Quincy University - Gyrfalcon Yearbook (Quincy, IL)

Page 61 text:

Comedy Rules College Theatre Under the direction of Mr. Hugh Fitzgerald, the drama department this year concentrated on comedy with pleasing results. The first production, The Im- portance of Being Earnest, in this the sixth season of presentations by the department, was a smooth, sophisticated farce. Some of the scenes and staging of the play written by Oscar Wilde are shown on these pages. In honor of the college achieving 100 years of age, the name of the theatre was made Theatre One Hundred. This year also saw the fifth consecutive production of a Shakespearean play. Mr. Fitzgerald ' s group is one of comparatively few at smaller colleges to pro- duce a Shakespearean piece annually. This year the group presented one of Shakespeare ' s most popular historical plays, Henry IV, Part I. Rose Ann Smyth and Jack Schacht as Gwendolyn Fairfax and John Worthington in the play. Patrician Donovan, as Lady Bracknell, (right) exhibits the best grande dame manner to Gwendolyn Fairfax, John Worthing and Alaernon Moncrieff. J. Schacht explains a point to Den- nis Ciesil, friend and confident in the comedy.

Page 60 text:

In a dramatic scene of The Importance of Being Earnest are, left to right: Jack Schacht, Rose Ann Smyth, Sandra L. Strobel and Dennis M. Ciesil. The Importance of Being Earnest ' Cast Lane Too a L. Stotti Algernon Moncrieff — Dennis M. Ciesel John Worthing — Jack E. Schacht Lady Bracknell — Patricia A. Donovan Hon. Gwendolyn Fairfax Rose Anne Smyth Miss Prism — Alice S. Long Cecily Cardew — Sandra L. Strobel Dr. Chasuble — Edwin D. Farrell Merriman — Frances S. Krueger Maid — Nancy A. Sloan A New Stage Technique v o : ' D. Ciesil and Tom Nevins at work on building the movable stage. A new technique for Quincy College theatrical productions, the use of a movable stage, was introduced this year by the drama department. The stage, designed by Mr. Fitzgerald, was mounted on wheels so that it could be pivoted to produce three differ- ent settings. Use of a movable stage offered greater opportunities for improving scenery designs and for providing greater freedom of movement for the actors. Construction of the movable stage was mostly the work of Tom Nevins, drama major, and Dennis Ciesel, aided by some volunteers. 56

Page 62 text:

The Lady ' s Not for Burning The college drama department produced The Lady ' s Not For Burning as part of the festival of the Quincy Society of Fine Arts. The play by Christopher Fry was presented at the college and also at the festival grounds for the public. Frances Krueger, Lear Keller and Tom Nevins played lead roles in the contemporary, ro- mantic verse comedy which deals with the humorous misadventures of a young woman accused of witchcraft in 15th century England. Mitzie Smyth, Michael Marlotte and Lear Keller performing in The Lady ' s Not For Burning. ' Frances Krueger, as the lady charged with being a witch, and Tom Nevins as Hebel Tyson ' mayor of the city.