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

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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

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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

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John Krskinc . . . Iw lr«w» the danln Lit. Gymnasts ■ Once more .Mr. John Erskine seems to have walked off with the popularity prize of the Winter Institute of Literature. He completely delighted his audience. The lectures were well sprinkled with his bantering, rather satirical humor. Since Mr. Er-skine’s specialty is retelling old stories in modern settings, he was on home ground speaking about The Acncid, Odyssey, Iliad, Tristram and Iscult, and Don Quixote. With his tongue in his cheek Mr. Erskine gave us his interpretations of the stories. He reached the heights in talking about The Acncid; it was by far the best lecture of the entire scries. If everyone could find in those classics what Mr. Erskine has obviously found they would not be musty classics but present best sellers. Mr. Carleton Smith found his way onto the platform again this year. How. we don't know. Last year, since he was substituting on the spur of the moment for a tardy lecturer, he was easily forgiven for the amusing drivle he spoke. He was, in fact, a pleasant surprise. However, when deliberately planning a lecture scries for an institute of literature it seems that Mr. Smith is a good man to leave out. He managed to say nothing of consequence in either of his lectures, and even his humor (?) bogged down on him. The records he played that represent samples of music’s forgotten byways are (to put it mildly) best just left to be forgotten. Mr. Smith would do well to stick to his business of writing music criticisms for Esquire. First impressions of I)r. Henry Seidel Canby were definitely not good. He was quite a sudden change and letdown from Dr. Erskine. He lacked the warmth and twinkling platform personality of his fellow lecturers. But after acoustical difficulties were cleared up we realized that here was a man who had something to say and knew exactly how he was going to say it. Mr. Canby certainly must have been a boon to students of American literature. He spoke about thinking, feeling, imagination, and values. He did not speak of vague nothings, but gave tangible information and concrete examples. He never strayed from his subject but stuck strictly to business. All this makes Mr. Canby sound terribly dull. The amazing thing is that he wasn't at all dull. With hands dug deep in his pockets he said, in a quietly explosive manner, what he hail to say in record time. Perhaps it was this regard for time that endeared Mr. Canby to the audience (students). However, a man who knows his subject as well as CjirlftiMi Smith . . . Hw|uirrS Rift to iiuimo rrlltrlMii 32