THE ROTUNDA IDNGWOOD COLLEGE, FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1977
OL. LII
NO. 23
I'tin la si itAs
Players End Season On Pleasurable Note By BRIDGET SCHERZ Ixmgwood Players ended their spring season on an upbeat with their production of "The Fantasticks" running last Wednesday through Saturday night. The two-act musical, written by Tom Jones, was "propped," lit, set to music. choreographed and swallowed by the actors in nasty gulps of memorization in an incredible 1H week's time. To make things that much more "interesting," at least to the lighting crew, the production was staged on relatively unfamiliar territory in a trans-campus technical cam pout over in distant Wygal. Despite the brief period of gestation and the fact that some of the crews were technically "living out of a suitcase," the production turned out surprisingly well. What problems there were generally appear to be the result of these circumstances rather than any large, individual inadequacies of any of the actors or technicians. As the self-proclaimed verysweel-sixteen-year-old martyr of love, Therees Tkach artfully swooned the audience into Luisa's storybook "realities." Her singing was clear, articulate, and in command, responding appropriately to her emotion and the dialogue of the song. The only shortcoming here was a visual one; her musical contemplations would have been even more effective had she used more gestures, taking her cue from the lyrics of the song. For example,
in the number in which she fantasizes her hair turning to gold, the audience almost expects her to fondle her own brown hair in reflection—she doesn't. This is just a minor point, however, and is more an absence of highlight than a distraction. Rick Vaughan, as Matt, the educated though unworldly boybeyond-the-wall, did an outstandingly fine job in his singing, and seems to have a definite knack for depicting naivete. Therees and he blended together nicely in the vocals and seemed to be conscious of voice projection without appearing strained. However, Vaughan did seem posturally strained at a few points during the songs: again, perhaps a greater use of gesture and an awareness of this problem might have made him appear more relaxed. The traveling salesman of quality rapes. El Gallo (pronounced El Guy-oh; si'.si') was played by Hank Dahlman who wasted no time in winning the audience's affection with his musical opening of "September Song", and their applause for his Iberian frenzy in it Depends on What You Pay." Dan Edwards (Hucklebee) and Henry Emmerson (Bellomy), both of Keysville, responded to the Players' S.O.S. for minutemen talent who could be prepared to perform after the short 24 week theatrical bootcamp of rehearsals including blocking, lines, and musical coordination. Both, having done
Chi Commends . . .
"Fantasticks" before in Keysville, did a marvelous job in their very animated, almost vaudvillian portrayal of the two fathers. The two Shakespearean stock characters emerging from the prop chest. Kenry and Mortimer, were played by Ed Baker and his Tonto-esque companion, Glenn I-eftwich. Any inadequacy in describing this scene in its absolute Merits lies not in the actors' comic portrayal, but in ihe reviewer's description of it. Baker's dense lumbering and his facial expression of stupified anguish of a man unfolded from a historical hope-chest could be rivaled only by Iieftwich's spastic self-assault with his uncontrollably rhythmic drumstick. The Mute, played by Norman Harris, was commendably attentive in supplying many of l he visuals as well as to the action of the play itself. Rather than sitting out of it until his cue, he followed the action in a quiet, detached amusement, giving the feeling that he belonged onstage not as an indifferent functionary, but as a co-operative, interested observer. A few inconsistencies between circumstance and what actually appeared on stage seem obvious enough to be worth mentioning. In the beginning of Act II the actors seem conspicuously overdressed for all the sweltering that's going on under the rude illumination of the sun. Dispensing with a few buttons Ixmgwood Players Gymnastic Team Mrs. Cada Parrish Dr. Charles Sydnor Mrs. Naomi Ordaugh Rev. John Emert Dean Mary A. Heintz Mr. Douglas Young Seniors Millie Brightwell Claudie Nuckols Cheryl Jenkins Kathy Riggins Pam Smith Sandy Williams Patsy Miller Kim Wheeler Juniors Brenda Williams Debbie McCulloch
Allie Chaffin Ginger House Sarah Lewis Sophomores Janet Truit Linda Kulp Ann I^eavitt
Buddy Bourne Rosaline Crpnshaw
Photo: Nancy Cosier CHI BURNING
Pam Bessler Freshmen Susie Transue Debbie Kinzel Theresa Wane
Photo: IiOri Felland Fantasticks stars, Normas Harris and Therees Tkach and rolling up shirt-sleeves would have been a simple, yet effective gesture to express the temperature. Along this same line, the "cold, cruel world" may have dispelled Matt's fantasies, but it didn't mess up his hair. It seems that the costume and make-up people could have roughed him up a little in the lobby between Ihe time that he defiantly sets out to take on the world and the scene in which he straggles back home, after Ihe world had done him in. In the technical department, the set was successful in its carnaval array of colored streamers that established a light, almost theatrically campy mood. The lights, although patchy in some of the acting areas, (this is again a structural fault in lighting the Wygal stage as there is no apparatus for front illumination that blends the light of the side instruments) were generally effective in creating an atmospheric tone, especially in the evening garden scene. The costumes were stock, stereotyped clothing caricatures that were playfully done and just
as entertaining to look at. tiucklebee and Hcllomy s straw hats and vests were in sync with the carnaval theme, as Henry's musty red-velvet frock and Mortimer's crimson leotards and suede loin cloth were reminiscent of a tattered edged anthology of Shakespeare. The ensemble thai provided the overture, backgrounds and accompanyments carried that same sense of celebration in Ihe enthusiasm in then performance. Dressed as-au_off-beat musical conglomerate rather than with ihe stuffy dignity thai is associated with Ihe word "ensemble.-' they were till alert. responsive unit Dramatic Director l)r Patlon Lock wood, and Musical Director Dr James McCray, along with the actors, musicians, and
technicians,
should
be
congratulated, and thanked for their 'line and sanities spent on this production II success can not often be measured except in Hie pleasure thai ii brings to others, then the Player's production was unquestionably achieved its purpose.
Art Professor Retires By DEBBIE NORTHERN After teaching for 16 years in Ixmgwood's Art Department as an Associate Professor of Art, Ms. Nancy V. I-eitch is retiring this year. Ms. Iieitch received her B.A. degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology and her M.F.A. from Cranbrook Academy of Art. She says her work has been rewarding and that she has met many nice people here, but now she feels she has reached the age to retire. Ms. Leitch has been teaching for a total of 24 years in the state of Virginia. At the moment, she has no definite plans of what she will do
after her retirement. Her varied interests include art and animals. Ms. I .eitch said that perhaps she might get a new show dog and enter it in dog shows since she has retired her other dog. Then again, she might start going to horse shows or take up riding again, since she used to when she was younger. There are many things she would like to do now that she is retiring, that she did not have the time to do while teaching. On Wednesday, April 27, at 5:30, the Art Department is having a picnic in honor of Ms. I>eitch, on the lawn of Bedford.