Wheaton College - Nike Yearbook (Norton, MA)

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SD ia bon aiie: The theater season opened this year on Founders’ Day with about as fine a batch of plays as we’ve yet seen. The Sophomores presented ‘‘Nocturne’’, the story of George Sand and Chopin. Relly played master- pieces on a wooden piano while backstage Althea Hooff and Bobby Grant made the music. In ‘A Night at an Inn”’ the Juniors, one by one, succumbed to a hideous green jade idol (Penny), and the class of ’41 won the competition (for the third year) starring Kingsley and Canby in “A Sunny Morning.” The second great show was presented by the Faculty Club and D. A., and was the war relief sensation, “‘The Turn of the Tide.’’ This was a very mellow drama, including a hero (Mr. Hidy), a villain (Mr. Sharp), a helpless maiden (Gay Lowry ), and a mortgage overdue. Through three acts professors struggled against the plots of other professors and against the longings in their hearts for sweet young things—the students. The comic relief was a lazy good-for-nothing darky whose role consisted of dancing ’a la Stepin Fetchit and sleeping. (Mr. Boas, couldn’t you guess? ) In the end each good man got the woman of his heart, and the bad ones got what they deserved. As important as the play itself were the entr’actes. Dr. Lange gave her rendition of ‘Father, Dear Father, Come Home With Me Now’ while coins fel] at her feet. There was a constant shower of them throughout the production. There were several barmaid choruses and Jesse Ridgway entertained with a mono- logue. But we will never forget Professors Sprague, Bragdon, McIntire, Earle, and Ramseyer in handle-bar moustaches and white aprons selling cokes and peanuts up and down the aisles. Nor shall we forget Miss Buchler, who donned a Gay Nineties costume and appeared in the front row, bobbing under a parasol, for which she was recognized at the Christmas Banquet by a gift from Dr. Park as the best dressed woman on campus! Settings for the Nativity Play this year were inspired by the paintings of Fra Angelico. Jean Nevius was the first blond Madonna in four years. Joseph was played by Peg King, and Jane Farwell was Gabriel. Our Freshmen wrote and presented three { Page 28 }

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we Ge ve Yon is the dreamer, the artist, the idealist. It is You when your imagination 1s spurred by Dr. Park’s chapel talks, by the pink and blue walls of S. A. B., by the sunsets over the frozen campus. It is the You ‘who wishes to express its. delight or sorrow by writing it, singing it, acting it, or danc- ing it. Itis the You whom the four walls of a class- room have difficulty in restraining.

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one-act plays on the eve of spring vaca- tion: ‘“‘Celebrity for Dinner’ by Barbara Douglas, ‘“‘In the Red”’ by Betty Augur, and ‘“‘New Year” by Jeanne Heathcote. For the spring play D. A. turned away from comedy to an ancient Greek tragedy, the “Antigone” of Sophocles, which was pre- sented as part of the Color Symposium. Mardi Rush, gowned in traditional Greek robes, as Antigone moved across a many- leveled stage designed by Miss Winslow, and the flame color of her drapery con- trasting with the white of the ramps and blue of the background re-created the mood and spirit of life in old Greece more vividly than a literal setting of ancient columns could have. Relly Rambo,as Creon, appearing in every scene and the chorus, which played a most important part, contributed to the production which was an effective blending of color, speech and movement. Helen Boord chairmaned a large committee in charge of costumes, and the lighting, which played such an important part in the im- pressive production, was arranged by Mary Craig and her crew. Lydia Geer directed the construction of the set. The whole production was an eloquent defense of the use of abstract media for the creation of a dramatic illusion. Annunciation We supported Theatre Guild, six busses strong. Mardi and Cid spent most of their time juggling dates around, and their efforts were successful. For an open meeting the Dramatic Association invited Estelle H. Davis-Coit to discuss the prob- lems and joys of directing. D. A. officers for the year were Mardi Rush, President; Ciddy Hall, Vice President; Betsey Mackay Secretary; and Tommy Snyder, Treasurer. Bold, Bad Men { Page 29 }