Friday, July 8, 1966 Summer Session Kansan
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--man camp every Wednesday night are commercial films supplied by Brandon Films in Chicago. They are: "Eroica," about the composer Beethoven; "Die Fliedermaus," an operetta; "Der Hauptmann von Koepenich," a comedy about an imposter; parts one and two of Thomas Mann's "Buddenbrooks"; and "Wir Wunderkinder," (We're Wonderful), a satire by the Germans on their "economic miracle" since World War II. This last movie, Mr. Elkins said, was chosen to show modern Germany and to show that the Germans can and do criticize themselves.
ART FOR ART'S SAKE
A camper shows the concentration it takes to create.
Director pleased.
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THE GERMAN CAMPERS also see three or four educational movies each week in their culture classes. These movies are supplied by the German Consulate.
Some guest lectures have been planned for the German campers. J.A.Burzle, chairman of the KU German Department, returned this week from a year in Germany and will give four or five lectures. He plays the guitar and will probably speak on German music and architecture. Donald Crosby, professor of German, will talk about German lyric poetry.
No tests which "count" are given to the German campers. They are tested at the beginning and the end of the six weeks to measure their improvement. "Evaluative exercises" without "marks" are given to students in the lower levels to see if they have mastered the material well enough to go on to new lessons.
Elkins said that many campers at first felt "over their heads," but that all were "trying hard ... and seem to be really catching on the way we hoped they would." The program is designed "so even the best student will find more than he can master."
The German Camp at KU is the only one of its kind in this country. All other U.S. summer school programs for high school
students of languages are one- or two-week or remedial camps, or involve study overseas.
Elkins said it is "highly praiseworthy" for students to give up vacation time to study German. He added that most students of German want to go to Germany, not the Midwestern U.S., for their studies.
ONE REASON for not insisting that German campers speak German outside of class is that Elkins believes it is important for the German campers to exchange ideas with other campers in the other divisions from all over the country.
country. Elkins plans to head the German camp again next year. He will keep the camp approximately the same size it is this year—no more than 200 students. There was the problem of classroom space this year, and classes are held on all floors of Lewis Hall. Elkins said he did not know where "to get that many good teachers" for a much larger camp.
ELKINS SPEAKS both German and Russian. After attending the Army Language School for Russian at Monterey, California, he spent four years in Germany with the army. There he used his Russian, and also learned German. He completed his formal study of German when he returned to the U.S.
There are no plans for starting a similar camp at KU for other foreign languages.
As a professor in the school of Education, Elkins is "on part-time loan to the German Department." During the school year he teaches the "methods course" for teachers of German and Russian. In this course he passes on his enthusiasm for the ALM, or audio-lingual method, of teaching languages.
The German Camp was established, Elkins said, thanks to the cooperation of Russell Wiley, director of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp, and Dean Beckman of International Programs.
Rice's play is next in repertory
The Summer Experimental Repertory Theatre will present Elmer Rice's "The Adding Machine" at 8 p.m. July 9,22,and 27 at the University Theatre.
Student admission is $1.50 or 75 cents if the summer registration certificate is presented.
The plot involves five main characters: Mr. and Mrs. Zero, played by Richard Brady and Cheryl Burnet; Daisy Diana Dorthea Devore, portrayed by Janet Pugh; Mr. One, John Morgan, and Charles, Lanny Fellers.
Rice described "The Adding Machine" as a "hurricane, in the form of a new play" in a letter to a friend in 1923. in "Minority Report," his autobiography.
FIRST PRODUCED by the Theatre Guild in New York in 1923, and revived by off-Broadway Phoenix Theatre in 1953, the play depicts the plight of Mr. Zero—a bookkeeper. It is a comment on automation and the growing concern over the lessening of the individual.
He described the play as "a compound of comedy, melodrama, fantasy, satire, and polemics," written in the form known as "expressionism." The technique was new.
The director is Sally Tornhill, a graduate student from Ohio. The cast also includes Larry Soller, David Staffer, Franklin Cox, Jack Hurley, Mike Stremel, Sue Edmunds, Pat McKenna, Debi Daniels, Jeri Walker, and Bobbi Bergman.
After a slow start, the play is a hit
By Bruce Levitt
Members of KU's Summer Repertory Theatre company presented the first of four plays in the Experimental Theatre in Murphy Hall last night—the production "Romanoff and Juliet," by Peter Ustinov.
The play takes place in the "main square in the Capital City of the smallest country in Europe." Much like the Shakespearean play of a similar name, Ustinov's comedy involves the struggle of two rival families to prevent the marriage of their children. The updated twist given to the story lies in the fact that Juliet, the daughter of the American ambassador, has fallen hopefully in love with Igar, son of the Russian ambassador.
THE PLOT thickens as the somewhat sentimental General of the country tires to unite the two youths.
Largely responsible for the slow start was the General, portrayed by Kip Niven. Niven's performance seemed somewhat forced and methodical in the first act as opposed to the more virulent and well drawn character he displayed in Act Two.
Under the direction of Larry Soller, the generally enjoyable performance was marred by a few problems involving the direction as well as the acting. The play maintained a tedious pace through most of the first act.
JULIET AND IGOR, portrayed by Debbie Drum and David Straffer, also hinder the pace of the show in Act One due to poor projection and enunciation. Straffer appears hesitant to open his
mouth for fear the false beard he wears might fall off.
Add to these acting problems some rather clumsy staging in the embassy scenes, and one finds a first act that is not as entertaining as it could be.
Acting honors for the performance have to be awarded to the supporting members of the cast. Sean Griffin as the Archbishop and John Morgan as Freddie are by far the most entertaining and consistent characterizations.
BOB BETTCHER'S American ambassador is a convincing, and extremely humorous, portrayal of a Texas politician. Cheryl Burnet is equally as convincing as the Ambassador's wife Beulah. Adding life to the production is Sally Thornhill's cameo role as Death.
The second act of the production is extremely well done save for a few fumbled lines; probably due to opening night jitters. The wedding celebration is by far the most amusing scene in the play and the company executes it with perfection.
"Romanoff and Juliet" will play July 8, 23, and 28, alternating with the other three productions, "She Stoops to Conquer," "The Adding Machine," and "Stop the World—I Want to Get off." If "Romanoff" is an indication of things to come, all four repertory productions are bound to make an evening of entertainment well worth seeing.
Warriors are in Italy
ROME — (UPI) — U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren and his wife arrived yesterday for a three-day stay in Rome and a three-week cruise off Sardinia.