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Summer Session Kansan Tuesday, July 29.1958
FINISHING TOUCHES—Carol Campbell, Webb City, Mo. sophomore and make-up director for "Summer and Smoke," makes up Nancy Rate, Halstead freshman, who played the part of Nellie. (Summer Kansan photo)
'Summer And Smoke' Called 'Entertaining'
(Of The Summer Kansan Staff)
By J. FRED MILLER
The town of Glorious Hill, Miss., was brought to life on the stage of the University Theatre Thursday and Friday. Its citizens produced one of the most interesting and entertaining Summer Theatre productions.
The most disappointing moments in KU's production of the Tennessee Williams play should not be charged to the performers.
Two small children, Amanda Godfrey, daughter of Virgil Godfrey, assistant professor of speech and drama, and Bernie Shaffer, son of Harry J. Shaffer, instructor of economics, were cast as the five-year-old counterparts of the principle characters, Alma and John. The children's voices were weaker than the adults in the other roles and in the opening scenes of the play were drowned out by a disrespectful late coming audience.
There was also a lack of timing in the lighting script which embarrassed two performers by not allowing enough time to clear the stage between scenes. Between scenes one and two, when some 16 years were to have elapsed, the light caught both the five-year-old and the "grown-up" Alma on the stage.
The grown-up Alma and John, played by Joyce Elliott, Independence, Mo. senior, and Louis Lyda, Lawrence senior, carried the burden of the production very well. Their roles required a major reversal of characterization midway through the production—a change which they made realistically and convincingly.
Elsie Willan, Medicine Lodge graduate student, gave her best performance of the summer in her role as the mother of Alma Winemiller. Mrs. Winemiller's psychological regression became at once convincing and comical as Miss Willan portrayed her on the stage.
Gonzales, placed by John Harshbarger, North Newton graduate student, and his daughter Rosa played by Barbara Irving, Kirksville. Mo. senior, were tragically downtrodden Latines in the small Mississippi town. Their characters emerged perfectly
in Harshbarger's and Miss Irving's performance.
There were some weak spots in the cast. Bruce Ritter, Higginsville, Mo. sophomore, did not create the old, puritanical minister intended in the role of Mr. Wine-miller. Ritter succeeded in displaying the emotion of Mr. Wine-miller, but not the complete character.
Herb Hilgers, Plainville graduate student, gave a fair performance as Dr. Buchannan but slipped from character often. His Southern accent was weak and not at all convincing.
Technical aspects of production added much to the play. Stars and fireworks projected on the cyclorama behind the stage gave realism to the scenes.
A total of 946 entering students took part in the six KU previews held during July. Carl Fahrbach Jr., assistant director of admissions, said this is the highest number to attend any of the summer orientation programs since they were initiated.
This total is an increase over the 903 students who came for the previews in 1957 and the 803 in 1956.
946 Attend Six Reviews
Mr. Fahrbach said about half of the new students take advantage of the two-day sessions that enable them to get their placement examinations, physical examinations and housing problems out of the way before the Orientation Week in September.
All new students from Kansas and from neighboring states are invited to the previews but only about half are able to attend because of summer employment, vacations and the cost of the trip to Lawrence.
Music Camp's Final Band Concert 'Most Enjoyable'
(Of the Summer Kansan Staff)
By J. FRED MILLER
The final concert of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp band and chorus was given Sunday evening. It is obvious that the best of the season was saved for the last concert. It was a most enjoyable musical experience.
Containing several well-known and favorite concert selections, the program displayed the talent and training of the summer campers. It marked a strong contrast to the first concert of the season and indicated that the six week camp was well spent musically.
Russell L. Wiley, professor of band and director of the camp, conducted the William Teil Overture as the opening of the concert. Two selections of the overture, the Pastorale and the Chase, were performed. Even the faint acoustics of the outdoor theatre failed to affect the perfection of the band.
Lloyd Pfautsch, guest choral conductor from Illinois Wesleyan University, and Clayton Krebblief, associate professor of music education, combined to direct the chorus in its finest outdoor performance. Mr. Pfautsch directed the plaintive "Lift Up Your Heads," the spiritual, "Elijah Rock," and the novelty folk-song "Polly Wolly Doodle."
Prof. Krebbiel conducted the Halleuiah Chorus from Handel's Messiah in one of the most energetic choral presentations of the summer season.
Another guest conductor, Victor Alessandro of the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, led the second part of the band's program. A concert march, "Regal Procession" was the opener and .. is perhaps the weakest
of the entire program due to rhythm and intonation problems.
KU Professor Publishes Modern Drama Magazine
The band recovered quickly in Strauss' portrait of the hero "Ein Heldenleben." A moving work including the capricious, stern and emotional points of the hero, "Ein Heldenleben" was one of the best tone poems of the summer.
The spirited "Darmation of Faust," Hungarian march by Berlioz, was a showcase for the talented concert band. Its stimulating rhythm and catchy themes, echoing from every section of the band, made it a favorite with the audience.
The first issue of Modern Drama, the only magazine in the world devoted to international drama since Isben, has been published by A. C Edwards, associate professor of English.
the Sorbonne in Paris; Martin Price, on the English faculty at Yale University, and Cyrus Day, a professor at the University of Delaware and an author of books on John Dryden.
Prof. Wiley returned to the podium to direct the evening's main course, the "1812" overture by Tschaikovsky. This heroic work was given the full treatment by the director. In the rousing finale, fireworks, bells and a bombastic chorus of brass gave something of the spirit of the revolutionary epoch for which the overture was written.
Included in the first publication of the magazine were contributions by Jacques Scherer, drama professor at
Prof. Edwards received his A.B. at Southwestern College and his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. He taught at Oklahoma State University and at the University of Illinois before taking his present position at KU in 1947.
The magazine will be published quarterly by Prof. Edwards, who is originator of the publication and serves as its editor.
Sir Isaac Newton served two terms in the English Parliament. During the time he spent in the House of Commons he never opened his mouth except once - when he asked someone in the gallery to open a window.
Besides articles on modern drama and dramatists the magazine will print reviews and lists of new books on modern drama. It will also include an account of the theatre seasons in Rome, London and Paris.
When the smoke from the "1812" cleared away, the nostalgic theme song, "Irish Tune From County Derry" marked the end of the 21st annual Midwestern Music and Art Camp. It was a good one.
Weeds cost about three billion dollars in crop losses each year.
ANSWER TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE
THINKING ABOUT FALL?
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