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ARCHIVES
THE CECIL W. ROBOINS LlBRAin
LOUISBURG COLLEGE
LOUISBURG, N.C. 27549
Vol. XXVII
LOUISBURG COLLEGE, LOUISBURG, N. C., FEBRUARY 16, 1968
No. 5
Drama Coach Versteeg
"Columns'' Has Exclusive Interview
With Versteeg on "The Father"
The following interview with
Robert J. Versteeg, Director of
Drama for the Louisburg Players,
was given to The Columns two
weeks prior to the opening of the
Louisburg Players’ Production of
August Strindberg’s The Father.
Columns: Do you think that
Louisburg audiences are ready for
Strindberg?
Versteeg: I’m not sure any audi
ence is ready for Strindberg yet.
But we’re getting readier. And
ready or not, there he is. Our so-
called avant - garde playwrights
haven’t caught up with him.
Columns: What about Ionesco?
Versteeg: Of course, I didn’t
mean to run down our avant-garde.
But, yes. Ionesco-type echoes sound
all through Strindberg. Much of
what is being written today is a bur
lesque of Strindberg.
Columns: What about Albee?
Versteeg: In my opinion, with
Albee we have a clear case of a
playwright trying to imitate Strind
berg, and succeeding quite well —
but not exceeding, by any means.
Virginia Woolf, for example, is a
watered - down version of The
Father and The Dance of Death.
Columns: What do you think
Albee would say about that?
Versteeg: Something scornful.
Columns: Are you doing The
Father in the round?
Versteeg: Yes.
Columns: Has it been done be
fore?
Versteeg: I’m sure someone
somewhere must have done it in the
arena, but I don’t know. I’ve never
seen it done on any stage — Out
side of my brain, that is. But I
think — I hope — it will work. It
was written for the box-stage. But
later in his life Strindberg helped
found an experimental theatre —
the one for which he wrote his
Chamber Plays. From that fact, and
from his written descriptions of
staging, I’m sure he would have
been enthusiastic about the possi-
bihties of doing it arena. Problem
is, the play, as you know, has all
these — searing — disturbing —
very powerful climaxes, such as,
particularly, the throwing of the
lamp, and for all I know that may
just be too much emotional force—
intolerable — for an audience that
is in the same room with the play
ers.
Columns: Particularly if anyone
in the audience gets hit with the
lamp!
Versteeg: I hope not!
Columns: You seem to talk as
if you thought the emotional ex
perience might pack too strong a
punch for our audience. Don’t you
think we’re living in a more sophis
ticated — callous — emotionally
resilient age?
Versteeg: I’m sure you’re right.
But we don’t get exposed to Strind
berg’s intensity too often. He was
psychotic, as you know, and he can
take you on a trip through the most
harrowing features of insanity as no
one else. He is the Vergil of hell of
the subconscious. No; I don’t think
we have yet reached the point
where we can experience Strind
berg — experience; I think that’s
the word for him, instead of seeing
or reading — We can’t experience
him without feeling our nerves
shredded raw and screaming.
Columns: What is the effect of
all this emotionality on the actors?
Versteeg: Depressing.
Columns: In what way?
Versteeg: Oh, I think the actors
— I guess I’m speaking for my
self mostly — appreciate the great
ness of what they have the chance
to be part of, but these people are
so sick — sick — that after a re
hearsal you kind of have to shake
Student Art '68
Eligibility — All full time stu
dents of Louisburg College — En
trants are not required to be en
rolled in art classes — They are
required to fill out all forms.
Entries — Work may be sub
mitted in any of the following cate
gories :
Class I — Painting — framed,
oil, acrylic.
Class II — Sculpture — wood,
plaster, wire, clay, or metal.
Class III — Prints — wood cuts,
lithographs, serigraphs, must be
matted.
Class IV — Drawings — water
colors, tempered, ink, pastel —
must be matted.
Soph. President
Named Jr. Rotarian
“Franklin Times”
Matt Brown, a sophomore at
Louisburg College, has been se
lected as Junior Rotarian of the
Month by the Louisburg Rotary
Club, according to an announce
ment this week. Brown is the son
of Capt. and Mrs. James Brown,
Rt. 3, Louisburg. Capt. Brown is a
member of the faculty at Louisburg
College.
Young Matt, served as Chief
Marshall of the graduating class in
1967, as a freshman. He is a mem
ber of Phi Theta Kappa, national
the cobwebs out of your brain. We
all know that just as we get our
selves into these states by concen
trating, we can get out of them,
too. But you have to make an ef
fort. I think it is more tiring to
work on this sort of role.
Columns: Does the actor have
to give more to this kind of a play?
Versteeg: Yes and no, I guess.
Again, for myself, it isn’t long be
fore I have run out of things to
give, and I’m just hoping I can
hang on through the rest of the
show. It demands so much, that
soon you’re out. Then you have to
count on the skill — genius — of
the playwright to bring you through.
So in a way you have to leave
more of the doing to the playwright.
I think only a very great playwright
dares make such demands on his
actors.
Columns: Why did you decide
to play this role yourself?
Versteeg: That’s what I’ve been
asking myself!
Columns: Was there a particu
lar reason?
Versteeg: Of course, we have
several students who could play this
role very well, and of course sev
eral faculty members and com
munity residents who could do it.
One very practical reason is that
we have such a limited amount of
time to do it in — far too little.
I can cut down on time problems
greatly by doing it myself. The true
reason is probably simple that this
is the kind of role no actor can
resist the chance to take a crack at
— it’s terrific fun.
Columns: I thought you said it
was depressing.
Versteeg: It’s both. It’s depress
ing to think like a depressed man;
it’s fun to play a role of such in
tensity, subtlety, range — you name
it.
(Continued on page 4)
, '--TO
Awards — For Class I and II
$25, $15, and $10. For Class III
and IV $20, $15, $10, and $5.
Work for sale must be noted on
the entry card and label.
All entries must be delivered to
College Gallery before 6 p.m. Fri
day, April 19.
For further information see Mrs.
Kornegay, art instructor.
Sen. Morgan
Speaks Here
Dr. Robert Morgan, candidate
for state Attorney-General, spoke
here on Tuesday, February 13, at
7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. The
speech was jointly sponsored by the
ICC and the YDC.
Before the speech, a dinner was
held for the Democratic state sena
tor in the B. N. Duke Dining HaU.
YDC and ICC members also at
tended the dinner.
Morgan began his career even
before graduating from law school.
He was elected Clerk of the Su
perior Court by the people of Har
nett County a month before finish
ing law school. He assumed office
at the age of 25, and was one of
the youngest Superior Couct Ci&rX&
in state history. He has served in
the N. C. Senate for five terms,
and was elected five times to the
General Assembly.
The highlight of Morgan’s legis
lative career came in 1965 when
his colleagues in the Senate elected
him President Pro Tem.
Senator Morgan is a leader in
mental health facilities and pro
grams, jail reform efforts, and edu
cation and legislative research pro-
Matt Brown
honorary scholastic fraternity and is
serving as President of his sopho
more class. He maintains a B aver
age on all his college work.
Matt, as a son of a retired Naval
Captain, has traveled extensively
and holds a keen interest in sports
and lists antique cars as his favorite
hobby. He plans to major in me
chanical engineering and hopes to
enter Johns Hopkins University next
year. He spent some time at the in
stitution in Baltimore, Md. during
his recent school holidays.
In high school. Matt was fourth
in his class, averaging over 95
and gained a scholastic letter in
his senior year. He was a member
of the French Club and the Science
Club and was a class marshall in
his 11th year.
The local civic club honors out
standing young men monthly as
Junior Rotarians. The program has
been in effect for the past several
months.
Senator Robert Morgan
grams. He is chairman of the ECU
board of trustees and was presi
dent of the University alumni as
sociation from 1957 until 1959. He
is a practicing attorney, a mem
ber of several Bar associations, and
of Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
When LC was a female academy,
one of the house counselors had to
meet the postman at the statue each
day, so that the young ladies would
not cast lustful eyes on a man.
The old well, as well as an old
brick chimney which was all that
remained of an old building on cam
pus, were recently destroyed.
At one time, the seven deadly
sins, including sloth and gluttony,
were listed in the Louisburg College
catalog.