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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, February 27, 1968
Androcles actor likes kids' theater
By Bob Butler Kansan Staff Reporter
For Phil Grecian, Topeka sophomore, the leading role in the Children's Theater production of "Androcles and the Lion" is only one more step in his long campaign to make children's theater a legitimate art.
"All too often you can say to someone that you're in children's theater and they say, 'Oh, that's nice. And when are you going to do something legitimate?'"" Grecian said. "People have this idea children's theater has to be stupid or elementary so kids can understand it. That's all wrong, because kids are so sophisticated today.
Grecian has also played in the KU Children's Theater productions of "William Tell" and "Snow White." In the role of Androcles he portrays the Roman slave who pulled a thorn out of a lion's paw, and was saved from death when thrown to his own friendly lion in the arena.
"This is a version by Aurand Harris, and it is much different from the famous version by George Bernard Shaw," Grecian said. "First off, there is none of the religious philosophy that Shaw used. In our version, Androcles helps a young couple to elope, and the girl's angry uncle has him thrown to the lions.
"Another difference is that this version takes on a 'play within a
Free U to begin classes
Eight classes will be conducted this semester by the Kansas Free University, now in its second semester as a supplement to KU's more structured study program.
KU students and faculty may join any of the eight classes at the first meeting this week. Last semester 50 to 75 people participated in the student-faculty organized study group.
The courses, the course coordinators and meeting times and places are:
"Black Power," Mylene Rucker, Pomona, Calif., freshman, 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Wesley Foundation.
"Free Theatre Workshop," Miles Coiner, teaching assistant in speech and drama, 1 p.m. Saturday at the Wesley Foundation.
"The Theory and Practice of Guerilla Warfare," Rick Mabutt, assistant instructor in political science, and John Garlinghouse, Salina senior, 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Wesley Foundation.
"The American Indian: Citizen or Prisoner?" Nadia Medina, assistant instructor in English, 7:30 p.m. Monday, 1646 Tennessee, apartment 2.
"On the Possibility of Setting up a Decent, Self-supporting Experimental College Somewhere in Kansas (and other related topics)" 4 p.m. Sunday, 1646 Tennessee, apartment 2.
"Power in American Society," Rick Mabbutt, Shoshone, Idaho, graduate student, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, in the Kansas Union Cafeteria.
"The Theory and Practice of Non-violent Resistance," Hamilton Salsich, assistant instructor of English, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 1646 Tennessee, apartment 2.
"Prose Fiction Workshop," Dave Cook, Wichita sophomore, 7 p.m. Monday, 1318 Ohio, apartment 31.
play' form. The actors come out dressed as travelling players of the sixteenth century, when the commedia del larte was popular, and they introduce themselves to the audience. But there's none of this 'Hello, kiddies, aren't we all going to have a fun time' sort of
stuff. Kids think that's just as corny as adults do."
To combat the general misunderstanding of children's theater, Grecian has been working on children's productions for several years. He has directed children's theater for three years in Topea and has a long list of unpublished children's plays he has written. Recently, he submitted one for publication to the Children's Theater Press in Anchorage, Ky.
"I feel it has a pretty good chance of being published," Grecian said. "It's called the 'Dragon of Nitt' and it's about the people of the town of Nitt who think the Witch Hecate has locked happiness up in a box. They send a coward named Abercrombie out to steal happiness, and he is confronted with a dragon which is almost as cowardly as he is. Eventually, they get the box only to find it is empty. The moral is: 'You can't put happiness in a box, it is where you want it to be.'"
PHIL GRECIAN
"Children's plays are a wide-open field right now," he said. "A good children's play is excellent but otherwise they're awful. You can tell how good a play is by the audience's reaction. The finest thing in this kind of production is when the kids get so wrapped up that they jump up and warn the actors on stage of someone sneaking up on them. In one show I directed, one actor was chasing another down the aisle. A little boy got so worked up that he jumped out of his seat and slugged one of them in the stomach. It was a girl playing the part and she doubled up and called the kid a bad name and stumbled on down the aisle. The kids loved it. When they believe a play they believe it all the way."
Directed by Jed Davis, professor of speech and drama. "Androcles and the Lion" will be presented at 1:15 p.m. Thursday, at 1:15 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. All performances will be in the University Theatre. Admission is 50 cents.
STUDENT UNION ACTIVITIES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
7:30 p.m.
RELIGION FORUM—"On Civil Disobedience," Prof. Calder Pickett, John Toland, Asst. Prof. Herman Lujan, Prof. Albert Brugstahler; Forum Room, Kansas Union
WEDNESDAY, FERUARY 28
7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
4.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m.
CLASSICAL FILM SERIES—An Evening with Charlie Chaplin,
Dyche Auditorium, Admission 60c
7:50 p.m.
FLIGHT TO EUROPE COFFEE—Film—Cities of Europe:
Speaker—Walt Houk from Maupintour; Kansas Room, Kansas Union
7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29
PERSONALITY FORUM—"Crisis in the American City," Richard Berkley, chairman of the Republican Party in Jackson County Missouri; Assoc. Prof. Earl Nehring, Asst. Prof. Ray Price, Prof. Rubin Saposnik; Pine Room, Kansas Union
FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL—Beauty and the Beast (Cocteau),
Dyche Auditorium, Admission $1.00
3:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2, 3
7-9 o'clock pm. and 9-10 o'clock pm.
POPULAR FILM SERIES $^{-8\frac{1}{2}}$ (Fellini), Dyche Auditorium, Admission 40c
SUNDAY, MARCH 3
1:00 p.m.
Duplicate Bridge Club, Kansas Union
2:30 p.m.
CHESS CLUB, Curry Room, Kansas Union
Rehearsals-
Continued from page 1 "North to Alaska, or Get Your Berings Straat." It is the story of a dog-sled race between Alaska State College (ASC) and the University of the Distant Klondike (UDK) done by Delta Tau Delta and Pi Beta Phi.
Randy Senti, Pratt senior and director of the skit, said, "There haven't been as many problems with production as I had expected." He said the main problem with his skit will be time.
Sandee Glenn, Shawnee Mission junior, is the assistant director. The cast includes Steve Morgan, Wichita senior, in the role of Frank Furter; Susie Selders, Shawnee Mission senior, is Mother Yuk. Buffie Barnes, Kenilworth, Ill., sophomore plays Cookie Crum, and Jim Hanna, Leawood freshman, plays Coach Crumm.
Although it is a lot of work, the cast's feelings may be summed up by one girl who said, "It's a lot of work, but I know when it's all over with, we'll want to do it over again."
THERE ARE A DOZEN GREAT SHOE NAMES, BUT IN SANDALS CAN YOU THINK OF MORE THAN ONE?
KU Peace Corps Committee
The KU Peace Corps Committee, an organization whose purpose is to promote interest in and disseminate information about the Peace Corps, needs members to accomplish its purpose. Membership in the Committee in no way obligates anyone to enter the Peace Corps.
Applications for membership for the remainder of the spring semester are now being accepted.
All interested call
All interested call Ed Murdock, Chairman at VI 3-4711 or the ASC office, UN 4-3710.