Sheldon Williams Collegiate - Opus Yearbook (Regina, Saskatchewan Canada)

Page 72 text:

SHELDONETTES The Sheldonettes, directed by Mr. Thurber, sang at the Fall Show, for the Commencement Exercises, and also at the Carol Festival at Knox-Metropolitan Church. Their selections varied from religious songs to hits from Broadway Plays and some popular music. The chorus and female principals of “Springtime” were chosen mainly from the Sheldonettes. About thirty girls, accompanied by pianist Jackie Schwartz, practised each Friday at noon. ■■I GLEE CLUB This year, Glee Club met each Wednesday noon. This group was essentially a training group. From the Glee Club evolved the Sheldonettes, Misfits, and the A Capella Choir. MISFITS “A propos”-—for those who know French. Maybe, but not really, because the boys who sing in this group are certainly not misfits. The tune does become a little varied once in a while, but as anyone who tries to sing knows, that is normal. This year, the Misfits sang at the Fall Show and got a rousing applause. ORCHESTRA This year, Mr. Thurber used the orchestra to accompany the operetta, “Spring¬ time”, something which has not been successfully done previously in this high- school’s musicals. Aided by Mr. Blackman, the orchestra has added valuable support to the music of “Springtime”. The orchestra also played at Commence¬ ments and the Fall Show. A CAPELLA This choir is a new group, begun by Mr. Thurber, comprising a select mixed choir of singers. As their name implies, they sing without the accompaniment of any musical instruments. The group meets each Tuesday and is a welcome addition to Sheldon’s numerous other music clubs. 70

Page 71 text:

THE RIVALS Set to the music of some guy named Mozart and full of all the daintiness, delicacies, dignity and decorum demanded in England in 1775, Sheldon-Williams pre¬ sented its major drama, “The Rivals . We all felt that the play would be a great success, although it was very demanding on the players and on Dr. Peart, our faithful, tolerant and, generally, good- natured director. Dr. Peart was very optimistic, and well should have been. He said we had a great cast and a great play to work with. A novel method of changing scenery was used. There were two large, movable triangles with scenes painted on each of their three sides. Three costumed scene changers, all very dignified, perfect and proper, came out and moved them. This was very well accepted by the audience. Tension mounted as the last few moments of wait¬ ing ticked off and the play began. The action began on a street in Bath, a resort area in England. We find, through a conversation between Fag (played by Jack Thrasher) and Thomas, a coachman (played by Ron Joorisity), that a Captain Jack Absolute, Fag’s master (played by Jack Ebbels) dis¬ guised as Ensign Beverley, is in love with a girl named Miss Lydia Languish who loves him better as a “half¬ pay Ensign than as “son and heir to Sir Anthony Absolute . Unknown to Jack, Jack’s father (played by Doug Edy) and Lydia’s tough old guardian aunt named Mrs. Malaprop (played by Barb Cameron) have bound them in a contract of marriage. As Lydia doesn’t know of Jack’s true identity, she is against the marriage. There is also a rich country boob named Acres (played by Lynn Anderson) who thinks himself Lydia’s lover. Inspired by an Irish baronet, Sir Lucius O’Trigger (played by Warren Caragata), to whom Mrs. Malaprop is partial, Acres challenges “this Beverley” (alias Jack Absolute) to a duel. Because Sir Lucius is led to believe by Lucy, Lydia’s maid (played by Linda Scott), that Lydia is the one who loves him and not Mrs. Malaprop, he also chal¬ lenges Captain Absolute to a duel. In another part of Bath, Lydia ' s cousin, Julia (played by Arla-Rae Parker), and a Mr. Faulkland (played by Sam Stewart) are having a love affair. They quarrel and separate. In the last scene, the duel between Beverley and Acres is called off because Acres finds out that Beverley is Absolute, his good friend, and the duel between Sir Lucius and Absolute is stopped in the nick by Sir Anthony. Sir Lucius realizes his mistake and gives up. Faulkland and Julia come back to each other and Sir Anthony proposes marriage to Mrs. Malaprop. In the end their happiness is as “unalloyed as general . The curtain closes on a little minuet and all is well. The play, naturally, was a terrific success. Dr. Peart was happy, the players were happy, the audience was happy. Other actors were David, Acres’ servant (played by Terry Goldie) and three other servants, doubling as the hard working scene changers, namely Linda Cleveland, Richard Brown and.myself, Doug McEachen. FALL SHOW The Fall Show was, again, a marked success. This year’s show featured variety. It displayed all of Sheldon’s musical groups, plus solo, quartets, duets, and trios. Participating were the Band, Glee Club, Misfits, Sheldonettes and Orchestra (all old stand-by ' s). Also introduced into the show was a Trumpet Quartet, a Folk Song duo, a Girls’ Trio, a solo by Penny McKillop and some folk selections by Rod Spooner. We are deeply grateful to the Music Department and especially to Mr. Thurber, our Music Director, a new and valuable addition to the teaching faculty, for making the show as much or more of a success than ever. DOUG McEACHEN HOUSE PLAYS Sheldon’s house plays were presented on February 17 and 18 to a record audience. The adjudicator, Mr. Russ Waller, chose Delta’s play, “A Winter’s Night, directed by Jim Armit and Fraser Howard, as the best play. He commended players Francie Ratner and Bob Miller for their excellent performances. Second place went to Kappa’s play, “Make Room For Rodney , with commenda¬ tions for Jim Ebbels, Carol Patterson, and Lynda Johnson. Kappa’s play was directed by Bev Bumyeat and Ruth Mesbur. “The Ring Game , Alpha’s play directed by Dana Dukart, received third place. Mr. Waller commended Paul Viminitz and Phil Walsh. Other players to receive special notice were Bob Turgeon and Terry Goldie, Omega; Dave Stewart, Sigma; Dave Ellis, Larry Curtis, and Barb Cameron, Beta. Judging from the comments of the actors involved and the audience ' s obvious apprecia¬ tion, the two nights were an immense success. Mr. Waller’s valuable appraisal of their acting was well appreciated by all the actors. GAIL EVANS 69

Page 73 text:

SPRINGTIME Hurrah! It is spring! Bring on the music, the flowers . . . the girls! Off to that lovely Long Island Estate where you (and someone else) can become lost in all those garden paths, walks and bowers. So off went Lee Cooper, Brent Sanderson and their college friends to Lee’s aunt’s country estate which, by now, was bursting with loveliness and lovely, but lonely, girls, where they threw themselves right into Reinhardt and Steiner’s charming musical comedy “Springtime”. And so it was, as our S.R.C. presented its annual spring show which was, in many re¬ spects, an unprecedented success and quite different from any musical production Sheldon had previously produced. Although not as well known as most, the music was very pleasing, lyrical and happy, and was well received and enjoyed by the audience. It featured a 20- piece pit orchestra, playing for the entire performance, plus an overture and an entre-act. The show took place on a Thursday and Friday night (for a change) and also, for a first time, we added a matinee on the following Wednesday. When Lee (played by Paul Viminitz) and his college chums arrive, they meet with a swarm of now much less lonely and still as lovely, girls. Lee and Brent meet Judy Cooper, Lee’s sister (played by Linda Cleveland) who becomes much more interested in Brent than in Lee. (With Brent, played by Ian Mason, meeting Judy meant love at first sight). While Judy and Brent are off in one of those bowers I mentioned, Lee, in peering over the garden wall, meets Poebe Rand (Penny McKillop) a bucolic, friendly and cute, girl next door. Need I say more? During the course of this meeting, Judy and Brent intercept a telegram intended for Judy’s aunt (Mrs. Barrington), stating that an expected guest (a Baroness) will not be able to arrive. To keep Lee’s aunt from disappointment, Phoebe, Lee, Judy and Brent decide to have Phoebe, whom Mrs. Barrington has never seen, pose as the Baroness and Brent as her manager. At this time, Mrs. Barrington (Barb Cameron) enters, followed dumpily up by the stuffy (but really very sweet) Major Frost (Peter Stewart) and our friends begin to put their plan into effect. The action merrily continues. Phoebe’s ruse is working under the noses of Mrs. Barring¬ ton, John Rand, Phoebe’s crochety and cantankerous father (played by Warren Carragata) and a caustic young male gossip named Rupert Hancock (Rick McKillop) whose “nose for news” smells out the plan which he does his best to foil. During the course of the action to follow, Lee and Phoebe, Judy and Brent and even the Major and Mrs. Barrington, take the big step inevitably leading to matrimony. The former pair did this most romantically, the latter most hilariously. The high point of the action arrives when Jenkins, the b utler (played by Terry Goldie), announces the arrival of the real Baroness (played alternately by Francis Gordon and Carol Patterson). The deception is disclosed but all is forgiven as merrily as a wedding bell. The curtain came down both nights on a success, again separating a very happy cast from an entranced audience unwilling to leave behind, the spring they found to face the reality of a cold March evening. We have many people to thank for the production of this musical. Special mention goes to Mr. Blackman who helped Mr. Thurber out with the orchestra, to Mr. Betteridge and Mr. McAnsh who created spring with the sets, to Dr. Peart who helped direct the show and, of course, to Mr. Thurber, our hard-working and battle-weary music director, without whom we would never have had a show. D. McEACHEN