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Show "Midsummer Night's Dream"Quince: "This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorne-brake our tiring-house."^^_ ^_ ¦» •*¦ t^ ^-^ ^*^ P _ 1 ____1______H _i____________"j_1_ j 1 _ _ TT__*________*j_______________________1 j_'NDER a canopy of clouds and stars, with the University greensward to serve for a stage floor, the college thespians presented Shakespeare's immortal comedy, "The Midsummer Night's Dream," to an audience which completely filled the large amphitheatre. There the lovers of the immortal bard were carried away into fairy realms led on by the pranks of Puck and the mimicry of droll Bottom and his crew of rustics. There the Grecian lovers, models of grace and beauty, Lysander and Demetrius, Hermia and Helena, took breath and lived. The dance of the fairies by moonlight to the accompaniment of weird music, fascinated. Such a histrionic success has never before been achieved by University actors.The two characterizations which afforded the most opportunity for acting, and which received the most unstinted praise and commendation were those of Puck and Bottom, played by Vera Taft and Frank Rasmussen respectively. Miss Taft put all the charm and cunning into Puck that the part required, and no Bottom could be more droll and clumsy than that of Mr. Rasmussen's. Both deserve the lasting reputation which theyhavewon by their talented efforts.Edna Hull played the part of Helena with remarkable grace and dignity, achieving a distinct success, and adding another laurel to those won by previous efforts. Edyth Barlow as Hermia and Armorel Dixon as Hippolyta were well received. Miss Jennetta Stephens as Queen of the Fairies was highly commended for her graceful and artistic dances.E. E. Smith, G. O. Bradley, Herbert Schiller, Vernon Snyder, William Hunter, Henry Ruggeri, Fred Barker, Ray Dillman, Herbert Maw, Edna Evans and Laura Poulson assumed their parts with admirable skill and comprehension.The music, which was furnished by an orchestra of twelve, was a feature of the evening. During the dance of the fairies the Spring Song was rendered with wonderful effectiveness.All credit is due Miss Maud May Babcock for the unsurpassed manner in which the production was staged. As to the financial end, it is sufficient to state that Miss Lucy Van Cott, who had complete charge of the management, netted four hundred dollars.The night of the premiere production will be ever memorable in the minds and hearts of those whose good fortune it was to be spectators. All the actors acquitted themselves with laurels. It was a notable fact that the minor characters were equal in carefulness of study and attention to detail as the parts which offered larger scope for talent. That the audience was delighted was manifested time and again during the performance by their unreserved applause.Nothing more completely successful, or so full of beauty and charm has ever been seen on the University Campus.142 |