Truman State University - Echo Yearbook (Kirksville, MO)

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g; 1 B aldwin Hall was in all its barren glory when the American classic llOur Townh, was presented. Thornton Wilder designed the play without the aid of props or scenery, so the stage of the Little Theater was totally bare except for two tables and some chairs representing the house- holds 0f the Webbs and the Gibbses. The play portrayed life in a small town in the beginning of the 20th 4' century, and revolved around the three most important phases of life: daily living in the first act, love and marriage in the second act, and death in the third act. The most notable character in the play was the stage manager, portrayed g by Jeff Strong, senior. His role was T hard to define because it was so versatile. As a thread of continuity, he T7 2 80m TowntCherry Orchard spoke to the audience when introducing the play, and yet he still remained in direct contact with the characters throughout all three acts. The plot was both poignant and funny. It related to the crowdls experience. Audience members responded to George and Emily when they fell in love and were married. During the last scene, spectators were deeply moved by the role that death plays in everyonels life. Steve Lamzik, sophomore, was captivated by htOur Town? uI loved it? he said. ltThe death scene was especially good. It changed my attitude toward death, and broadened my mind to living? Most students were enthusiastic about the plays realism and the way it depicted life in a small town. A natural scene by Melanie Mendelson E. Spoede Playing house e Seniors Deanna Swarm and Luella Aubrey pantomime sheIIing beans during a scene from the play Our Town. The actors used imaginary props throughout the play, relying on their actions for expression of ideas. liI liked the playf, said Bob Davidson, sophomore. ltI thought the mime effects were pretty good. It was different from any play Ild ever seen, and it portrayed everyday life and the problems you face as life goes along. Mitch Hamilton, 'junior, confessed that he did not like the play. llI didnt like it because Ild rather watch some- thing thatls not good for you and not socially acceptable? he explained. uIn a general sense, it was realistic, but dead people donlt talk back. I didnt really get a whole lot out of it because I watched it just to write a review on it. He was enrolled in Theater Appreci- ation. The review was an assignment. Th use of were a and St: Lu. Mrs, f turkey thinkii everyt. ttTl ifs be uIths e new a: The 1i plain ; everyo Mh Doc G show. carries close 1 way Vl produr De: Mrs. T me to roles I portraj 6t1t1 added. grow? Col intern: inside manag tiI also b charac Jul Emily the d. let go tlIn th and fe Eri portra to wo really to get Th audie were Chang was t psych ltT react crowd it mor But t audiei of wh

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'd DbiIlSOIl .npatient .1m with ;ar of the guitar in iintment aw. to seat 1e. This a Student shman attended applauded iointed his hit 11 Love? ilay the was no you like :1 over id. t the age If girls -h, thatis aid. After 5 looking rding odest I e ay it, . He is orm among 0 not torium. -ople,1i he - leis I erness. - mood he the stage, oetween He I responded 'tan'sts Bobby h each others solos used to 1: addition to oice box an -ir part of the Hem. atvuiemm iiid Hm Hike the way ussmp presvriied NHQ Hongsi Steve iamzzk sc'reimtmie said he thought The performamw was fake, a put-on. Joel Cruz, freshman, however, thought the concert was excelient Although Bishop was late, the lead- up band, Stillwater, managed to keep the mood of the audience with additional songs and extra long solos. Stillwateris drummer, Lacy Sebie, expressed a little disappointment in the size of the audience. Stillwater is accustomed to performing for audiences of 1,500 or more. gBut the audience was lgk'hmax College audiences are more sophisticated . . . ti enthusiastic, and that is what counts. College audiences are more sophisticated. They sit back and observe the music, where at a nightclub people are more loose and get involved in the musicf, he said. Each song that Stillwater presented reflected back on the groupis unconscious theme, having a good time. til Reserve the Right to be Crazy and ttDonit You Wanta Have a Good Time set the mood for Still- wateris hit song, tiMindbenderf which used voice boxes to give the effect of a talking guitar. Stillwater began about eight years ago, Sebie said, and the members are all from the same area. After a try at college life, the group started a band, he said. Bob Spearman, keyboard player for Stillwater, expressed an optimistic View of the future of rock and roll. Disco is going down with punk rock, Spearman said. Stillwater has had eight or nine bookings with Bishop and-they get along well, Sebie said. The first performer of the night, Michael J ordon, however, has had just one booking with the other two groups. Jordon, from Chicago, 111., coupled his guitar with harmonica pieces, achieving a down-home country style. The crowd was slow in response to songs such as uI Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, uWet Dog Blues? and itHow Could You Not Love a Guy Who Wrote a Song Like This? but eventually warmed up a little and were ready for the harder music of Stillwater and Elvin Bishop. EH; Backing it up - In the middIe of a stage littered with electronic equipment, Mike Causey, rhythm guitarist for Stinater, 50105 on an unusual guitar. A little more jamming e Lacy Sebie sings the lead of Stillwater's songs and plays drums. Guitarist Jimm y H311 keeps the beat With his knee and head, swinging his hair in tempo With the song. C. Maida

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le ndelson E. Spoede Fwann and IS during a actors used relying 0!: 1t the It was r seen, and the along? fessed tI didntt 1 some- not 1. uIn a dead :ally m it.,, eci- went. ,1 i. :9qu H719 W 3m ?iownT w Wsuhilmai props szwi Hm avtors felt it. Luella xwiirw semm. Who played Mrs Gibbs. said i started out cold mrkey with mime but once I started thinking about the actions and everything, it was greatfh ttThe play was hard to do because its been done so much? Strong said. Its extremely hard to do something new and interesting with an old play. The lines were easy, though. It was plain and simple language that everyone can understandft Michael Collins, senior, who played Doc Gibbs, said, uThe script makes the show. Itts so well written that the play carries itself. We probably didnt come close to portraying the characters the way Wilder wrote it because each production is different. Deanna Swan, senior, who played Mrs. Webb, said, uItts really hard for me to play age. Pm used to playing in roles my age and I found it hard to portray middle age? ttIths a gradual process? Strong added. ttYou have to let the characters grow? Collins said, uYou have to internalize how the character feels inside and act like that. The stage manager had the most difficult part. ttI had to talk to the audience and also be in the play relating to the charactersfi Strong said. Julia Miller, sophomore, who played Emily Webb, said she had difficulty in the death scene of the play. ttI had to let go of the physical world? She said. ttIn the last act, I had to be really serious, and feel what Emily was feeling? Eric Lanham, sophomore, who Portrayed George Gibbs, said, HI had to work on my character. It wasnt really hard to play George, but I had to get in touch with his feelings? The cast noticed a diversity in the audience over the four nights they were on stage. ttEvery night it Changed, said Aubrey. ttOpening night Was the best because everyone was DSYChed up about it? ttThe older audience would probably react more to it than a younger trowdf Strong said. ttTheytd appreciate It more because ittd get to them. BUt there was no barrier with the aUdience. The play was an indication of What life was really likemeav t . , mnr- : Orr WW w :-;h-L;:V4t31irw:. Blossoms of Russia On his death bed h After his employers vacated the house, Fiers, the butler, played by freshman Jason Grubbe, lies near death in the final scene of the fall production nThe Cherry Orchard. Back when - Reminiscing about the better days of the cherry orchard, Jason Grubbe as Fiers, Bill Lemen as Gayelf, and Keith Oliver as Pistchik are sorrowful over its end. T. Gosselin T. Gosselin A touching scene - Senior Mike Collins and Pat Ham's, Wife of J. G. Severns, director, discuss the Russia of their time and before in a scene. from ttCherry Orchard. Harris played the lead 111 the play. i T. Gosselin Our TowntCherry Orchard29-