Harvard Theatre Has Busiest Year Yet

(On Oct, 2, 1958, the CRIMSON devoted eight pages to Mr. Titcomb's comprehensive survey of Harvard and Radcliffe theatrical activity from the end World War II to date. On Nov. 19, 1959, his First Supplement, covering the academic year 1958-59, appeared. The following summary constitutes a Second Supplement to the original survey.)

Following the graduation of the theatrically outstanding class of 1957, student theatre in Cambridge evinced a noticeable decline in quality for two years. The widely predicted falling off of interest and effort, however, failed to materialize: the student performers and crews on the whole continued to do well as their gifts and experience allowed, given a shortage of talented directors among the undergraduate body.

Quantitatively, 1956-57 had offered the all-time high total of 48 productions. 1957-58 provided 43 offerings; and the number slipped a bit in 1958-59 to an 40, which was still higher than that for any year before 1956-57. An exceptional burst of effort during the academic year just completed pushed its up to a new record of 54 productions; 1959-60 was thus the most theatrically active year in Harvard's history.

Of course, quantity is not necessarily an accurate guide to theatrical health and achievement But 1959-60, although it offered several dreadful shows, concomitantly displayed a generally improved qualitative level, and thus the year sum seemed to be reversing the post-1957 slump.

Numerical Breakdown

Of the 54 productions during 1959-60, seven were works written by students--a number exceeded in four other post-War years. Two of these were musical: Run for the Money, the annual all-male-acted musical comedy put on by the Hasty Pudding, which was a middling work with expert performances by David L. Rawle '62, and David R. Pursley '60; and a sprightly revue with book, lyrics and music by a second-year graduate student, Erich Segal '58, which was staged in the Pi Eta Theatre.

The other five works were plays. One of these was put on by the Harvard Dramatic Club's Theatre Workshop: The Prophet, by Gerald P. Burns '62, awkward exercise in portraying a Second Coming amid juvenile delinquency. Judith Abrams '60 and Sheila A. Greibach '60 collaborated on written for performance at Radcliffe on Senior Class Day. The other three items, of which more below, were The Beloved, by Timothy '60; The Card Game, by John D. Asher '61; and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, by Arthur L. Kopit '59.

These brought the number of original student works produced since the War to 78:34 musical works, and 44 plays.

Naturally, the bulk of last year's productions were not authored by students. Of the 47 productions in this category, 11 were musical and 36 were play. These raised the post-war totals to 71 musical works and 277 plays.

Thus, as the current season started, the over-all total of productions since the War--student-written or otherwise--stood at the impressive figure of 426. For those interested in such things as the millionth car to go through the Holland Tunnel, the 400th post-War production turned out to be the Hasty Pudding show, Run for the Money.)

In almost every year a few works are announced for production that never move all the way from planning to realization. During the past year there were at least seven such abortive undertakings.

Incidentally, last year's 54 productions were not optimally divided between the two terms; more than two-thirds of them came during the spring, with the great deal of unfortunate conflict and overlapping. Every year students grumble about this situation and resolve to ameliorate it the next year; and every year nothing is actually done about it.

College-Wide Groups

The most important College-wide groups in recent years have been three: the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Harvard Opera Guild, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Players. These three accounted for 26 productions last year.

The HDC, with an unusually ambitious schedule of five major productions, clearly had a successful season--a welcome change from the poor one of the previous year. The opening choice, Williams' The Glass Menagerie, received an affecting rendition in Agassiz under the direction of John D. Hancock '61--with laudable work in each of its four roles by Mary Graydon, Kathryn Humphreys '60, Joel Crothers '62, and Peter G. Gesell '61. There followed, under John C. Beck '60, an adequate if unexciting traversal of Giraudoux's Tiger at the Gates at Pi Eta. In the spring, Agassiz housed the group's intriguingly staged production of a poor dramatization of Voltaire's Candide. Back at Pi Eta, director Hancock had not sufficiently gelled his production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars by the opening; but, reportedly, it had greatly improved by the end of the run.

The same theatre saw the HDC reach its climax with an unforgettably moving production of Wilder's Our Town, under the inspired direction of Stephen H. Randall '60, who obviously raised his performers higher than they themselves thought capable. I ought to tick off every one of the two dozen or so in the cast, but must content myself with mentioning the Stage Manager of Mark J. Mirsky '61 (who therein displayed enormous progress in acting, an impression confirmed by his expertly elocuted Thersites in the recent Troilus and Cressida), the Mrs. Gibbs of De French, the Mrs. Webb of Dixie Dewitt, the Emily of Barbara Blanchard '60, and the George of Philip D. Harvey '62. This was definitely the finest HDC show since Death of a Salesman in 1956, and the finest show by any Harvard group since Deathwatch in 1957.

The HDC also had a series of 11 low-budget Workshop productions. Besides providing one student a chance to test his playwrting on audiences (as indicated earlier), the Theatre Workshop gave Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, Adamov's Professor Taranne, Fry's A Phoenix Too Frequent, Synge's Shadow of the Glen, Genet's The Maids, David English's Waiting for Goodman, Robert Shure's Twink, Ionesco's Jack and O'Neill's The Rope. The production of the last-named was totally inept, but the rest were well worth a visit, with outstanding performances by Thomas D. Griffin '61 in the Beckett, golden-voiced Laurence M. Channing '63 in the Fry, and Anne Lilley '62 in the Genet.

As lab demonstrations in connection with English 160, the HDC also offered public readings of Strindberg's A Dream Play, Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Don Juan in Hell Interlude from Shaw's Man and Superman.

In its fourth year, the Harvard Opera Guild offered five productions. It provided unpretentious fun in the fall with Workshop productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Suzanne. Ill-advisedly, the Group mounted in the spring a new English translation of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, which, except for the Blonda of Vivian Thomas '60, was far beyond the abilities of everyone concerned.

The HOG showed greater wisdom in next essaying Bach's Coffee Cantata and Locke's masque Cupid and Death. Both are works of high quality readily stageable and technically rather easy--well within the grasp of student performers. Yet the participants adopted so cavalier and irresponsible an attitude toward preparation that the result was an insult to the audience and, uniquely in Harvard's post-War theatrical history, managed to achieve total disaster. When, near the masque's end, the principals were poised in the balcony arches above the Fogg Court, one felt a nearly unconquerable desire to yell, "Jump!"

If the officers of the Guild continue to abdicate all sense of responsibility, there would seem to be good reason to question whether the organization should remain in existence.

In their tenth and eleventh productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Players maintained their envious record of never falling short of a good show. In the fall, Julius L. Novick '60 directed a superlative Mikado, much abetted by the performances of David L. Stone '61 and D. Steven Garlick '60. The Gondoliers in the spring could not match it, but the singing of Lila H. Woodruff '60 and Stephen Tamkin added greatly to the over-all enjoyment.

House Groups

Theatrical groups centered in the Houses were responsible for 14 productions. Top honors go to Adams House for its two notable offerings. It presented in Agassiz the brilliant winning entry in its playwriting contest: Oh Dad, Poor Dad . . ., by Arthur L. Kopit '59, the most richly gifted playwriting talent to pass through Harvard since Barry in the early 'twenties. Well directed by Michael B. Ritchie '60, with fine acting by Jacqueline French (when she could be heard) and F. Rollins Maxwell '62, the production drew packed from near and far; the script has ready been published, and the will receive a professional production later this season.

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

Of course, quantity is not necessarily an accurate guide to theatrical health and achievement But 1959-60, although it offered several dreadful shows, concomitantly displayed a generally improved qualitative level, and thus the year sum seemed to be reversing the post-1957 slump.

Numerical Breakdown

Of the 54 productions during 1959-60, seven were works written by students--a number exceeded in four other post-War years. Two of these were musical: Run for the Money, the annual all-male-acted musical comedy put on by the Hasty Pudding, which was a middling work with expert performances by David L. Rawle '62, and David R. Pursley '60; and a sprightly revue with book, lyrics and music by a second-year graduate student, Erich Segal '58, which was staged in the Pi Eta Theatre.

The other five works were plays. One of these was put on by the Harvard Dramatic Club's Theatre Workshop: The Prophet, by Gerald P. Burns '62, awkward exercise in portraying a Second Coming amid juvenile delinquency. Judith Abrams '60 and Sheila A. Greibach '60 collaborated on written for performance at Radcliffe on Senior Class Day. The other three items, of which more below, were The Beloved, by Timothy '60; The Card Game, by John D. Asher '61; and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, by Arthur L. Kopit '59.

These brought the number of original student works produced since the War to 78:34 musical works, and 44 plays.

Naturally, the bulk of last year's productions were not authored by students. Of the 47 productions in this category, 11 were musical and 36 were play. These raised the post-war totals to 71 musical works and 277 plays.

Thus, as the current season started, the over-all total of productions since the War--student-written or otherwise--stood at the impressive figure of 426. For those interested in such things as the millionth car to go through the Holland Tunnel, the 400th post-War production turned out to be the Hasty Pudding show, Run for the Money.)

In almost every year a few works are announced for production that never move all the way from planning to realization. During the past year there were at least seven such abortive undertakings.

Incidentally, last year's 54 productions were not optimally divided between the two terms; more than two-thirds of them came during the spring, with the great deal of unfortunate conflict and overlapping. Every year students grumble about this situation and resolve to ameliorate it the next year; and every year nothing is actually done about it.

College-Wide Groups

The most important College-wide groups in recent years have been three: the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Harvard Opera Guild, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Players. These three accounted for 26 productions last year.

The HDC, with an unusually ambitious schedule of five major productions, clearly had a successful season--a welcome change from the poor one of the previous year. The opening choice, Williams' The Glass Menagerie, received an affecting rendition in Agassiz under the direction of John D. Hancock '61--with laudable work in each of its four roles by Mary Graydon, Kathryn Humphreys '60, Joel Crothers '62, and Peter G. Gesell '61. There followed, under John C. Beck '60, an adequate if unexciting traversal of Giraudoux's Tiger at the Gates at Pi Eta. In the spring, Agassiz housed the group's intriguingly staged production of a poor dramatization of Voltaire's Candide. Back at Pi Eta, director Hancock had not sufficiently gelled his production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars by the opening; but, reportedly, it had greatly improved by the end of the run.

The same theatre saw the HDC reach its climax with an unforgettably moving production of Wilder's Our Town, under the inspired direction of Stephen H. Randall '60, who obviously raised his performers higher than they themselves thought capable. I ought to tick off every one of the two dozen or so in the cast, but must content myself with mentioning the Stage Manager of Mark J. Mirsky '61 (who therein displayed enormous progress in acting, an impression confirmed by his expertly elocuted Thersites in the recent Troilus and Cressida), the Mrs. Gibbs of De French, the Mrs. Webb of Dixie Dewitt, the Emily of Barbara Blanchard '60, and the George of Philip D. Harvey '62. This was definitely the finest HDC show since Death of a Salesman in 1956, and the finest show by any Harvard group since Deathwatch in 1957.

The HDC also had a series of 11 low-budget Workshop productions. Besides providing one student a chance to test his playwrting on audiences (as indicated earlier), the Theatre Workshop gave Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, Adamov's Professor Taranne, Fry's A Phoenix Too Frequent, Synge's Shadow of the Glen, Genet's The Maids, David English's Waiting for Goodman, Robert Shure's Twink, Ionesco's Jack and O'Neill's The Rope. The production of the last-named was totally inept, but the rest were well worth a visit, with outstanding performances by Thomas D. Griffin '61 in the Beckett, golden-voiced Laurence M. Channing '63 in the Fry, and Anne Lilley '62 in the Genet.

As lab demonstrations in connection with English 160, the HDC also offered public readings of Strindberg's A Dream Play, Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Don Juan in Hell Interlude from Shaw's Man and Superman.

In its fourth year, the Harvard Opera Guild offered five productions. It provided unpretentious fun in the fall with Workshop productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Suzanne. Ill-advisedly, the Group mounted in the spring a new English translation of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, which, except for the Blonda of Vivian Thomas '60, was far beyond the abilities of everyone concerned.

The HOG showed greater wisdom in next essaying Bach's Coffee Cantata and Locke's masque Cupid and Death. Both are works of high quality readily stageable and technically rather easy--well within the grasp of student performers. Yet the participants adopted so cavalier and irresponsible an attitude toward preparation that the result was an insult to the audience and, uniquely in Harvard's post-War theatrical history, managed to achieve total disaster. When, near the masque's end, the principals were poised in the balcony arches above the Fogg Court, one felt a nearly unconquerable desire to yell, "Jump!"

If the officers of the Guild continue to abdicate all sense of responsibility, there would seem to be good reason to question whether the organization should remain in existence.

In their tenth and eleventh productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Players maintained their envious record of never falling short of a good show. In the fall, Julius L. Novick '60 directed a superlative Mikado, much abetted by the performances of David L. Stone '61 and D. Steven Garlick '60. The Gondoliers in the spring could not match it, but the singing of Lila H. Woodruff '60 and Stephen Tamkin added greatly to the over-all enjoyment.

House Groups

Theatrical groups centered in the Houses were responsible for 14 productions. Top honors go to Adams House for its two notable offerings. It presented in Agassiz the brilliant winning entry in its playwriting contest: Oh Dad, Poor Dad . . ., by Arthur L. Kopit '59, the most richly gifted playwriting talent to pass through Harvard since Barry in the early 'twenties. Well directed by Michael B. Ritchie '60, with fine acting by Jacqueline French (when she could be heard) and F. Rollins Maxwell '62, the production drew packed from near and far; the script has ready been published, and the will receive a professional production later this season.

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

Numerical Breakdown

Of the 54 productions during 1959-60, seven were works written by students--a number exceeded in four other post-War years. Two of these were musical: Run for the Money, the annual all-male-acted musical comedy put on by the Hasty Pudding, which was a middling work with expert performances by David L. Rawle '62, and David R. Pursley '60; and a sprightly revue with book, lyrics and music by a second-year graduate student, Erich Segal '58, which was staged in the Pi Eta Theatre.

The other five works were plays. One of these was put on by the Harvard Dramatic Club's Theatre Workshop: The Prophet, by Gerald P. Burns '62, awkward exercise in portraying a Second Coming amid juvenile delinquency. Judith Abrams '60 and Sheila A. Greibach '60 collaborated on written for performance at Radcliffe on Senior Class Day. The other three items, of which more below, were The Beloved, by Timothy '60; The Card Game, by John D. Asher '61; and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, by Arthur L. Kopit '59.

These brought the number of original student works produced since the War to 78:34 musical works, and 44 plays.

Naturally, the bulk of last year's productions were not authored by students. Of the 47 productions in this category, 11 were musical and 36 were play. These raised the post-war totals to 71 musical works and 277 plays.

Thus, as the current season started, the over-all total of productions since the War--student-written or otherwise--stood at the impressive figure of 426. For those interested in such things as the millionth car to go through the Holland Tunnel, the 400th post-War production turned out to be the Hasty Pudding show, Run for the Money.)

In almost every year a few works are announced for production that never move all the way from planning to realization. During the past year there were at least seven such abortive undertakings.

Incidentally, last year's 54 productions were not optimally divided between the two terms; more than two-thirds of them came during the spring, with the great deal of unfortunate conflict and overlapping. Every year students grumble about this situation and resolve to ameliorate it the next year; and every year nothing is actually done about it.

College-Wide Groups

The most important College-wide groups in recent years have been three: the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Harvard Opera Guild, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Players. These three accounted for 26 productions last year.

The HDC, with an unusually ambitious schedule of five major productions, clearly had a successful season--a welcome change from the poor one of the previous year. The opening choice, Williams' The Glass Menagerie, received an affecting rendition in Agassiz under the direction of John D. Hancock '61--with laudable work in each of its four roles by Mary Graydon, Kathryn Humphreys '60, Joel Crothers '62, and Peter G. Gesell '61. There followed, under John C. Beck '60, an adequate if unexciting traversal of Giraudoux's Tiger at the Gates at Pi Eta. In the spring, Agassiz housed the group's intriguingly staged production of a poor dramatization of Voltaire's Candide. Back at Pi Eta, director Hancock had not sufficiently gelled his production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars by the opening; but, reportedly, it had greatly improved by the end of the run.

The same theatre saw the HDC reach its climax with an unforgettably moving production of Wilder's Our Town, under the inspired direction of Stephen H. Randall '60, who obviously raised his performers higher than they themselves thought capable. I ought to tick off every one of the two dozen or so in the cast, but must content myself with mentioning the Stage Manager of Mark J. Mirsky '61 (who therein displayed enormous progress in acting, an impression confirmed by his expertly elocuted Thersites in the recent Troilus and Cressida), the Mrs. Gibbs of De French, the Mrs. Webb of Dixie Dewitt, the Emily of Barbara Blanchard '60, and the George of Philip D. Harvey '62. This was definitely the finest HDC show since Death of a Salesman in 1956, and the finest show by any Harvard group since Deathwatch in 1957.

The HDC also had a series of 11 low-budget Workshop productions. Besides providing one student a chance to test his playwrting on audiences (as indicated earlier), the Theatre Workshop gave Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, Adamov's Professor Taranne, Fry's A Phoenix Too Frequent, Synge's Shadow of the Glen, Genet's The Maids, David English's Waiting for Goodman, Robert Shure's Twink, Ionesco's Jack and O'Neill's The Rope. The production of the last-named was totally inept, but the rest were well worth a visit, with outstanding performances by Thomas D. Griffin '61 in the Beckett, golden-voiced Laurence M. Channing '63 in the Fry, and Anne Lilley '62 in the Genet.

As lab demonstrations in connection with English 160, the HDC also offered public readings of Strindberg's A Dream Play, Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Don Juan in Hell Interlude from Shaw's Man and Superman.

In its fourth year, the Harvard Opera Guild offered five productions. It provided unpretentious fun in the fall with Workshop productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Suzanne. Ill-advisedly, the Group mounted in the spring a new English translation of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, which, except for the Blonda of Vivian Thomas '60, was far beyond the abilities of everyone concerned.

The HOG showed greater wisdom in next essaying Bach's Coffee Cantata and Locke's masque Cupid and Death. Both are works of high quality readily stageable and technically rather easy--well within the grasp of student performers. Yet the participants adopted so cavalier and irresponsible an attitude toward preparation that the result was an insult to the audience and, uniquely in Harvard's post-War theatrical history, managed to achieve total disaster. When, near the masque's end, the principals were poised in the balcony arches above the Fogg Court, one felt a nearly unconquerable desire to yell, "Jump!"

If the officers of the Guild continue to abdicate all sense of responsibility, there would seem to be good reason to question whether the organization should remain in existence.

In their tenth and eleventh productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Players maintained their envious record of never falling short of a good show. In the fall, Julius L. Novick '60 directed a superlative Mikado, much abetted by the performances of David L. Stone '61 and D. Steven Garlick '60. The Gondoliers in the spring could not match it, but the singing of Lila H. Woodruff '60 and Stephen Tamkin added greatly to the over-all enjoyment.

House Groups

Theatrical groups centered in the Houses were responsible for 14 productions. Top honors go to Adams House for its two notable offerings. It presented in Agassiz the brilliant winning entry in its playwriting contest: Oh Dad, Poor Dad . . ., by Arthur L. Kopit '59, the most richly gifted playwriting talent to pass through Harvard since Barry in the early 'twenties. Well directed by Michael B. Ritchie '60, with fine acting by Jacqueline French (when she could be heard) and F. Rollins Maxwell '62, the production drew packed from near and far; the script has ready been published, and the will receive a professional production later this season.

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

The other five works were plays. One of these was put on by the Harvard Dramatic Club's Theatre Workshop: The Prophet, by Gerald P. Burns '62, awkward exercise in portraying a Second Coming amid juvenile delinquency. Judith Abrams '60 and Sheila A. Greibach '60 collaborated on written for performance at Radcliffe on Senior Class Day. The other three items, of which more below, were The Beloved, by Timothy '60; The Card Game, by John D. Asher '61; and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, by Arthur L. Kopit '59.

These brought the number of original student works produced since the War to 78:34 musical works, and 44 plays.

Naturally, the bulk of last year's productions were not authored by students. Of the 47 productions in this category, 11 were musical and 36 were play. These raised the post-war totals to 71 musical works and 277 plays.

Thus, as the current season started, the over-all total of productions since the War--student-written or otherwise--stood at the impressive figure of 426. For those interested in such things as the millionth car to go through the Holland Tunnel, the 400th post-War production turned out to be the Hasty Pudding show, Run for the Money.)

In almost every year a few works are announced for production that never move all the way from planning to realization. During the past year there were at least seven such abortive undertakings.

Incidentally, last year's 54 productions were not optimally divided between the two terms; more than two-thirds of them came during the spring, with the great deal of unfortunate conflict and overlapping. Every year students grumble about this situation and resolve to ameliorate it the next year; and every year nothing is actually done about it.

College-Wide Groups

The most important College-wide groups in recent years have been three: the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Harvard Opera Guild, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Players. These three accounted for 26 productions last year.

The HDC, with an unusually ambitious schedule of five major productions, clearly had a successful season--a welcome change from the poor one of the previous year. The opening choice, Williams' The Glass Menagerie, received an affecting rendition in Agassiz under the direction of John D. Hancock '61--with laudable work in each of its four roles by Mary Graydon, Kathryn Humphreys '60, Joel Crothers '62, and Peter G. Gesell '61. There followed, under John C. Beck '60, an adequate if unexciting traversal of Giraudoux's Tiger at the Gates at Pi Eta. In the spring, Agassiz housed the group's intriguingly staged production of a poor dramatization of Voltaire's Candide. Back at Pi Eta, director Hancock had not sufficiently gelled his production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars by the opening; but, reportedly, it had greatly improved by the end of the run.

The same theatre saw the HDC reach its climax with an unforgettably moving production of Wilder's Our Town, under the inspired direction of Stephen H. Randall '60, who obviously raised his performers higher than they themselves thought capable. I ought to tick off every one of the two dozen or so in the cast, but must content myself with mentioning the Stage Manager of Mark J. Mirsky '61 (who therein displayed enormous progress in acting, an impression confirmed by his expertly elocuted Thersites in the recent Troilus and Cressida), the Mrs. Gibbs of De French, the Mrs. Webb of Dixie Dewitt, the Emily of Barbara Blanchard '60, and the George of Philip D. Harvey '62. This was definitely the finest HDC show since Death of a Salesman in 1956, and the finest show by any Harvard group since Deathwatch in 1957.

The HDC also had a series of 11 low-budget Workshop productions. Besides providing one student a chance to test his playwrting on audiences (as indicated earlier), the Theatre Workshop gave Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, Adamov's Professor Taranne, Fry's A Phoenix Too Frequent, Synge's Shadow of the Glen, Genet's The Maids, David English's Waiting for Goodman, Robert Shure's Twink, Ionesco's Jack and O'Neill's The Rope. The production of the last-named was totally inept, but the rest were well worth a visit, with outstanding performances by Thomas D. Griffin '61 in the Beckett, golden-voiced Laurence M. Channing '63 in the Fry, and Anne Lilley '62 in the Genet.

As lab demonstrations in connection with English 160, the HDC also offered public readings of Strindberg's A Dream Play, Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Don Juan in Hell Interlude from Shaw's Man and Superman.

In its fourth year, the Harvard Opera Guild offered five productions. It provided unpretentious fun in the fall with Workshop productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Suzanne. Ill-advisedly, the Group mounted in the spring a new English translation of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, which, except for the Blonda of Vivian Thomas '60, was far beyond the abilities of everyone concerned.

The HOG showed greater wisdom in next essaying Bach's Coffee Cantata and Locke's masque Cupid and Death. Both are works of high quality readily stageable and technically rather easy--well within the grasp of student performers. Yet the participants adopted so cavalier and irresponsible an attitude toward preparation that the result was an insult to the audience and, uniquely in Harvard's post-War theatrical history, managed to achieve total disaster. When, near the masque's end, the principals were poised in the balcony arches above the Fogg Court, one felt a nearly unconquerable desire to yell, "Jump!"

If the officers of the Guild continue to abdicate all sense of responsibility, there would seem to be good reason to question whether the organization should remain in existence.

In their tenth and eleventh productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Players maintained their envious record of never falling short of a good show. In the fall, Julius L. Novick '60 directed a superlative Mikado, much abetted by the performances of David L. Stone '61 and D. Steven Garlick '60. The Gondoliers in the spring could not match it, but the singing of Lila H. Woodruff '60 and Stephen Tamkin added greatly to the over-all enjoyment.

House Groups

Theatrical groups centered in the Houses were responsible for 14 productions. Top honors go to Adams House for its two notable offerings. It presented in Agassiz the brilliant winning entry in its playwriting contest: Oh Dad, Poor Dad . . ., by Arthur L. Kopit '59, the most richly gifted playwriting talent to pass through Harvard since Barry in the early 'twenties. Well directed by Michael B. Ritchie '60, with fine acting by Jacqueline French (when she could be heard) and F. Rollins Maxwell '62, the production drew packed from near and far; the script has ready been published, and the will receive a professional production later this season.

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

These brought the number of original student works produced since the War to 78:34 musical works, and 44 plays.

Naturally, the bulk of last year's productions were not authored by students. Of the 47 productions in this category, 11 were musical and 36 were play. These raised the post-war totals to 71 musical works and 277 plays.

Thus, as the current season started, the over-all total of productions since the War--student-written or otherwise--stood at the impressive figure of 426. For those interested in such things as the millionth car to go through the Holland Tunnel, the 400th post-War production turned out to be the Hasty Pudding show, Run for the Money.)

In almost every year a few works are announced for production that never move all the way from planning to realization. During the past year there were at least seven such abortive undertakings.

Incidentally, last year's 54 productions were not optimally divided between the two terms; more than two-thirds of them came during the spring, with the great deal of unfortunate conflict and overlapping. Every year students grumble about this situation and resolve to ameliorate it the next year; and every year nothing is actually done about it.

College-Wide Groups

The most important College-wide groups in recent years have been three: the Harvard Dramatic Club, the Harvard Opera Guild, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Players. These three accounted for 26 productions last year.

The HDC, with an unusually ambitious schedule of five major productions, clearly had a successful season--a welcome change from the poor one of the previous year. The opening choice, Williams' The Glass Menagerie, received an affecting rendition in Agassiz under the direction of John D. Hancock '61--with laudable work in each of its four roles by Mary Graydon, Kathryn Humphreys '60, Joel Crothers '62, and Peter G. Gesell '61. There followed, under John C. Beck '60, an adequate if unexciting traversal of Giraudoux's Tiger at the Gates at Pi Eta. In the spring, Agassiz housed the group's intriguingly staged production of a poor dramatization of Voltaire's Candide. Back at Pi Eta, director Hancock had not sufficiently gelled his production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars by the opening; but, reportedly, it had greatly improved by the end of the run.

The same theatre saw the HDC reach its climax with an unforgettably moving production of Wilder's Our Town, under the inspired direction of Stephen H. Randall '60, who obviously raised his performers higher than they themselves thought capable. I ought to tick off every one of the two dozen or so in the cast, but must content myself with mentioning the Stage Manager of Mark J. Mirsky '61 (who therein displayed enormous progress in acting, an impression confirmed by his expertly elocuted Thersites in the recent Troilus and Cressida), the Mrs. Gibbs of De French, the Mrs. Webb of Dixie Dewitt, the Emily of Barbara Blanchard '60, and the George of Philip D. Harvey '62. This was definitely the finest HDC show since Death of a Salesman in 1956, and the finest show by any Harvard group since Deathwatch in 1957.

The HDC also had a series of 11 low-budget Workshop productions. Besides providing one student a chance to test his playwrting on audiences (as indicated earlier), the Theatre Workshop gave Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, Adamov's Professor Taranne, Fry's A Phoenix Too Frequent, Synge's Shadow of the Glen, Genet's The Maids, David English's Waiting for Goodman, Robert Shure's Twink, Ionesco's Jack and O'Neill's The Rope. The production of the last-named was totally inept, but the rest were well worth a visit, with outstanding performances by Thomas D. Griffin '61 in the Beckett, golden-voiced Laurence M. Channing '63 in the Fry, and Anne Lilley '62 in the Genet.

As lab demonstrations in connection with English 160, the HDC also offered public readings of Strindberg's A Dream Play, Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Don Juan in Hell Interlude from Shaw's Man and Superman.

In its fourth year, the Harvard Opera Guild offered five productions. It provided unpretentious fun in the fall with Workshop productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Wolf-Ferrari's The Secret of Suzanne. Ill-advisedly, the Group mounted in the spring a new English translation of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio, which, except for the Blonda of Vivian Thomas '60, was far beyond the abilities of everyone concerned.

The HOG showed greater wisdom in next essaying Bach's Coffee Cantata and Locke's masque Cupid and Death. Both are works of high quality readily stageable and technically rather easy--well within the grasp of student performers. Yet the participants adopted so cavalier and irresponsible an attitude toward preparation that the result was an insult to the audience and, uniquely in Harvard's post-War theatrical history, managed to achieve total disaster. When, near the masque's end, the principals were poised in the balcony arches above the Fogg Court, one felt a nearly unconquerable desire to yell, "Jump!"

If the officers of the Guild continue to abdicate all sense of responsibility, there would seem to be good reason to question whether the organization should remain in existence.

In their tenth and eleventh productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Players maintained their envious record of never falling short of a good show. In the fall, Julius L. Novick '60 directed a superlative Mikado, much abetted by the performances of David L. Stone '61 and D. Steven Garlick '60. The Gondoliers in the spring could not match it, but the singing of Lila H. Woodruff '60 and Stephen Tamkin added greatly to the over-all enjoyment.

House Groups

Theatrical groups centered in the Houses were responsible for 14 productions. Top honors go to Adams House for its two notable offerings. It presented in Agassiz the brilliant winning entry in its playwriting contest: Oh Dad, Poor Dad . . ., by Arthur L. Kopit '59, the most richly gifted playwriting talent to pass through Harvard since Barry in the early 'twenties. Well directed by Michael B. Ritchie '60, with fine acting by Jacqueline French (when she could be heard) and F. Rollins Maxwell '62, the production drew packed from near and far; the script has ready been published, and the will receive a professional production later this season.

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

In its dining hall, Adams also an impressive, if far too brightly Othello. Daniel Seltzer, instructor English, directed and played the of Iago--much more slowly than had ever heard but very subtly. In title role, John W. Nathan '61 veyed a surprising amount of its and Judith Ogden '62 a more than adequate Desdemons.

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

The Dunster House Music & Society, which had in the previous year given two works by its own Arthur Kopit, again served own House authors by presenting works mentioned earlier: John The Card Game and Timothy land's The Beloved. The first did amount to much; but the latter, the leading role well played by J. Sullivan '61, showed sensitivity a promise.

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

Later, the Society offered an extremely effective staging of Stevens' dramatic monologue Among the Candles, in which than Revere '60 captured a proper hypnotic lyricism; and, under the rection of Asher and a strong production Beckett's Endgame, with accomplished performances in its four page by Philip S. Weld '60, Brian B. Doyle '62, and E. Gerstenfeld '61.

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

The Lowell House Music Society which had started staging production in 1938, followed up its tentative universal of Pergolesi's with a spirited and well-oiled performance of Menotti's The Old Maid the Thief, under the direction of Richard B. Hines '59.

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

The Lowell House Drama for its second year, dusted off fine classic, Ghosts, Joseph W. '60 supervised the fairly good production and elicited a rather remarkable Mrs. Alving from so young a girl Anne S. Miner '62. The Group down badly in the spring with an virtually unrehearsed version of the mediaeval morality play .

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."

For its 12th annual show, the Winthrop House Music Society Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. wonderful sets by Eric Martin .R-7LAURIE GOLD and BILL JACOBSON '61 in the highly successful Winthrop House production of "Guys and Dolls."