Merrillville High School - Merrillvue Yearbook (Merrillville, IN)

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“Come on, kids, make it look real!” “Kiss Me Kate,” the play presented by the Junior Class, was an out- standing success. Based on the Shakespearean comedy, “Taming of the Shrew,” with excerpts from the Broadway production of “Kiss Me, Kate,” the production presented many problems, both in staging and costuming. Because of the limited area of our stage, Mr. Yule, the director, de- serted the formal stage settings and established, for the first time in our school, the open, informal feeling of the Shakespearean theatre by the use of an abstract set consisting of multi-colored wooden frames and platf orms. The planning and building of the set was efficiently managed by Tom Harper. Costumes for the play were made, almost entirely, by Donna Thompson, who succeeded in her wish to dress each actor in the authentic style of the period. Perhaps the most difficult problem concerned the casts learning of lines which were in the dialect of the Elizabethan theatre. Intense study via tape and records was done by the cast in training for pronunciation, expression, etc. Results of this interest and concentration were apparent in the final productions. Public and student reaction to the play was proof enough that the cast and production staff had achieved the goals set for them by the di- rector. When asked why he had chosen a production so far afield from the usual High School three act, Mr. Yule said, “The main purpose of any activity in a school is to learn. My hope is to prove that the classic forms of literature can be understood and enjoyed by today’s youth.” JUNIORS KISS FATE WITH STANDING L. to R. — M. Traber, J. Bley, S. Ritchie, J. Kustron, K. Halsted, C. Deible, J. Masteller, A. No- vak, G. Cheney, R. Hardt. SEATED — R. Stefankie- wicz, K. Wesley, D. Niksch, B. Roos, C. Maxwell, L. Witter, C. Kucan.

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Queen candidates: Linda Boyd, Judy Mayer, Karen O’Brien, and Jane Shapley. HOMECOMING 1961 Queen, Karen O’Brien. Mr. Demaree congratulates Dave Benjamin on being named Mr. Football. October 21 dawned a cloudy morning, and the high humidity only served to dampen the spirits of the Mer- rillville students. It was Saturday and the night before had witnessed a disheartening loss to the Blazers of Edi- son. As the day wore on though, spirits skyrocketed in anticipation of the Homecoming Dance. The dance ful- filled the expectations of all the couples as they danced to enchanting music. Queen, Karen O’Brien, and Mr. Football, Dave Benjamin, reigned over the dance. The Homecoming activities, which are the annual work of the Student Council, were adorned for the first time by an impressive parade. The members of the commu- nity agreed with the students, faculty, and alumni in their opinion that Homecoming 1961 was a Homecoming to remember.

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KISS ME KATE” CAST Kate Barbara Roos Petruchio Lon Witter Baptista John Kustron Bianca Marty Feterick and Judy Masteller Vincentio Gregg Cheney Lucentio Kerry Halsted Hortensio Marty Traber Grumio Chris Maxwell Gremio Richard Hardt Widow Judy Bley Adam Ray Stefankiewicz Tranio Charles Dieble 1st woman Donna Niksch 2nd woman Carole Kucan 3rd woman Shirlee Ritchie Seamstress Karen Wesley Milliner Allene Novak Student Director P aul Jones Business Mgr Lynnette Rewerts Stage Mgr Tom Harper Help, masters, help! My master is mad. 1 Tom Harper, Paul Jones, and Lynnette Rewerts assist Mr. Yule in adding up play profits. (TOP RIGHT) Chris clowns as Marty and Rich vie for Judy’s hand. 13