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

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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

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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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Henry Selilrl 'unity . . . concrete. Inti not lull Mr. Canby evidently knows his would be an asset to any literary series. The last week of the Institute was devoted to poetry. Mr. Joseph Auslander started off the first day by hilariously amusing the audience with an anecdote about Amy Lowell. With each succeeding lecture he became less and less amusing and more and more serious until by Thursday we were ready JnM'ph Auilnmlcr nml Audrey Wiirdetnniin . . . they emote with mournful utiilerlonev Waller Scot I Mnwxi ... hr dlrrrlrU Ihr Initltutr untl Ihrtt IrU town. to weep for the lost cause of poetry. Mr. Auslander seemed to be desperately trying to convince his audience that they couldn't live fully without poetry. Almost it is the one thing that remains that can save the world from utter ruin. At times it seemed as though Mr. Auslander had to wrestle with his audience to hold their attention. His invariably, hesitant groping for a fit word to end a beautifully artificial sentence became a bit tiring. He did. indeed, emote eloquently in dramatic poetic prose. Miss Audrey Wurdemann read some of her own works. After getting accustomed to her mournful monotone we settled down to enjoy her truly lovely poetry. Mr. Auslander as reading was better than his wife’s but his jx etry didn't approach hers. After reviewing the whole series of lectures in our mind we've come to the conclusion, and we hope it is just, that this year's Winter Institute was unimpressive and not up to par. It is difficult to put a finger on the exact trouble: we are disturbed by a subtle dissatisfaction with the whole business. Although still a favorite Mr. Erskine and his constant twinkling began to get tiresome. Mr. Smith has already been dispensed with. Mr. Auslander and Miss Wurdemann were real meat for poets, but it is almost embarrassing for a layman to see and hear a fellow-being express himself so passionately in public. Mr. Canby stands out as the redeeming figure and he went far in raising the Winter Institute of Literature to a higher level. 33