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

Page 30 text:

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

Page 29 text:

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

Page 31 text:

drawling comments and inserted bit characterizations tied the plot and theme of the play into one unit. Mr. Koch directed the play which featured George Greer and Jean Small as George Gibbs and Emily Webb, the young sweethearts of the village. Not only was the scenery left to the imagination, according to the directions of the author, but many of the props and a few of the characters were invisible, producing an intense and ghostly effect. Theta Alpha Phi's production of The Women as directed by Mrs. Motter, was one of the hits of the year. It starred Adele Rickel as Mrs. Sylvia Fowler; double-casting Phyllis Salter and Sylvia Locke as Mrs. Stephen Haines; Jean Arnold Small as Miriam Aarons; Mabelle Cohen as Crystall Allen; Rebekah Parham as Peggy; Denise Penchina as Edith; and Man,- Alice Kirton as Nancy. The play had thirty-live actresses in its all-feminine cast. Almost even-girl in the University with serious intentions had some part in the production, and some members of the cast appeared in more than one part. The director, as a member of the honorary’ dramatics society, also took a small part in the production. Her Maggie was, of course, the outstanding bit jxirt of the year. Runner-up for that prize was Maxwell Marvin's careful delineation of Mr. Doolittle in Pygmalion. Double-casting was employed in this production too, with Grace Berg and Jean Small alternating in the | art of Eliza. George Dawkins took the role of Professor Higgins and Evelyn Auslander that of Mrs. Pierce. Carefully accented in attempted Cockney English the play was fascinating to the ear as well as to the eye. Outward Hound was the next play on the list. The play was directed by Mrs. Motter. Heading the cast was Maxwell Marvin as Tom Prior, Adele Rickel as Mrs. Midgett, George Dawkins as The Reverend Duke, Barbara Willock as Mrs. Cliveden-Banks, and Sydney Head as Scrubby. A few other plays will l e used to till the dramatic schedule for the year. Theta Alpha Phi is also making its tentative plans for the annual Follies which utilizes student talent in all forms of the theatrical arts. So far, this year has ! een one of the most important in the history of the dramatics department DRAMA CALENDAR Xovembkr Vou Can't Take It With You, by- George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart; directed by Opal E. Motter. December — Our Town, by Thornton Wilder: directed by Fred Koch. Jr. January — The Geisha, an operetta by Sidney Jones; musical direction by Henry Gregor, and dramatic direction by Fred Koch, Jr. February Original one-act experimental plays: She’s a-Gonna Hr a Hoy, written and directed by-Edith Rosencrans; and The Green Dragon, written by Walter Fieldhouse, and directed by- Jack Madigan. March The. Women, by- Claire Boothe. Theta Alpha Phi show, directed by Opal E. Motter. March Pygmalion, by- George Bernard Shaw; directed by Opal E. Motter. April — Outward Hound, by Sutton Vane; directed by Opal E. Motter. April Theta Alpha Phi Follies; directed by Jack Madigan and Edward Baumgarten. May The Magic Flute, by Mozart; musical direction by Henry- Gregor, and dramatic direction by-Fred Koch, Jr. May—Experi mentals Muxurll Marvin lean agalnsl lli« proMmlum arch In his rotr ns |tie Mam Manager In “Our Town. 31