Middle Tennessee State University - Midlander Yearbook (Murfreesboro, TN)

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Royal Family The Royal Family may have been written in the 20 ' s, but its relevance to the 70 ' s is astounding. George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber created a strange lot in the eccentric Cavendish family and the University Theatre brought them to life with vigor and aplomb in their season opening production. With strong direction by Dorethe Tucker, the cast, a blend of old and new faces, presented a fine ensemble performance that infected the audience with enthusiasm. As Julie Cavendish (the most beautiful woman on Braodway), Barbara Ambrose did a remakable job. Her graceful sweep down the stairs in her first entrance did more for the men in the audience than a whole year of Farrah Fawcett-Majors could. Bob Forsythe, the versatile University Theatre veteran, did a fine job as Julie ' s matinee-idol brother, Tony. His dashing entrance in a long black cape rivaled that of Ambrose for sheer effect. As Fanny Cavendish, the family matriarch, Carolyn Jones was faced with the task of being believeable in the role of a much older woman. She succeeded with a blend of speech patterns and nuances which did not possess even a trace of false airs. 28 Royal Family

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BLues November 12, 1978 Two white floodlights flashed on like hugh staring eyes, blinding the audience with their intensity . . . moments later the Moody Blues broke the darkness with the begin- ning notes of Slide Zone and the stage came alive! With hardly a break between songs they filled the audi- torium with the rich, orchestrated sounds of Tuesday Afternoon, Twilight Time, Heartaches and The Story in Your Eyes . . . and that was only the beginning. n the true genius of the Moody Blues they ignited the audience with some of their more recent composi- tions: Driftwood, Survival, and I ' ll Be Level With You. But the real showstopper came near the end of the concert when the Moody Blues played perhaps their most famous song Nights in White Satin leaving the audience absolutely slack-jawed with awe! They were in true form and exited to a three-minute standing ovation before returning for one last song to finish off one of the finest concerts ever performed in Murphy Center. Moody Blues 27

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...M 4r ' As Julie ' s daughter, Lisa Davis gave a strong performance in a role totally unfamiliar to her — that of an ingenue. Martin McGeachey and Vickie Stegall as Fanny ' s brother and sister-in-law were among the strong supporting cast giving their all in The Royal Family. Clay Hawes ' set depicting the Cavendish ' s fashionable New York apartment, was nothing short of stunning. Many long hours of work were required to produce the set which made the shoe pleasing to look at. Patricia Lane ' s costumes were tasteful and elegant (although the satin gowns were a bit overdone), but they were definitely 30 ' s fashions for a play set in the 20 ' s. Although the first act was a bit weak, the performers warmed to their task, making the second and third acts examples of fine acting and direction. Had you been in the audience you would have scarcely doubted its approval of the play. The near capacity audiences each evening made their approval known at the end of each performance with resounding ovations. The Cavendish ' s would have loved it! Royal F;: