Pygmalion:
a review
(Editor's Note: Professor Robert Mulder teaches in the Department of
English at Chowan. He has been ably assisting in special programs at the col
lege and helps to promote cultural activities. Professor Mulder attended the
Friday, March 7, performance of “Pygmalion” as a special representative for
The Chowanian. Below are his comments.)
By PROFESSOR ROBERT G. MULDER
When theater enthusiasts attend a junior college pr oduction, they do not ex
pect complete perfection, for rarely is such found—pven on Broadway; however,
they have a right to demand in return
for Iheir time, effort, and expense a
good play and an entertaining evening
from the stage. This is just what Fri
day night's audience expected and
received when the Chowan Players
presented their final performance of
George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion"
in McDowell Columns Auditorium on
March 7.
Director Edith Larson had a right
to sit back and observe the production
from the last row in the auditorium,
as the many hundreds of hours of hard
work were resulting in a total student
production front stage as well as
back. Mrs. Larson had carefully train
ed her players, for Friday night's
performance was staged smoothly and
positively.
Upon entering the auditorium, the
portico of St. Paul's Church quietly
awaited curtain time. Magnificient
Columns freshly painted and a lumin
ous center window attested to the ta
lented artistic efforts of Bob Lawrence
of Asheville and Pete Sykes of Nor
folk. This set, designed for Act I. pro
mised the audience an interesting eve
ning at the theater.
The part of Elisa Doolittle was
played in a sparkling manner by Dale
Volleyball
big hit
with girls
The 1968-69 girls volleyball team at
Chowan College has completed its first
undefeated season after a schedule of
4 contests involving 8 games.
Coached by Mrs. Janet Collins, who
handles physical education for women
at the college, the team met the Col
lege of the Albermarle, East Carolina
University, North Carolina Wesleyan,
and Atlantic Christian College for a
total of 8 matches giving up only an
average of five points each match out
of a possible 15 points for the win.
Sophomores on the volleyball squad
are Sandra (SandyI Lynn Wilson of
Virginia Beach, Va.; Patricia Kay
Francis of Capron, Va.; Karen Dale
White of Whaleyville, Va.; Deidra
(DeeI Jay Shumaker of Temperance-
ville, Va.; Vicki Maude Gilbert of
Winston-Salem. N. C.; Donna Kaye
Fesperman of Chesapeake, Va. Fresh '
man are Karen Jane Lynch of Shelby-
ville. Delaware; Dianne Williams of|
South Mills. N. C.; and Jeannie Lu
Gay of Charlottesville. Va.
Willard of Frederick, Maryland. Miss
Willard handled the transformation
in speech and action which this play
required in a remarkably professional
manner. Her quick, crisp statement;
"I’m a good girl. I am, ” will long re
main in the minds of those who saw
her brilliant performance as the Cock
ney" flower girl.
Professor Henry Higgins, with his
130 vowel sounds and his determina
tion to make a duchess out of the dra-
gon-tailed guttersnipe (Elisa) was
portrayed in a freshly original manner
by Truett Duncan of Murfreesboro.
Mr. Duncan worked hard to present
his characterization in a convincing
way, and the seriousness with which
he approached the part of Higgins was
obvious.
Colonel Pickering was actively por
trayed by Harry Greenlaw of Fre
dericksburg, who completes his second
year on the Chowan stage. Mr. Green
law handled his role very well and in
dicated in his performance the ease
and grace which come with surround
ing stage familiarity.
Also taking the part of a transfor
mational figure, Tom Garner of New
port (Alfred Doolittle) received his
share of laughs and rightly so. for he
looked, spoke, and acted well the part
of the conniving father of Elisa. Mr.
Garner's voice and stage manner dis
played his understanding of the char
acterization which was his. His pur
poseful stage movements and his self
induced wit. along with Shaw's own
bits of satire, created an unforgettable
character.
The audience did not see enough of
Freddie Hill, a cultured young admir
er of Elisa's, played exuberantly by
Rchard Lalonde. His having had less
than a week of rehearsal was certainly
not obvious to the audience, and view
ers would like to see more of this
young man in future productions.
Brenda Trimmer of Richmond, was
Mrs. Pearce, housekeeper of Bachelor
Higgins. Miss Trimmer was particu
larly moving in her role which actual
ly demanded keeping the play moving
in many instances.
The part of Mrs. Higgins was bril
liantly portrayed by Pamela Keyes,
who was first presented to a Chowan
audience in "Life With Father. " Miss
Keyes, a native of Petersburg, con
trolled her characterization well and
stayed in command of the situation
with dignity and charm.
Minor roles were played positively
by other Chowan Players. Friday's
audience was reminded again that
Mel Weston, freshman of Richmond, Va., and Dale Willard of Fr-
derick, Md., are seen in an actual scene from 'Pygmalion" which
was staged at Chowan College March 5, 6, and 7. Mel played the role
of Freddie Hill and Dale played the role of Eliza Doolittle, the Cock
ney flower girl who became a charming and polished lady in the
play. “Pygmalion " is the dramatic version of “My Fair Lady.
there are really no minor roles at all,
for even these chai acterizations were
played well with major intent and sin
cerity.
The performance of Friday evening
climaxed the efforts of many behind-
the-scene personnel, a highly dedicat
ed group of people necessary to pre
sent a drama as massive as "Pygma
lion." Both the seen (props) and the
unseen (sounds) must be carefully
controlled in a dramatic production
of this type.
Stage manager, Fiank Davis, and
student directors, Diane Trump and
Pete Sykes, played an important part
in "Pygmalion's" success. Credit is
also due Odell Cleveland who headed
properties, Mike Herbstreigh who
headed make-up, and Janelle Mitchin-
er and Ann Vick who headed cos
tumes.
Very obvious was the use of color
ful costumes, modeled well by all of
the casts young ladies. Particularly
lovely was Miss Diane Davis of Mur
freesboro, who played the part of
Clara Hill, Authentic props also added
flavor to the stage; noticeable was the
old-fashioned phonograph and the fan-
backed wicker chair. These were only
a few of the mentionable extras in
"Pygmalion. "
Though every performance may not
always indicate the hundreds of man
hours given to a play of this calibre,
Friday night" s production by the Cho
wan Players certainly indicated this
fact. Errors which may have slightly
marred the opening performances
were carefully corrected in the final
showing. We shall look forward to
Director Larson’s and the Chowan
Players’ next production.
For March. 1969
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