Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1965 University Daily Kansan
Page 3
'MyFairLady' WillFlourish--WithaLittleBitofLuck
"With a Little Bit of Luck," the University Theatre production of "My Fair Lady" should be a success. In the second week of rehearsals, optimism pervades the set.
Much of the excitement is credited to the director, Harold Crain, visiting professor of speech and drama. Crain, on leave from San Jose State College, San Jose, Calif., has directed the production before.
"He is an excellent and exciting director," Tom Rea, instructor of speech and drama, said. Rea plays the male lead, the tweedy, diction-teacher, Professor Henry Higgins.
Pat Wise, Oklahoma City senior, cast as Eliza, the rags-to-riches girl, agreed.
"I ONLY MET him (Crain) last week at rehearsal," she said. "But he has already lent a new depth to the character of Eliza."
Commenting on her role as the "fair lady," Miss Wise admitted to finding it difficult.
"It's a deceptive role," she said. "It appears to be easy
but that isn't the case at all. One of the primary difficulties is mastering the two dialects, Cockney and the English accent peculiar to Southern England."
Miss Wise's work with the two British dialects was aided by a voice coach from Yorkshire, England, while she performed at the Santa Fe Opera Company, Santa Fe. New Mexico, this summer.
"Then too," Rea added, "everyone who has seen the movie knows exactly how the part should be played. This is not a bit like the movie."
REA CONSIDERS his characterization of Professor Higgins challenging.
Referring to George Bernard Shaw, author of the play, "Pygmalion," from which the musical was taken, Rea said Shaw delineated the character, Higgins, so finely that he left no room for personal interpretation.
BRITISH ACTOR Rex Harrison received an academy award for his movie interpretation of the professor.
drama, reported Tuesday he is having no trouble securing the necessary props.
James W. Hawes, assistant instructor of speech and
"One of the hardest items to come by was a gramophone." Hawes said.
An unusual prop still needed is a carriage, he added.
Chez J. Haehl, assistant professor of speech and drama, is responsible for costumes. He said Tuesday he is still in the process of outfitting some of the cast but most costuming should be completed on schedule. The elaborate wardrobe, costing approximately $1,000, will be representative of the 1914 period.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR of the production and conductor of the 30-piece orchestra is Robert Baustian, professor of orchestra. Clayton Krehbiel, professor of choral music, is chorus director. Mrs. Tomi Baker is choreographer.
The performance opens at 8:15 p.m., Oct. 22 in the University Theatre, Murphy Hall. Additional performances are Oct. 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30.
Civil Rights Council Charts Course of New Directions
The Civil Rights Council will embark on some "new directions" tonight, in a projected campaign to resolve problems of inequality outside the categories of race, religion, or national origin.
The CRC, which held nationally reported demonstrations last spring against alleged racial discrimination on campus will convene its first meeting of the school year at 7:30 p.m. today in the Kansas Union.
Douglas Ruhe, Lawrence senior and spokesman for the group, said "All of our seven demands of last Spring have been satisfied--more than satisfied."
Ruhe said CRC's last demand--one which asked for University reprisals upon allegedly racially discriminatory fraternities and sororities--was met last weekend when the Kansas Board of Regents announced a new policy which authorized state universities to disaffiliate discriminatory organizations.
"The other six demands were met effectively by the actions of the University Human Relations Committee last Spring," Ruhe added.
ganizations, such as Students for a Democratic Society, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the KU-Y," Ruhe continued.
(The UHRC was formed immediately after the CRC demonstrations, and is composed of representatives from the administration, faculty, and CRC. Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe said Monday the UHRC would be the KU body to evaluate alleged violations of the new Board of Regents policy.)
Sim Stokes, Mobile, Ala., senior and CRC chairman, said he expects CRC to be as active this year as it has been in the past. "This has been an action organization," he said, "and under my leadership it will remain an action organization."
"Despite recent and profound progress in the civil rights area, we still don't live in a university free
"Although the CRC was formed to deal with specific issues concerning discrimination on the basis of race, religion, and national origin, its long run objective is to insure freedom and just, equal treatment for all students," Ruhe said.
"Our newest task will involve a broad investigation of problems in the University community. We will be communicating with other or-
from discrimination," Stokes said. "Who, for example, can say that KU women enjoy equal University privileges with men?" he asked.
"THE GENERAL HYPOTHESIS underlying the research," Epstein said, "is that assumptions which a person develops as a consequence of long-term visual experience play an important role in the way he processes visual information."
Stokes said he advocated appointing a "New Directions" committee within CRC that would recommend new goals for the organization. However, he emphasized that interest in new areas did not mean CRC would withdraw its concern with racial issues.
A two-year grant totaling $33,028 from the U.S. Public Health Service has been awarded to William Epstein, associate professor of psychology, for the study of the role of assumptions in visual perception.
crimination policies we have asked for and received," Stokes said. "However, Chancellor Wescoe has assured me that these policies--including the Board of Regents decision--would indeed be rigidly enforced. I know he is sincere about this."
Epstein will attempt to define the limits of the assertion that perception is learned. This assertion is generally accepted, but the extent of its validity as well as the conditions under which it is true, are widely disputed.
"There is still the matter of the University enforcing the anti-dis-
Other business planned for tonight's meeting includes:
"The research is an exploration of the way in which subjective assumptions determine the visually perceived world." Epstein explained.
Grant Given Psychologist For Study
- An explanation in depth of the new Board of Regents anti-discrimination policy.
- Appointment of a committee to research effective means of communication between the CRC, faculty, and administration.
- Appointment of a "policing" committee that would check for violators of the policy.
versation Tuesday with Chancellor Wescoe, concerning enforcement of the policy.
A report by Stokes of his con-
- Appointment of a committee to study possibilities for increased interaction between races on campus.