OCR Text |
Show THE DRAMATIC WORK SHOP (OINCE time immemorial, man has been interested in the O) drama as a successful means of conveying his thought and providing for his entertainment. He is always fascinated by seeing portrayed over the footlights, experiences that are familiar or foreign to his own. He delights in stage effects that are beautiful and bizarre. In every stage production, the scenery is of primary importance in lending atmosphere and reality to the performance That students interested in the drama and dramatic productions may learn the art of making scenery and planning stage sets is the purpose of the Varsity Workshop. The class is given only for two quarters. The course begins in the Fall Quarter and the advanced course follows in the Winter Quarter. The play production classes are devided into two sections one group producing; plays, and one group making the scenery' Mr. Joseph F. Smith, Mrs. Grace Nixon Stewart, and Miss Marian Redd each directed the advanced classes in producing two three-act plays. The workshop was under the charge of Willis Knighton who came highly recommended to the University of Utah from California, where he was art director of the Pasadena Community Playhouse. The class, in preparation for the practical work, made a highly technical study of the history of stagin«- and the history of lighting, including the various kinds of stag? illumination. The students delved into the interesting study of the effects of color on the stage in costumes, scenery, and furnishings; research was made concerning the various types of stage design In addition, an extensive study was made of the art of stage make-up. Following all this preliminary training, the complete series of the mechanics of play production was put into actual practice^ This miniature was then used as the pattern for the large set that the group made for the stage. The students undertook the whole task of preparing the stage set. They made the scenery designed it, printed it, set it up, and arranged the lighting facilities. The decoration and furnishing of the set was also accomplished by the members of the class. This year the mechanical department of the play production class has completed eight sets. Six were for one-act plays and two were for three-act plays. The one-act plays included, "Mrs. Pat and the Law," "Overtones" Station YYYY," "Night at an Inn," "Rehearsal," "Happiness," "Evening Dress Indispensable/' Monkeys Paw, Weak Spot," "Joint Owners in Spain," and "Dear Departed." The two three-act plays were "The Famous Mrs. Fair," and "Pillars of Society." m I %JJ$ fill i m Miss Maude May Babcock Director ¦it?2**r^::jz*,. v \£*'- IV $i •* 4r3fti1£r~mt ilk-'- i w- The Workshop *$ Page 133 |