University of North Alabama - Diorama Yearbook (Florence, AL)

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Two By Tennessee The Department of Speech Communication and Theatre presented a bit of serious theatre in two one-acts by Tennessee Williams By Jeffrey David Cox One of the greatest things about the )epartment of Speech Communication nd Theatre is the variety of entertainment hat it provides for the students and faculty. There is no better example of this than the ail production. Two By Tennessee was the title of this gear ' s fall presentation. Two Tennessee Wil- iams plays were presented— ' Twenty- seven Wagons Full of Cotton and The Mutilated. Subtitled A Mississippi Delta Comedy, Villiams ' Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of btton deals with Jake Meighan ' s destruc- ion of neighbor Silva Vicarro ' s cotton-gin ind the use (and abuse) of his wife Flora o placate Silva. Mitch Florer, Missy Rick- tts and Richard Welborn starred in the lay. Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of Cotton falls into the more traditional category of Williams ' work. The use of sound and visual effects added to the realism of the play. The Mutilated, which has been called absurd by critics, is a much more experimental play. Trinket, the main character, has lost a breast and lives in fear that her friend Celeste will reveal her secret. On Christmas Eve, a miracle occurs and Trinket is magically healed. The cast included Elizabeth Ragsdale, Steve Nelson, Cathy Jackson, Todd Goode, Walton Cheney, Kevin Clark, Joni Wilson, William B. Cofield, Brett Davis, Mitch Florer, David Meeks, Doug Kruse and Mitch Bullock. Jim Davis, assistant professor of Dra- matic Arts and director of the play, said of The Mutilated, In this one, it is so experimental that I think audiences are sometimes confused by it. To me, it makes a very strong statement, although I ' m not sure that a lot of the audience could grasp it. He said the chorus was an effective tool in the play, helping convey the story. Extras for both productions were Kevin Clark, Vicki Gieske, Susan Dunaway, Chip O, Robin Nevels, Jim Anderson, Pam Jones, Glenda Freeman, John McMurtrie, Bret Smith, Lee Grider, Anne Clem, Molly Brown, Paula Chancellor, Cindy Adams, and G. Lipscomb. Casting for the production was not easy. The range of players went from seniors to first-term freshman Missy Ricketts. Mitch Florer said of his character Jake Meighan, It was a character I ' m not used to, a more challenging role. Davis added, Casting wasn ' t easy. Some of the seniors had previously had no opportunity to do roles outside their age bracket and experience. Davis said the cast did an excellent job. Cathy Jackson, who played Trinket, said, The part wasn ' t as much of a challenge as it was a matter of adapting to the character. I ' d never had to deal with that type of individual before in any of the plays I had been in. The fall production has traditionally been when the classics (such as Romeo and Juliet last year) are performed, Davis said, because of the music department ' s schedule and because the classics are something that he enjoys doing. He chose to do the Tennessee Williams plays because we were due for a contemporary drama. As the lights die down on another production, one thing is certain: the next one will be just as exciting, continuing a tradition of quality acting and innovative theatre. JOHN F. LENZ HANDING UP par- ticle board, stage manager Alice Gross assists stage crew members Tony Hardin and Andrew Maples in the set construc- tion. Careful designing allowed the same set to be used for both plays with a minimum of changes. THE FEW SET CHANGES needed for each play con- sisted mostly of lighting and signs. While the lights are set by the stage manager, the stage crew paints signs, such as the Cafe Boheme sign Paul Mayhan is painting. JOHN F. LENZ Fall Ploy 25

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tTf ' . - % ■Aria SjxS - % » V V- H i ' STEPHEN ANDERSON DESPERATE for a place to stay, a bite to eat, or a bottle to drink. Celeste (Elizabeth Ragsdale) badgers the desk clerk Bernie (Brett Davis) as he tries to read his comic books. SWINGING BY THE PORCH, Flora (Missy Ricketts) entertains neighbor Silva (Richard ' Welborn) whose 27 wagons of cotton her hus- band is ginning. A CHRISTMAS SETTING is not com plete without carollers. While setting a seasonal mood, the carollers of The Mutilated also helped convey the bizarre theme of the play with songs that weren ' t very Christmasy. ALONE IN HER ROOM, Trinket (Cathy Jackson) muses over her failing relationship with Celeste, whom she fears will reveal her mutilation. 24

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SWEATERS are the number one accessory among the well-dressed student. Lora Lester and Kim Hubbs display a touch of elegance in these trendy outfits. USA JACKSON shows herself to be a sharp dresser in this stunning combo. Leather skirts are very chic this year. PRIMARY COLORS are in, as evident in this picture of Christina Gaylord and Christie Fisk. Bright, vibrant shades are especially pleasing to the eye. STEPHEN ANDERSON STEPHEN ANDERSON Belts, Buckles, and Beauty It ' s basically a case of anything goes when it comes to fads and fashions on campus By Cathy Jackson and Jeffrey Cox If there were one sentence to describe what ' s in concerning fashion, it would be almost anything you can name. This may sound like a broad statement, but it is basically true. One can rummage into the deepest corners of the closet or go on a wild shopping spree and find something that is in current fashion. The big rage this year is over-sized cloth- ing. Sweaters as well as dresses and skirts made from sweater material are very pop ular clothing items among co-eds. Full skirts are also in vogue, as are fishnet and lace stockings. This year primary colors are in, and especially earth tones are back. This sort of back-to-basics approach is evident in all areas of fashion this year, with the changes coming from new twists on tradi- tional attire rather than a radically new design. As a college kid, I don ' t have enough money to spend on fads that will only be popular a week or month and then be put in the back of my closet, said freshman fashion merchandising major Debbie Taylor. Luckily, there are some college fashions that never go out of style— mainly blue jeans. Fads may come and go but jeans continue to be a staple of every college stu- dent ' s wardrobe. One of the most popular clothing items of the year, denim miniskirts are seen quite ofte n around campus. Shades of the ' 60s! Until last year, pais- ley was missing in action among the bell bottoms, nehru shirts, and love beads. But the revival of paisley last fall was more than just a fad. Paisley is stronger than ever, adorning jeans, ties and sweaters as well as shirts. Boots also are making a comeback this year. Black lace-up granny boots are in style as are other types. With important items such as ham- burgers and gasoline to buy, college sti dents are more likely to go for econom cal clothing above the high-priced name of Liz Claiborne, Perry Ellis, Ralph Laure and Gucci. However, if this is your cup c tea, the more discriminating buyers th year seem to prefer the Guess name Accessories from gloves to scarves seer to be in fashion. The most popular acce; sory this year is certainly th e gold or silv purse so predominant on campus. Gold chains are as popular as ever wit men as well as women. Larger chains hav begun to be seen around school frequently as have gold watches, rings, and pins. One area which has been on a stead growth rate and seems to be on the verg of a fashion explosion is skateboard cloth ing. T-shirts bearing the names of manufac turers of skateboarding equipment ar being seen more and more often. Still, there are those individuals wh frown upon the world of belts, buckles, an beauty. Valerie Wray, a sophomore, saic My ultimate goal is to clash as much a I can without looking fashionable. 26