Phillips Exeter Academy - PEAN Yearbook (Exeter, NH)

Page 21 text:

VE Nl? x. Sf

Page 20 text:

seemed almost professional. john Benedict's portrayal of Falstaff was marvelous, his facial expressions, gestures, and stage busi- ness were responsible, in a large way, for the favorable reaction of the audience. A vigorous supporting cast also helped to put the play over. Sean Sweeney, Grover Amen, john Schubert, and Tom Whedon added much life to the comedy scenes. The female parts were well played by Rene Tillich, Fred Bunnell, and Bob Forrester, who scored a hit with his rendition of a Welsh love song. The music, arranged from Elizabethan tunes by Sam Pottle, gave authenticity to the production, without being merely quaint. As a contrast to Shakespeare, the asso- ciation chose Samuel and Bella Spewack's Boy Meets Girl for the winter play, a choice which was highly approved by the audience. lt proved to be the biggest audience-success in years. The play is a satire on Hollywood's entertainment factory, and it abounds with the weird denizens of that community, the two hack-writers who are always getting a culture-seeking director into scraps, a worn- out cowboy actor and his agent, a studio waitress whose illegitimate baby is put into pictures, a genteel English actor, and a zany staff of secretaries. musicians, and mani- curists. Charles Schultz and Tom Whedon, the writers, kept the show going at a hila- rious pace with their gags and histrionics, and Bill Nicoson, as C.F. , the director, added another to his series of successes. Graham Fernald was wonderfully funny as the stiff Britisher. ln the role of the waitress, Susie, Tim Wilson proved to be the most accomplished prep-actor seen here for several years, A strong supporting cast included Albert Hinckley, Mac Peyton, Sam Pottle, john Benedict, and four mysterious trumpeters. The set of C. F.'s office was perfect. There was the usual desire to write a musical for the spring play, but when the plan fell through, the contest centered on Maxwell Anderson's High Tor and Bernard Shaw's Devil's Disciple. The Shaw play was chosen, and the leading roles were taken by Schultz, Nicoson, Wilson, and Mac Peyton. be 9, bfi ykffkfx krfk-4' 2, fl., L Y' l-sJ't6i1LG 7 f . ' fl .i l 1 Vf' lc' K' lA 'lc lei, ll JJ0- ll-vi dba THE DRAMATIC ASSOCIATION iiioj

Page 22 text:

DEBATING GOLDEN BRANCH President: Kenneth Reckford Vice-President: john H. Wilson Secretary: Robert H. Mundheim Adviser: Mr. johnson The Golden Branch enjoyed a relatively successful year in i949-50, but in spite of the efforts of Presidents Dyer and Reckford and Mr. johnson, the adviser, the lack of interest shown by many members resulted in several mediocre debates. Toward the latter part of the year, how- ever, the quality of the debates improved. One of the most memorable, on the subject, Resolved, that women have caused the downfall of man, filled the Daniel Web- ster Debating Room to overflowing. Another outstanding debate on the topic, Resolved, that the South has contributed more to the culture of the United States than the North, proved unquestionably that the spirit of the Civil War still holds fast. At the final meeting the society put john Bene- dict on trial for the murder of Gardner Thoenen. Defenders Dean and Mundheim, using the testimony of Charles Schultz and the glamorous Tim Wilson, secured his acquittal. ln May the banquet was held. at which new officers were elected. GOLDEN BRANCH G. L. SOU LE President: Nicholas B. Angell Vice-President: Vernon K. Dibble Secretary: C. Grady Green Adviser: Mr. Fish This season of the G. L. Soule Debating Society was marked by the great enjoyment which the spectators derived from the de- bates. ln the first debate of the year the neg- ative side proved that the Communist Party should not be outlawed in the United States. Although the Communists are not a real political party and may be harmful to the United States, said the negative rebuttalist, to abolish the organization in the United States would be wrong as well as almost impossible. ln another debate, the topic, Resolved that American movies represent American life, was upheld. Although the negative tried with much humor to prove the lack of realism in movies, the affirmative won by showing that American movies really typify American life without mirroring it. The affirmative proved, in an amusing debate, that the butt rooms have a degene- rative influence upon the Exeter student. Because of the outstanding debating and excellent topics, the G. L. Soule had a very successful year. First Row: Norris, Hupper, S. B. Dean, j. Wilson, Reckford, Mundheim, La Vine, A. Dyer, Finn. Second Row: Hamilton, Shea, R. Morris, johnstone, Peters, Pratt, L. Clark, Brewster. Third Row: Hatch, j. Thomas, W. Clarke, McVay, Fredland, Abelman, T. Halstecl, Thompson, Poole. C. L. SOULE First Row: Benedict, Thoenen, T, Evans, Schultz, N. Angell, C. G. Green, V, Dibble, Schouvaloff, Whedon. Second Row: Bouche, Bolster, Morton, Bloom, Stahr, Phelps, Gustafson, Wheelock. Third Row: C. Dibble, Ginsburg, Madden, Fish. P. E. A. SENATE First Row: Gustafson, Hatch, A. Dyer, S. B. Dean, Schouvaloff, Francis, Reckford, Wilson, Hupper. Second Row: M. Shea, Heath, Nicoson, Peters, Mclntosh, Herzig, Hamilton, Simons, Temple. Third Row: Shamos, Blackburn, R. Morris, Albert, Mr. Thomas, Berman, W. Clarke, Paxton, P. j. Smith, Norris. Fourth Row: Wheelock, C. Dibble, Pope, j. Thomas, Hilgartner, McConaghie, Lethen, Abelman, Randolph, Hathaway, j, P. Brown, Lee. 11121