University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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The Cardboard Theatre ■ Making their first appearance this year were several new stars on the dramatics horizon. Not merely new actors were these stars, although during this year the stage has seen several, but real new features of the department including a new professor and courses pointing to the establishment of a dramatics major. The Cardboard Theatre, while not exactly a new star, made its first appearance in its new name and costume this year. A class in playwriting was inaugurated and presenter! two bills of original one-act plays to the student body. An operetta which required the talents of both the music and dramatics department was produced. More than five major plays, all of them formerly Broadway productions, were presented. The new assistant professor of dramatics and director of the Cardboard Theatre is Frederick Koch. Jr., who has A.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of North Carolina. Mr. Koch has been responsible for the introduction of a new playwriting course in the curriculum, has directed several major productions, and produced with Henry Gregor the first operetta in the history' of the school. Mrs. Opal Euard Motter is instructor in dramatics. A member of Theta Alpha Fhi. honorary' dramatics fraternity, she directs not only her quota of University players productions but also her quota of the honorary group's performances, which also appear in the Cardboard Theatre. Named by a conference of the two directors after many suggestions had been made, the “Cardboard Theatre” was a sudden inspiration of Mrs. Motter's which met with instant approval. The newly-named auditorium is the same as has been used in previous years, with many improvements. The floor at the rear of the room has l een raised making the stage completely visible from almost any angle and forming a lobby at the ! ack which accommodates intermission crowds. Among the most important, although they were You Can't TuWr It with Yon »« n revival hit In the f'-ard board Theatre. The ’.tune was crowded with comedy and the play »o crowded with laughv The art department provide almovt « many paint can» n people in dr !|tnl»K and execution u new vetting. 29

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Art and Artists ■ High up on the third floor of the Main Building are two large rooms with great northern skylights. They are fdled with tables, easels, art supplies, a motley array of model stands, jugs, drapes, and students. To the side is a smaller room Ixxtsting a press and the smell of acids and inks. All this is the art department. The University can l e proud of its art department as a well-established and progressive unit. It was begun three years ago and since has grown in enrollment and importance. There are two divisions, directed by Denman Fink and Richard Merrick. Mr. Fink, well-known muralist and illustrator, conducts classes in life and still life and principally criticizes the mediums of charcoal, oil paint, and pastel. Mr. Merrick’s class is concerned with etching (the complete process is taught) and landscape water-coloring. This year facilities have been improved. A second studio was opened to Mr. Fink’s students for the benefit of those working in oil; they are permitted to erect their own set-up of fruit, flowers, bottles, etc. and spend as long as they like on their interpretations. Additional shelves have been installed in both rooms partially to provide space for a number of valuable art magazines. A new hallway was cut in order to direct the flow of student traffic in a channel other than the art room. The library has been enlarged with several new books. The greatest importance of the year was attached Mn lrt mill rlan Mini) rurh otltrr «hllr plmtnftrii|ilirr gr! a plrlurr of n jtroop puliillli 11 picture. to the state exhibit of the Four Arts Club in Palm Beach in December. The University was represented for the first lime with admirable results. The work of students received general acclaim in an exhibition comprised of the l est of colleges all over the state. Prizes and ribbons were bestowed as follows: Naomi Anderson, still life, first prize; Julia Arthur, portrait, second prize; John Maglcy, still life, honorable mention; Helen Spach, water color, first prize; End I Benson and Arnold Newman, etchings, honorable mention. When the operetta The Geisha was presented by the dramatics and music departments in January, Mr. Fink designed the effective backdrop. It was painted by some of the students under his direction. In March, Burdine’s store cooperated with the school by putting at Mr. Fink's disposal space for displaying the student's work. Oil paintings, including the state prize winners, by the following students were shown: Naomi Anderson, Daphne Pullan, John Maglcy, Phyllis Parman, and Julia Arthur. Students in the art department are there for several reasons. Some of them are intent on a career in one of the many fields of art and have come to gain a solid background in anatomy and media. Others are majors in academic subjects and enjoy art as a sideline or enter it to gain an appreciation of fine art. There are special students from outside the University who come for pleasure or profit. Mr. Fink allots an equal amount of time to each of his students and takes a personal interest in the individual’s technique, improvement, and ambition. The classes of Mr. Merrick are on location a considerable portion of the time drawing from the natural scenic beauty of Miami. Plans for the future of this department are constantly under way. Providing an art major and minor for those who are interested is an immediate problem, and it will be solved by the fall term of 1940. This may mean the offering of additional courses. At present the University provides a course in history of art under Mr. Merrick; several classes of educational art directed by Mrs. Adalinc S. Don-ahoo; and etching, life, and still life classes. 28

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unpretentious, productions on the stage of the theatre this year, have been the bills of one-act plays which were written, acted, and directed by students. Members of Mr. Koch’s class in playwriting selected the best and most practicable productions completed during the year's work and presented them at admission-free performances inviting the audience to participate by criticizing the play between the acts. The Green Dragon, written by Walter Ficldhouse and directed by Jack Madigan, and She’s a-Gonna Be a Boy, written and directed by Edith Rosencrans. were two plays featured on the earlier bill. Starring in The Green Dragon were Arnold Kay as the bartender and Myra Atkins as the former sweetheart of a night club proprietor. The scene of this play was a Miami night club. She's a-Gonna Be a Boy was set in a hospital and had as stars Robert Zeeman as Papa Chiarello and Milton DcVoe as the college professor. The Geisha was another new venture for tin-dramatics department of the University. Ojtera had come before and so had light comedy but operettas were unknown. The musical comedy by Sidney Jones, an Englishman, who. as in Giil»eri and Sullivan's Mikado, placed his libretto in Japan. The musical portion of the | erformance was directed by Mr. Henry Gregor and the acting was guided by-Mr. Koch. Dramatic and singing leads in this production were taken by Mrs. Charles M. Moon as O Mimosa San; Edwin F. Ginsburg as Reginald Fairfax; Dean Russell A. Rasco of the Law School as the Marquis Imaru: Jean Godard as Juliette: and William Gore as Wun-Hi. Delicately painted adits and delicately tinted music highlighted this production. 'fhe dramatic season oja-ned this year with You Can’t Take It With You, a revival of last year's hit. The cast was headed by Maxwell Marvin as Grandpa Y’anderhof; Adele Rickel as Penelope Sycamore; Maybelle Cohen and Eddie Baumgarten as Ed and Essie Carmichael: and George Dawkins and Irm-gard Dietcl as Tony Kirby and Alice Sycamore. C. H. Motter, who played the jxirt of Mr. De Pinna in this production, acted as technical director for every production of the Theatre this year. Directed by Mrs. Motter. this production, returned by pop-ular demand, was an outstanding success. Next in line came Our Town, Thornton Wilder's philosophic drama without scenery. Again effective was Maxwell Marvin as the stage manager whose llripltr II lilt hriii.it lea I li.ickBr.iuml ■hole KrrJrrlck It. K.ich, Jr. I pmbohly pliuinliiB » ilnK - icttlnB. “I’yjCnmlloil ' employed KnRlUti accent anil utmmphrrr In rntrrtnln It audience . llclon llir r.i»t practice It linuil A’ . 30