Yale's Brustein Discusses Plan With Students

Robert S. Brustein, dean of the Yale School of Drama and director of the Yale Repertory Theater, met with the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC) yesterday to discuss the undergraduate drama program he will lead if appointed director of the Loeb next year.

HRDC Vote Sunday

HRDC board members will meet Sunday to vote on their position, to be submitted Monday to Glen W. Bowersock '57, associate dean of the Faculty on undergraduate education.

Kerry L. Konrad, president of the HRDC, said yesterday that Brustein's production plan must be reworked before it can be accepted by the group.

Brustein's plan gives the HRDC access to the main stage of the Loeb for 13 weeks. six at the start of the fall and seven in the beginning of the spring.

The fall season, according to Brustein's plan, would begin September 11, a week before classes start. This scheduling would cut back on the number of students who audition and seriously limit rehearsal time, Konrad said.

Brustein "agreed in principle" at the meeting that the HRDC season could be reworked, Konrad said.

Brustein must guarantee that the Loeb remains available to House theater before the HRDC approves his program, Konrad said.

Brustein's plan also does not cite a decision-making board. Konrad said the HRDC will need to know who has final ruling on decisions involving staging and the budget.

Konrad said the Standing Committee on Drama must remain in existence, to ensure that drama students have an overseeing board to which they may appeal. "If we always have to ask Brustein and his staff for permission, we lose," he added.

Paris K.C. Barclay '78-4, a HRDC member, said yesterday that Brustein's professional and rigorous approach to drama would "scare away" the amateur performers and split drama students into two groups. Career-oriented theater students will be drawn to the Loeb, and House shows and amateur organizations will suffer, Barclay said.

Barclay added that the HRDC's position at Harvard will be seriously jeopardized by Brustein's program. "It will be near impossible to get people to work for HRDC productions."

In response to student concern that his program will intimidate amateur performers, Brustein said "I don't believe students will be scared away. Theater takes a lot of courage anyway.