Monday, Sept. 16, 1963
University Daily Kansan
Page 3
'Boyfriend' Crew Returns From Pacific Tour
LEARNS ORIENTAL GAME—Tom Woodard (left), Des Moines, Ia., senior, tries his hand at playing a Japanese game while on tour with "The Boy Friend." The 17-member KU cast toured 24,000 miles through the Far East this summer. The tour was sponsored by the Defense Department and USO.
Ev Linda Ellis
After eight weeks of entertaining, sight-seeing and learning about American foreign policy, the cast and director of the University Theatre group who toured the South Pacific this summer with the musical comedy of the 1920's "The Boyfriend" has returned to KU.
performances to a total of 18,562 persons in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Hawaii.
The group of 17 students and one faculty member spent from May 20 to July 20 giving a total of 36
years ago it toured with "Brigadoon."
SPONSORED BY the KU Endowment Association and the USO the University Theatre group was rated in the top 22 out of the total of 150 groups that applied. A university group is eligible to go on tour only once every two years and this is the second time in a row that the KU theatre was chosen. Two
Selection of the group was competitive and was decided by members of a committee from the National Music Council Overseas Touring Committee, the National American Theatre Association and the Department of Defense, a year previous to the tour.
The primary purpose of the tour was to entertain American troops stationed in the Pacific area, but at the same time to give the students a chance to acquaint themselves with the structure, function and purpose of American foreign policy in action by being personal ambassadors of American good will.
When asked what he thought was the most significant and rewarding aspect of the tour William Kuhike, director and unit manager, mentioned an extemporaneous variety show given by east and crew members after a dinner at the Officers Club in Panmunjon. "Panmunjon has been a rich experience for the Boyfriend troupe. Not only did we learn something about Korea and the United Nations mission there, but we learned something about entertainment as well," he said.
THE SHOW consisted of several spontaneous acts by the cast members who felt the need to thank their hosts for such a warm reception by entertaining them. Most of those who went thought the experience of the trip because of the enthusiasm and deep appreciation of the audience.
Mimi Frink, Lawrence sophomore, who played Fay, said that "Korea was the place we were needed most" because of the poor conditions and lack of even minimum comforts. She felt that giving "The Boyfriend" for over 2,000 school children in Manila was another high point of the trip because of the remarkable amount of English that the children understood.
Mary Lynn Speer, Merria junior, said that Korea was the "outpost of the world." In her estimation it was "an entertainer's paradise and a soldier's hell. Seeing KU alumni in
the Philippines and Japan gave her an idea of the immensity of KU followers and supporters. Miss Speer, who played Nancy, was impressed with the harshness of existance in Korea and determination with which they met the challenge of survival.
THE APPRECIATION by all the people in the South Pacific for even small favors was noted by Gigi Gibson. Independence junior. Meeting military personnel who had not seen an American for many months made her realize the tremendous loneliness shared by most military people abroad.
Upon asking a Japanese man if he remembered the Brigadoon group two years ago Miss Gibson stated that he said "The Brigadoon is legend here."
Kunikie summed up the tour by saying "There are now 17 students and one faculty member at the University of Kansas who know at first hand what our political and military commitments in the South Pacific mean to the people charged with the responsibility of carrying them out."
The other students who made the trip are Gene Masoner, who played Alphonse; Bob Moberly, Bobby Van Heusen; Keith Jochim, Lord Brockhurst; Tom Winston, Percival Browne; Tom Woodard, Tony; Mickey Denfeld, Maise; Karin Gold, Madame Dubonnet; Sharon Scoville, Polly Browne; Jacque Korkland, Lady Brockhurst; Hoite Caston, Marcel, and Dan Kocher, Pierre. Accompanists were Kent Riley and Richard Pratt.
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