New Trier West High School - Vestiges Yearbook (Northfield, IL)

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'amahl and the night visitors' The music department combined many 'firsts' this winter which resulted in perhaps the most moving pro- duction New Trier West has ever presented. Gian- Carlo Menotti's one-act opera, 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' was West's introduction to opera, but Director Mr. Denis Moreen, used lecture hall EA 243 instead of the auditorium, and planned the production not as a grand opera, but as an experiment in Readers Theatre. The main feature of the opera was the character Amahl. For the part of the 12-year old crippled boy, Mr. Moreen auditioned interested boys from junior high schools in the area, and three boys were chosen: Brian Eustis, from Skokie Junior High, and David Howe and Steven Schwall from Avoca. They worked diligent- ly on a difficult 60-page musical score and brought a realistic light to the production. The simplicity with which 'Amahl' was presented made the production all the more beautiful, and all three casts achieved the musical excellence that helped recreate the story in the audience's minds. 'Amahl' was a truly meaningful Christmas gift for NT-W to give the community. Amahl ..... Steven Schwall, Brian Eustis, David Howe His Mother .... Betsy Miller, Carol Lacey, Chris Olson King Kaspar .... King Melchior .. King Balthazar . The Page ...... The Narrator . . . Shepherds, Shepherdesses ..,....................DaleMers ..... Jon Finson, Rich Goldberg, Benjamin Bagby .. . Don Brownlee, Tuck Duncan Morton Marks RobWheeler -Doug Allen, Jane Bartelme, Joanie Blum, Kathy Braun, Robert Bress- man, Kim Buol, Melissa Carden, Diane DuVernett, Sue Eigenbrodt, Doug Gaarde, Lynne Hamilton, Marc Hauser, Pam Hertel, Margaret Kob- er, Wendy Korzon, Tom Makeig, Dave Miller, Richard Minogue, Jan- ice Perlman, Ken Schram, Rick Schram, Joan Shepard, Eileen Springer, Chip Staffel, Rob Wheel- er, Ed Zwick. 5..se ...aw' ' . - - .. . . - '

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studio theatre one Freshmen and sophomore actors began a West tradition this year by presenting Studio Theatre I in the English-Arts lecture hall February 2 and 3. In- cluded in the program for the evenings were three one-acts plays: Eugene lonesco's The Leader, Edward Albee's The Sandbox, and Brainerd Duf- field's The Lottery. Director Mr. John Baumhardt felt The Leader and The Sandbox, products of theatre of the ab- surd, attempted to make sense from the senseless. The Lottery, although not classified in the absurd category, produced a similar effect. The two major objectives of the plays were to create an emotional effect upon the audience, whether negative or positive, and to stimulate considerable thought about the message, theme, and realism of the plays. Opportunity to question or comment upon the plays' meanings came after the performances when audience, director, and cast held informal discussions. Additional assistance from Technical Director Mr. R. C. Jackson and Student Director Sharon Joseph helped make the first frosh-soph plays a success. Announcer .. . Boy Admirer ... Girl Admirer .... Boy Lover .... Girl Lover .... Leader ..... Mommy . . . Daddy ...... Grandma ..... Young Man . . . Musician . . . Tommy . . . Dickie .... Martin ..... Dalacroix . . . Hutchison .... Davy ........ Mrs. Dunbar .... Mrs. Watson . . . Miss Bessom .... Jack Wilkins ... Old Man Warner The Leader The Sandbox 'fffhg' Lately? ' Belva Summers .... Joe Summers .... Tessie Hutchison ,... Tim Hagan ........Ed Zwick Martha Walters . . . . Ron Ross Lise Rosenthal .. Rich Smolin Sharon Joseph . . . Tom Makeig . Sally Froehlig . . Bryan Thalin Duffie Adelson . . .Ken Schram Bart Goynshore . Greg Bennett ... Jim Blackburn .. . Tim Hagan . David Bennett .... Ellen Liner . Ellie Shulman .. . Sue Warner .. Bryan Thalin . . Roger Kipley . . Robin Shook Ed Zwick Joan Trossman