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

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Sligar; and “Houn Dog Howling. by Delores Staggers. Delores turned out another one for the next bill. “Scrambled Eggs appeared with Walt Fieldhousc's “Dance Team” a drama of Miami nightclub entertainers, (inspired by Koch’s injunction to write what you know; bar-tending had helped Fieldhouse pay bis college tuition) and Manny Roth’s first comedy, “Heil, Mamma. which portrayed Hitler as henpecked. Hurricanes and disaster! The climax of Dorothy Ann Levin's first play, “Perfect Island Improvement Co..” crashed to the floor after 28 seconds of play when a faulty wire caused a map to fall off the wall. Her drama became a farce when a zipper wouldn’t zip, a door wouldn't open, and a hurricane glow became a consuming fire. Hit of the evening was “The Fledgling” by Renee Greenfield. One of the longest one-acts presented on the University stage, it held its audience for 45 minutes. After four months at college, the fledgling (Barbara Neblett) orates on religion, racial problems, social customs, parental behavior. and sex. Domestic comedy. Fall of 1942 brought the war closer to the University ami even the one-act plays reflected it. I). Levin’s “Substitute Sweethearts.” a drama about the women at I ISO dances, opened the bill. In “Sofa Scrimmage, Belie Fineman’s smooth second try, a sophisticated comedy of pursuit, “I said no. he said please. I said NO!” comes to center front, with only a few holds barred. W ith men playing leading roles in the army, Renee Greenfield’s second play, “Ham and Borscht” showed the complications arising when an actress plays the leading male role in Catskill summer theatre. The complications were astonishingly complex. Choosing a hopeful title. Lester Moore be- Planicko poses os Roba lor hor Family Portrait . . . sceno and soon on tho Smoky Mountain Road . . . and hard and long tryouts lor the same . . . Motter checking cues (tom stage front . . . and the inevitable Wlllock is a member ol the Royal Family.

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Make-up classes arc being held in dressing rooms. The theatre is being used for government classes. Women's association meetings, and USO rehearsals. In addition to the latter, Mrs. Motter keeps classes going. And Frederick Koch, Jr., department head, also holds down a full lime job with the local WMC. —BEBE FINEMAN. RENEE CREENFIELD. Cne- ict 7( ene 'Jto-ta te Four Years of inspired drama graduates with the class of ’13. In the beginning, 1939, Fred Koch, Jr., said “Let there be plays.” Edith Rosenerans responded with “She’s A-Gonna Be a Boy, and Walter Fieldhouse with “The Green Dragon.” In May, 1940, Adele Rickel offered “Feathered Trouble: a Fowl Farce. Manny Roth made his debut with “Strange Glory,’' a war-tragedy, and Ralph Nelson presented his unsurpassed poetic play, “The Wild Plum. which had won first prize in a local contest. The next hill featured Manny Roth's second. “The I npromised Land. another tragedy. William Reich wrote “The Whistlers. an impressionistic satire of bricks, mortar. Nazis, and the communist internationale. Bebe Fineman offered the first domestic comedy, “Brother Trouble.” New feature on the fourth experimental program was a verse choir supervised by Sidney Head. Ralph Nelson's “Key West Ballad. Barbara Willock’s “This Is Our World,” ami Renee Greenfield’s, “Dream Prince, 1911. ami “First Night” were the poems orchestrated by a chorus of 20 speaking voices. Plays on the program were “We’re Homebodies Now. by William Ireland; '‘Strawberries,” by C. W. Sunday Costs Five Pesos and Planicko. Schulroan. and Rubin pay the price . . . tiying hard (or leads tn Smoky Mountain aro Ryald. Veach. M. Smith, and author Koch . . Substitute Swoethoarts gathers such cutios as Deutsch and Veach 'or roles thoroin . . . Kaufman and M. Smith deliver Ham and Borscht . . . Kaufman. Rubin. Shulman. and Planicke this timo working on Sunday Costs . . . Silvorblatt and Carponter dreaming about Ham and Borscht . . . and Hand again with M. Smith. Carponter and Diamant . . . the wholo gang on tho stage under the titlo Sub. Sweethearts.

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gan the new year with “Tomorrow is Forever” on the next hill. The only freshman author in local one-act history, Moore presented a play of character conflicts with care ami thoroughness. Bill Dianiant decided to write something he knew. “Passing the Buck’ was a slapstick picture of University life, with a set depicting the post office on the second floor of Main and action including a gin rummy game played on the hack of an accommodating student (Manfred Berliner.) Scene constructors and technicians during the entire history of one-act plays were Manny Both and Lowell Veach. Learning directing by directing were Maxwell Marvin, Phyllis Salter Kauders, Evelyn Auslander. Shirley Haimes Goldston, Mary Alice Kirlon, Barbara Wil-lock. Thelma Cox, Eli .aheth Stone, Meade Stockdell. Adele Rickel, Edith Rosencrans, Renee Greenfield, Bebe Fineman. Lester Moore. Manny Roth, and Bill Diamant. “We set the students to writing about things they know. Discarding all formulas, we start with people and write about life. We select the best of the plays written in class to he produced. Then at the end of the performance we talk about the production and get the people in the audience to give their opinions.” With this plan. Fred Koch, Jr., hopes to foster the University of Miami's own Paul Greenes and Thomas Wolfes. —RENEE GREENFIELD. BEBE FINEMAN. 'Wtajo'i 'Ptaductuutd Smoky Mountain Road was the first major production of the year. Fred Koch. Jr., was director of and played a leading part in the play he had written. A comedy of North Carolina. the play centered about the building of a road to Cable Cove, an isolated mountain community, and its effect on the lives of the people. Director-Author Koch was otilslaudiing as an actor in the role of Pap. Sharing top honors were Jack Lawrence as N'oey and Maxine Krieswirth as Cindy. Others in the cast were Judy Weiss, George Walz, George Ryals, Frank Edwin, June Deutsch. Renee Greenfield, Bernard Silverblatt. Patricia Auerbach, Martin Greenberg, Natalie Allen, Charles Tharp, Albert Steunenberg, Joyce Cobb and Diane Charles. Manny Roth was assistant to the director ami Lester Moore had charge of sound, including violins, cowbells, juke boxes, automobiles and accessories such as horn, brakes, and the screeching of tires. Family Portrait, directed by Mrs. Motter, appeared December 10, II, and 12. The stage designed to fit the intimate picture of the last three years in the life of Jesus, as seen by his family, included the house in Nazareth, whose patio stretched out over the orchestra pit, a wine-shop in Capernaum, and the eandle-lit hall of the Last Supper in Jerusalem. Mary Ruth Hayes appeared as Mother Mary, with Marshall Simmons, Manny Roth. Bill Diamant, and Lowell Veach as the brothers of Jesus. Others in the cast included Ruth Jane Graver, Lester Moore, Patricia Auerbach. Jing Troetschel, Elaine Planicke, Austin Rasco, Jake Watson. Jay Canter, Sheldon Courshon, Fred Miller, Charlotte and Zoe Motter. Barbara Willock. June Deutsch, Lee Carpenter, Bickley Keenan, Merry Lewis. Manfred Ber- Newsreel . . . Mary Low is casually chats with one o! her acquaintances, the Russian nobleman Bill Diamant . . . Mary Lewis on the arm ol an unidentihed cadet while Bill Dtamant reveals his true sell . . . Mary laces camera although cadet is bashful; while Diamant in pantomlno shows ho stopped just in time . . . Mary Lowis completes her Thota Alpha initiation tasks. Twas nothing at all answers Mary et al.