THE
ROTUNDA
LONGWOODCOLI£GE,FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY. OCTOBER 4. 1977
VOL. LIII
NO. 5
Our Town Succeeds With Multi-Talented Cast By BRIDGET SCHERZ "Y'know, Babylon had two million people in it, an 1 all we know about 'm is the names of their kings ..." "Our Town," presented last week by the Longwood Players and the Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts, is Thorton Wilder's affirmation of beauty in the ordinary "acts" of living — The Daily Life, Love and Marriage and Death. Out of Wilder's theatrical tune capsule unfolds an animated portraiture of Grover's Corners, a small New Hampshire town at the turn of the twentieth century. Our host throughout the play is the Stage Manager who, apparently well versed in the "busyings" and "dallyings" of the residents of "Our Town", makes all the necessary introductions, supplies a little town history and places the action in context of a time and setting. Lee Tatum, with his hat cocked back on his head and hi3 thumbs tucked in his belt did a fantastic portrayal of ihe stage Manager as he saunters leisurely into interludes and action of the play to interject a little simple,
aown-home explanation of things. In his interpretation of the Stage Manager, Mr. Tatum seemed to embody in the speech, stance, and gesture of the character a sense of the New England way of perceiving life that made his character so credible. One problem however that is a kind of dialectical discrepancy — instead of a New England accent, Mr. Tatum had more ting«3 of a Western or perhaps Southern one. However, the manner in which Mr. Tatum spoke with his "visitors" to Grover's Corners, far outdistanced this shortcoming in credibility. The remainder of the cast comprises a sociological "Noah's Ark" of the types of "ordinary folk" one might expect to meet in a town such as Grover's Corners. There is a boy, George Gibbs, and of course a girl, Emily Webb, played by Hank Dahlman and Kerry McCarthy. Both wisely tempered the element of innocence to their advantage, charming the audience with its humor rather than provoking them with an excess of sugared gullibility. Hank and Kerry, as
most of the other major characters, directed their speech and gestures to another character clearly and forcefully enough so that the audience did not have any difficulty "overhearing". Henry Emerson and John Hudson, as the tathe-s ot George and Emily also gave effective portrayals. The roles of the mothers played by Vicky Mann and Barbara Wood presented an added challenge in that they required an extra helping of mime in acting out the daily household chores. Both actresses effectively conveyed Kerry McCarthy as Our Town's Emily Webb that sense of detachment blended Photo: Neil Sullivan with an almost instinctive need to fuss over their children that is associated with the New England people of Grover's Corners and things done quietly. According to the program (and the audience are under one sky. mother of that time. which I suppose is ultimately Although this particular The shift from warm to cool always the case) there were interpretation of the play did not illumination when the Gibbs lend itself to a technical stepped outside to smell the some "concerned citizens" of extravaganza, there was solid flowers was also evidence of "Our Town" who did double-time evidence of some hard labor crew's awareness of detail. The on different crews or between invested and a job well done The costumes were appropriate to the acting and tech. And I hope that lighting special of the needs of the characters and what they realize their personal coi.stellation in the death scene changes there were appeared to ovation, along with everyone else was a nice touch in that it put have been made smoothly. that has worked so hard, in the what Wilder was saying in a Likewise, the set crew moved in pleasure that this production has universal perspective — both the quickly and got the job of moving given to those who have seen it.
Andy Pittard is made into Constable Warren Photo: Neil Sullivan Thursday Evening
An Evening of Music from the Romantic Period
New Procedure For TONIGHT 8:00 P/H
Birthday Dinner The Dining Hall Committee at its meeting on September 22, 1977, discussed the problems which occurred at the last Birthday Dinner. Residence Board requests that students cooperate with the Dining Hall Committee in trying a new method of entering the Dining Hall for Birthday Dinner. Groups of S are to enter by way of the porch on the east side of the
Dining Hall and through the double doors on that side. Groups of less than 8 are to enter by way of the main door. They are asked to please try to get a group of 8 before entering the Dining Hall. The west door of the Dining Hall will still be used as the exit. Your cooperation will be most appreciated.
35 SEATS STILL AVAILABLE
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
V.