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daily kansan
friday
11.13.98
six.a
History, tradition take center stage
University Theatre celebrates 75 years
story by mariana paiva photos courtesy university archives
UPCOMING
University Theatre at Crafton-Preyer Theatre
Oklahoma by Rodgers and Hammersten; 8 p.m.
Nov. 13, 14, 19-21
and 2:30 p.m. Nov.
15.
The Way of the World by William Congreve, 8 p.m. March 5, 6, 1-13, 1999 and at 2:30 p.m. March 7
p.m. Hill
**Gut Girls by Sarah Daniels; 8 p.m.**
April 23, 24, 29, 30
May 1 and 2:30
p.m. April 25.
Inge Theatre Series at William Inge Memorial Theatre
Organized by Alan Crafton and performed starting in 1930, Come Seven boasted an African-American cast during a time when the campus still was segregated. The play was a success, but the Great Depression caused funds for the theater to be cut in half.
Elemosinary by Lee Sensing; Nov.
30 and December
1.2
1-2
The Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley; December 3-5
Kiss of Spider
Woman by Manuel
Puig; December 6-8
Measure to Measure by William Shakespeare; February 18.2-23.27, 1999
KU Theatre for Young People at Crafton- Preyer Theatre
Hidden: A Gender by Kate Bornstein; April 1, 3-5, 1999
*Ramona Quimby by Len Jenkin, based on the books by Beverly Cleary; February 13, 1999*
For more information call Murphy Hall Box Office at (785) 864-3982
Going somewhere?
Actors fitfully pedal on stage in a 1938 performance of Cum Laude, a play written and directed by Alan Crafton.
duces. The company's 75 years of work reflects the moods that characterize America's past.
The history of the University Theatre goes beyond the plays it produces. The company's 75 years of
To celebrate its diamond season, the University Theatre will invite students and community members to attend its productions and participate in its anniversary parties.
"We are building the equivalent of a birthday party," said Del Unruh, director of University Theatre. "Every opening
start on our main stage production we have cake and things to drink in the intermission. So you come to the opening night and you get a piece of cake."
Crafton: Founded University Theatre in 1923
Also, at every opening night, four diamonds, donated by local jewelry stores, will be displayed.
"During the year, it will be a sign of
it will be a sign of auction so the audience can bid on these diamonds, "Unruh said. "And the profits will benefit the University Theatre."
Founded in 1923 by former professor Alan Crafton, the University Theatre has collected dramatic and comic stories that reflect behavior and aspects that shaped American history.
America's history.
"The University Theatre has reflected the moods of society. So in the '60s when all of the Western protests were going on, the University Theatre was reflecting them," Unruh said. "Today it reflects contemporary society also."
Ron Willis, professor of theater and film and former director of the University Theatre, said the company preserved theater's heritage, producing old plays that still have a current appeal.
But in 75 years, several plays have been produced more than once, and Shakespeare seems to be the most popular name on the list.
"It would be kind of unfair to single out anyone of the productions because we are equally proud of all of them." Unruh said.
Buildina tradition
In 1923, Willis said that Crafton was invited by the University of Kansas to build the theater program, then called the department of speech and drama.
On Dec. 3, 1923, the new theater program made its debut with a two-night run of The Devil's Discipline.
"This is not the oldest program in the country, but it certainly has a long history."
tory through the work of Alan Crafton," Unruh said, "At that time, nobody who taught theater in the university level was in fact trained, because there were no academic programs. Crafton was trained in biology, for example."
During the 1926-27 school year, Crafton won approval from the College of Arts and Science to offer a major in speech and dramatic art
The first company's hit was The Ticket of Leave Man, which recreated the original 1863 London production. About 2,000 students attended the two-day performance in a time when there were only 4,000 students enrolled at the University.
Wills said Crafton was involved with every aspect of the theater, writing plays, directing and acting in some of them.
"He was a real well-spring of energy and creativity," he said.
In fact one of the plays written and directed by Crafton in 1939, Cum Laude, reflected his desire to connect arts with the University in every aspect. From the play came the official University march Onward Kansas, with words by Crafton and music by Jack Laffer.
Preyer: Came to the University to teach music in 1915
The University Daily Kansan review of the play said, "The production itself was a tribute to the University, and with the exception of a few songs, it was entirely a campus product."
Crafton also organized a play with an African-American cast in 1930, when the campus was still segregated.
The play, Come Seven, was a success, closing that year's season with a total of 10,000 people in the audience.
The Kansan wrote, "In view of a certain amount of opposition to such an attempt, we are glad to note that the excellence with which the production was presented is conclusive proof that an [African-American] student play has in itself reason enough for its being."
The University Theatre also felt the recession from the Great Depression, having to reduce its productions to three per year.
Crafton had to deal with the loss of male faculty members and many of his male students. The reduction of people on campus also hurt the company's budget. Its funds were cut in half during the war.
per year.
But it was during World War II that the company, still under the command of Crafton, proved its creativity.
Because a majority of the plays of the time had more male roles than female roles, Crafton decided to write his own
Down from 10,000 patrons who attended Come Seven in 1980, the audience in the 1944-45 season totaled only 1,500.
piece as a way to solve this problem. The result was Tune in Yesterday, an all-female play dealing with the trials and tribulations at a sorority house when the campus' men go away to war.
Growing forward
Crafton worked as a faculty member until he was 70. He died in 1966 at 75.
unruh said that between 1923 to 1953, the University Theatre produced shows in various places on campus, such as the old Fraser Hall, Green Hall and in the Bowersock Opera House, which is now Liberty Hall.
In 1957, Murphy Hall opened a "state of the art" production center, opening a great expansion time for the University Theatre. Unruh said.
"In 1957, there were seven faculty, two staff members, 147 theater members and the University Theatre produced six shows," he said. "Last year there were 24 faculty, 11 full-time staff members and 438 University Theatre members and we produced 17 shows."
Uruhra said that in the 1980s, Murphy Hall's main theater was renamed to honor Crafton and Carl Preyer, a music professor who came to the University in 1915 to teach music and died in 1947.
Jack Wright, professor of theatre and film, said that he talked with Crafton when he arrived to pursue his master's degree in the University.
"I knew that Crafton was the heart and soul of the University Theatre so I went to talk to him when I saw him sitting in the back of stage. He was very warm and open," Wright said. "He told me I know you are going to have a special stay in the University of Kansas,' and that made me feel really comfortable to be here."
Future roles
The University Theatre plans include strengthening its work in virtual-reality productions, developing a consistent program in minority theater and continuing
its on-going international theater purpose.
"This department has always had a lot of international connections, but we want to bring more international plays, more international guests and also have more students and faculty travel to other nations." Unruh said.
Andrea Acosta, Overland Park senior, said the University Theatre was always hungry for new people who want to take a role.
"If students want to be involved, the theater rally in the beginning of the year is the best time," Acosta said. "There is when we talk about the season and different students and faculty give their insight. People in the University Theatre are very friendly and very willing to help."
Maggie Baldomir, Buenos Aires,
Argentina, graduate student, will direct
The Kiss of the Spider Women at the end of
the year.
"Ilove work in the University Theatre," Baldomir said. "You really get close to your professors, especially if you spend so many hours working with them at rehearsals."
Legends: William Inge (let) shares a moment with Craftman. Both men have theaters named after them.
I