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Show t However, the first production, J. M. Barrie's "The Professor's Love Story," was presented before a somewhat iritical audience, but before the drop of the curtain on the first act, it was evident that the dream of Miss Babcock would be realized and the students of the University of Utah would have their real playhouse. The cast of the initial production follows: Effie, Erma Smoot; Lucy White, Helen Williams; Dr. Cozen, C. L. Menser; Professor Goodwillie, Mr. Browne; Lady Gilding, Louise Hill; Sir George Gilding, Adolph Axelrad; Dowager Lady Gilding, Katherine Kiser; Pete, Bryon Foulger; Henders, Franklin Rasmussen; Dr. Yellowlees, Oluf Allen, and Miss Goodwillie, Miss Van Volkenburg. Then came the Spanish Influenza and the Little Theatre was dark for many weeks. At length, with a performance weekly instead of twice monthly, the season was recommenced and finished successfully. Only the highest class products in the field of drama were produced this year. Such plays as Shaw's "Androcles and the Lion"; "Candida"; Besier's "Don"; Ibsen's "Doll House" and "Kindling" appeared before the public and a success scored each time. With the finish of the first year in the history of Varsity Players-two results began to manifest themselves, namely: that the Varsity Players will furnish direct contact with the professional stage world to the students and will therefore encourage the men and women of Utah to consider more seriously the stage as a livelihood and secondly, it became evident that the Varsity Players as a permanent institution has been solidly established. It is hardly fair to predict a future, but with the theatregoers of Salt Lake converted with the competent casts, the idea will grow in importance year by year. It would be no wild vision to speculate on the possibility of other colleges enlisting in the Varsity Players idea, but whatever comes to past, no one can forget that Miss Maud May Babcock, the Brownes and the student body of the University of Utah deserve the "pioneer honors." N Page One Hundred Twenty |