Myers Park High School - Mustang Yearbook (Charlotte, NC)

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Thespians act in the round and produce Haunting W r,. g mJ, ■ «- [t JS Ite; 1 V One of the most amusing parts of the senior class play, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, is when Carlisle Landreth accompanies ballet dancer, Pam Hawkins, with his xylophone. Th e play depicts the everyday life of a family, each of its members having varied interests. There are many funny and heart-warming scenes in this first play of the year. The stage in the auditorium is a maze of lights, props, and costumes where dramatic classes and mem- bers of the drama club rehearse be- fore rows of empty seats until the real production is given. Countless hours of building sets and memoriz- ing lines are well worth the effort, for there is always satisfaction guar- anteed in the various theatrical works of the drama department. Seniors sponsored You Can’t Take It With You, a comical play which helped to raise money for the class figt. Both the Thespians and the Limelighters, along with the student council sponsored the Talent Show. Students enjoyed the show so much — many attending twice — that a fourth presentation was necessary. Effective lighting and scenery en- hanced the variety of talent dis- played. After auditions were completed and the cast was chosen, plans for Annie Get Your Gun, the yearly musical comedy given in May, got under way. Any student was eli- gible to try for a part. Following the script until her stage cue comes is one lone actress. Susan Watson plays the duchess in the senior class play. “This really isn’t as funny as it looks,” says solemn-faced Richard Casanova. Working to get the right techniques with make-up takes practice, as students in dramatics classes have learned. Not everyone is lucky enough to be painted as a clown. 24

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1ST ROW: Martin, Antonio, Hicks, Austin, Kisler, Steele, Landry, Crane, Bagby. 2ND ROW: Vance, Taylor, East, Patterson, McDonald, M archant, Diggle, Parker, Martin, Benton, Cook, Holder, O’Hair, Hunble. 3RD ROW: Broome, Robbins. Kinnard, Hall, Beasley, C. Robbins, Queen, Klutz, Coleman, Hicks, DeFravio, DuPont, Roscoe, Norris. 4TH ROW: Bryant, Shub- lin, Hilton, Whitaker, Rash, Sutton, Gummerson, Jarvis, Baker, Patterson, Cadieu, Greene, Carnrick, Kennington, Wheeles, Smith, Honey, Doster, Ogburn, Lewis, Johnson. Working in the mail room at the Charlotte Observer is DE student Bill Humble. One of his many jobs is sealing envelopes. “Would you like to buy this album,” says Martha Steele to a prospective customer. Martha is a DE student who works at Belks. DE Club offers members many outside activities The Myers Park Distributive Educa- tion Club gives its members an op- portunity to learn the principles of the business world by working on part-time jobs during the week. This main project was a survey of teen-ager’s spending habits. With the co-operation of a local bank, the Dis- tributive Education students were able to collect and compile interest- ing facts on how Charlotte high school students spend their money. All members met in the Student Lounge the night of December 4, to have their annual Christmas party. This informal get-together gave everyone a chance to acquaint him- self with the new members of the club. As in the past six years, the Myers Park DE Club again won a three star plaque, one of the few clubs to achieve this award seven straight years. This plaque was pre- sented to the club at the Distribu- tive Education Convention in March. Throughout the year, various speak- ers talked to the club about their experiences in business. DE Club meetings were held each month on the third Friday during second period. DE Club Officers: Assoc. Pres. Pam Martin, V.P. Bill Humble, Historian Charlotte Kinnard, Reporter Judy Bryant, Sec. Patricia East, Pres. Mark Honey, Corres. Sec. Carol Shubkin, Treas. Kenneth Smith, Parliamentarian Pris Marchant. 23

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of Hill House Mr. Sizer, director, along with Mr. Browne, scenic designer, Mr. Mims, orchestra director, and Mr. Cron- stedt, choral advisor, gave their in- valuable support towards another memorable production. Two organizations in the drama de- partment serve to stimulate and strengthen the appreciation of the dramatic arts of Myers Park. Those persons who are genuinely interested in theatrical work may join the Limelighters, a club which is open to all students. It is designed to further the understanding of all phases of drama, as well as to allow participation in stage productions. After acquiring a minimum number of points by working and acting in all phases of drama, students are in- vited to join the National Thespian Society. The selected few in the Thespians have strived to perfect dramatics. The Haunting of Hill House, presented in February, was a three-act play given in the arena. All stage directing and set-building was done by the members themselves along with the aid of Mr. Elmore. Centered under the spotlight is the six-piece combo which performed for the students at- tending the Talent Show. These skilled musicians are members of the National Music Honor Society and are accomplished in their instrumental fields. Each participant in the Talent Show joins on stage for the grand finale number, “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Performances ranged from singing and dancing to a character portrayal and pantomime skits. The Thespians and Lime- lighters were co-sponsors of the show. Reappearing in this way, the entertainers refresh the memories of the audience. Surrounded by the audience, the Thespians portray the complex and psychic characters which appear in the HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Frank Wright and Susan Watson, foreground, deliberate over the strange events of the former night as Gray Payne and Blair Josephs listen. Stan Hubbard, president of the Thespians, sits backstage with Blair Josephs, secre- tary, and Pam Hawkins, vice-president. 25