remained in Chattanooga for the Rotary Tournament. Despite rain delays and abbreviated match- play, MUS finished sixth out of a total of thirty-two teams. Upon returning home the Owls played Jackson Central-Merry. The team won another impressive victory by taking all but two individual matches. Later that week, the tennis team went to Nashville for the MBA Invitational. The Owls finished fourth, led by Buford and Adams, who made it to the finals in the number-one doubles. The team came in second in the District Tournament. This disappointment was due, in part, to the absence of Buford, who had been injured in practice. Unfortunately, by missing the District, Tiger was ineligible for Regional and State competition. The Owls fell one point short of beating Ridgeway for the title. MUS was led by Adams ' second-place finish and Hale ' s third-place effo rt. The Owls, represented by only Adams and Hale, finished second to Jackson Central-Merry in the Regional. The main reason for success was Hale ' s surprising second-place finish. As a result of his performance Hale went to Nashville for the State Tournament. By advancing to the quarterfinals, Scott ensured the Owls fourth-place status in the state. Briarcrest Auburndale Baylor Jackson Central-Merry 2nd District Tournament 2nd Regional Tournament 4th MBA Invitational 4th State Tournament 6th Chattanooga Rotary The Commercial Appeal ' s Best of the Preps tennis player, Scott Hale, reaches for a volley in the District at MUS. He advanced to the semifinals, where he fell to the eventual champion. TENNIS TENNIS 21

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£a TttaKC ct, ' V leant Applying her makeup, Jody Markell prepares for the role of Dulcinea. After an absence of 1 Vi years, she returned for her fifth leading role on the MUS stage. Torn between right and wrong, barmaid Dulcinea is ravished by seven wandering muleteers in a lonely tavern. She later met Don Quixote, who gave her life meaning and morality. News spread quickly when George Elder announced that MUSTA ' D would be presenting Man of La Mancha for the 1977 spring musical. To say the least, this was an ambitious undertaking for any high school theatre. Yet on April 21, 22, and 23 at 8 p.m., the lights of Hyde Chapel came up for a combined audience of over 1500 and the Impossible Dream became a beautiful realization. The action of this play takes place in a dungeon wherein Cervantes, a playwright, presents a play to the other prisoners so that they might not rob him of his belongings. With the aid of music, a few prisoners, some costumes, and several props, Cervantes tells the story of a mad knight, Don Quixote, who ventures forth to perform chivalrous deeds in a graceless and ugly world. Leading roles in the musical went to Flip Eikner, Jody Markell, Skip Jones, Hugh Sinclair, Jeanne Thurman, and Kimberly Cain; and for the first time Director George B. Elder and Stage Designer Andrew Saunders performed on stage as well. The set for the musical was unique in that it was totally black, and in that it had a raked stage so that the floor slanted down to the audience. It was the most effective setting we have ever used, said Andrew Saunders. It was apropos that Man of La Mancha was Director Elder ' s last production at MUS. He had dreamt of putting on the show for eight years, and doing it was an impossible dream come true. MAN OF LA MANCHA 23