Tokay High School - Tokay Yearbook (Lodi, CA)

Page 64 text:

f, 'sd 'Gammer' earn kudos, applause Drama students won big this year with t'Gammer Gurton's Needlef, ln competition at Cali- fornia State University at Sacra- mento, they received a special judges' award for superior en- semble acting. Tokay won all the awards in competition at the University of LaVerne. 'iWe swept it, said Larry Linda, drama adviser. We won 'Best Productionf 'Best Scenographyf and 'Best Per- formance' lChristina Wallj. Wall was the first junior to win the award. l. Junior Christina Wall, freshman Michelle Monarque, and sopho- more Paul Pickett perform one of the scenes from Gammer Gurton's Needle. 2. Christina Wall displays her award-winning acting talents along with junior Darrin Martin and Paul Pickett. 3. Ale house patrons were played by senior Doug Kester, junior Mark Jordan, and sophomore Michael Curry. 4. Junior Erik Smith and senior Kymn Trujillo share a scene. Photos by Matthew Silber t 600 According to lVlr. Linda, the judges gave the Tokay dramatists a standing ovation and shouted, Bravol 'iAt both festivals, every perfor- mer was important, said lVlr. Linda. 'iThere were no weak links. The judges said all the kids were magnificent. Gammer,'i a middle English play written in 1550 and translat- ed by Mr. Linda, revolves around the loss of a needle and a lunatic traveling the countryside, starting a series of brawls in a normally quiet English community. The play is acted in the rough-house manner of pre- Shakespeare England and the English accents were as strong as the fights were knock-down- drag-out, said Linda. ln addition to Wall, who played Gammer, the cast featured Erik Smith, Darrin Martin, Kymn Trujillo, and Sam Ferrer. Other THSPA productions in spring included Jigsaw Puz- zle, a cumulative performance by all areas of the Performing Arts Department, and The Diviners, the spring play. by Helen Schorr

Page 63 text:

Cast members merit approval With a combination of hard working cast members and patient directors, the fall musical Merrily We Roll Along pro- ved to be popular with all audiences. Moving backward in time, the story concentrated on three friends, and how the career of one as a music composer advanced from beginning to climax. It told ot his trials and troubles and of the breakup ot a I..:A..,J,.L.:,. The lead roles of Franklin Shepherd, Charley Kringas, and Mary Flynn, were portrayed by freshman john Robertson, junior Darrin Marting and senior Linda Towle. The ensemble included: .len- niter Greer, Christina 'Wall, Jeftrey Mertz, Kymberly Trujillo, Stephanie Holman, Douglas Kes- ter, and Erik Smith. The supporting cast assumed a variety of roles according to the act in which they were needed. Instead of portraying the same character throughout the show, one actor or actress assumed several identities to till the parts needed. The supporting cast had an important role, stated Linda V Towle, we couldn't have done it withoutthemf' The emsemble was responsi- ble tor the majority of the backup singing. Three or four songs came up numerous times during the play as reprises and frag- ments. Since the story moved backward in time, reprises and fragments were found in the beginning acts, with follow up in later ones. Director Larry Linda worked along side with Royce Tevis, musical director, and Cassie Reutlinger, vocal director to present this fall production, When asked it it was difficult working with three directors, Towle noted that, They really let you work with your own creativity. They were there for advice, but they encouraged working with your own ideas. by NicoleTutt Photos by Matthew Silber 4. Helping build props, an import- Singing their duet to a responsive ant part in the production of the audience, are sophomore Jeffrey play, is junior Anthony Wilton. 5. Mertz and senior Lynette Dorvllle. Fall Play 59

Page 65 text:

i?3 4'4'X 0 , Af +1 Q'- qu-.kg , fm X 2 95? '- lif-