'A pie in the eye... ' it 's Rock Chalk '67
The lights are out now . . . spotlight center stage . . . long, sustained thunder from the tympani . . . curtains rustle and the audience is silenced.
A nervous coed takes a last look in the mirror, and "nothing is right" as the emcee introduces Rock Chalk Revue, 1967.
Curtains open, and Rock Chalk is in full swing, as the audience laughs and applauds; and judges mark down little memos, and the nervous coed becomes more confident.
For the people in these pictures, it was a night which marked the climax of long hours of rehearsals, sleepless nights . . . writers' meetings at 2 a.m., and sweat drops on music scores. And sore muscles as they got together during the last week to polish, cut, write and rewrite.
A pie in the eye, a nervous clown, beautiful girls, everyone made up, and a fitful stage hand scared to death he mull a curtain cue.
“. . everyone is doing fine, but we've got to cut that last . . . the band is way too loud . . . I know they can't hear me . . . how was that last line, could you hear me? . . .”
And the audience laughs and applauds, and judges mark down little memos . . . and confidence will be shaken again tonight.
photos by mike okun
text by john marshall