I
A STUDENT PUBLICATION OF FLORA MACDONALD COLLEGE
VOLUME NO. 9
FLORA MACDONALD COLLEGE, APRIL. 1961
No. 8
Shaw's CANDIDA To Be Presented By Cleveland Playhouse
As (he final number in the
Concert Lecture Series of 1960-
61, George Bernard Shaw’s “Can
dida,” long regarded as the fin
est sentimental comedy of our
time, will be presented by an
acting emsemble from the Na
tionally - known Cleveland Play
House on April 29, at 8:15 P. M.
in ithe F. M. C. auditorium.
Abounding in rich -and delight
ful comedy. “Candida” tells the
story of a lovely and intelligent
woman who must choose between
her husband land an eloquent
young suitor. The wisdom with
which She makes this choice
marks her as one of the most
loveable heroines in dramatic
literature.
Candida is the wife of Rev.
Morell. a resipeotable, suburban
English clergyman who adores
his wife and takes her love for
granted. He is good-looking, ro
bust, pleasant, and all the wo
men dn his parish dote on him.
Into their lives storms Eugene
MaTChblanks, a toatured, young,
dreamy-eyed poet who is hope
lessly in love with Candida. The
sensitive suitor asks Candida to
give up her Ihusband, whom he
regards -as a moralist and a wind
bag. Nor is Candida entirely im
mune to her young -admirer - for
although she is a devoted wife,
S'h)3 also is something of a well-
bred coquette.
As tile two men make their bids
for Candida’s love, Morell de
clares: “I have notlhing to offer
but my Strength for your de
fense, my honesty for your sur
ety, my indusitry for your live
lihood, :and my authority and po
sition for your dignity.”
Marchbanks counters with an
offer of “My weakness. My deso
lation. My heart’s -need.”
In a climatic scene, the hus
band declares that Candida must
give herself to the weaker of
the two men, -and she proceeds
to choosis the one who needs her
most. She chooses him -also, of
course, because she loves him.
‘Candida” was first produced
in the United States in 1903 and
has been revived repeatedly since
that time. The greatest of Shaw’s
domestic dramas, it is charming
wjitty, gracious, and -enduring.
The performance here of “Can
dida” is pant of -a 38-Sita-te tour
Wbioh was -made possible -by a
Ford Foundation grant in 1957.
The purpose of the grant was to
provide fine live theatres in
smaller U. S. communities. In
preparation for the tour, actors
selected -by a panel of well-known
■theaitire people speint itw*o yeairs
-at the inationally-known Cleveland
Play -House as part of its pro
fessional company.
Playing itihe role of “Candida”
is A-dale O’Brien, called “mul
ti-gifted” -by la drama critic who
is sparing in bis use of super
latives. A native of Billings, Mon
tana, she played three seasons of
stock there with 'the Pioneer Play
house. She -also appeared -on sev
eral popular TV s-hows on the
west coast prior to her arrival at
the Cleveland Play House.
Richard Halverson, who plays
Manc^hbaniks, has telestooped a re
markable range of roles into his
acting career. A native of Minne
apolis, Halverson -acted with the
Star Theg'tre and sang with the
Minneapolis Symphony prior to
ihis arrival at the Play House.
Miss Proserpine Garnett is
played by Irene Baird, who has
a professional acting career -that presented here April 29.
bespeaks an -amazing versatility. i
A native of Arlington, Virigima, 1 years with the National Ballet. niation — from 'tih'e Oregon
she attended ifche Carneg-ie Company lin W-asihiing-ton. Geo- J six-alcesipie'aire FeSitivial to off-
tute of Technology and spent four graphically, her acting spans the I Broadway ra2es in New Yortk.
Irene Baird and Richard Halverson rehearse ior “Candida”
F M C To Host Four Freshmen
The lauiditorium is packed to
capacity. Tlie audience is eager
ly awaiting the -begin-nmg of the
perfonmande, and a spirit of an-
tdcipaition and exciteiment is run
ning through the room. Sudden- ] rises. Anither performance by
ly -the house lights are idimimed, ' the Four Freshmen has begun,
an-d following that brief interval [ Little did the original mem-
which always sends a hush bers of this extremetty versatile
through the crowd, the curtain group of vocalists realize that
they would achieve such wide / Modem Music.” He was so im-
spread a^Cdliaim, when they or- j piressedl wli-th their ifneSh, im-
9
Hi
the
lO
ur
To Appear At Flora Macdonald College April 20
ga-nized -th/eimiselves lait the Ar
thur, Jordan Conserva/tfory of
Music in 'IndianapoMs, Indiana.
It was there tfli'ait tfliey conceiv
ed itheir distinctive style which
sets them apant from other
groups. Atthie time 'the quartiet
included the bro-thers Ross and
Don Barbour, 'their cousin Bolb
Fianigan;, and Hal Krattzsch.
The group was initially called
“The Toppers,” but iitwas chang
ed ti The Four Freshmen before
their professio-nal debut in Fort
Wayne, Indiana, on Sepitemiber
28, 1948. Their salary ait that
time was $15 a week, per roaai
— not very much for 'these -tal-
-ented young men. But it was a
start, a beginning, (to which orily
hard work could be applied.
And work hard, they did. For
the next two ytears, the Four
JVeshmein were always -moving
on ithe night 'club circuit in the
Mid West — to Detroit, OMdlwau-
kee, Lansing, 'Ooluim'bus, Pitts-
-buTgh and all stops in bestwieen.
Everywhere they wenrt, the -Four
Freahmen aittraated m'ore 'and
more loyal -fans. But they were
still looking for ithart big break,
and it was not fiar off.
Perfoinmiing at (the Esquire
Lounge -in Dayton in 1^0, ith'ey
were uniaware (that they would
be -giving -the miosit impontanit
perforonjance of their career. For
(their ‘ibig Bre'ak’ was sitting in
'the audience in the person of
Stan Kenton, then touring the
country with his “Inniovations in
agin'artive anransemeants and ouit-
standinig mus(icians!hip thait it was
upon Ihis exaellietnit recomwnien'da-
tion -and sialesmanship that their
future was assured. Aifter com
pleting iflheir Esqiuire Lounge en
gagement, (the Four Freshmen
were on theiir way to a Capitol
Records -contract in Hollywood
anl national fame.
After cuttin-g (Bheir fdrsit -rec
ords for Capitol, the group per
formed (at Jerry Wald’s Studio
Club. The (result of thieir West
Coast night club debut was (an
appearance on the Steve Alien
television show and a piliace in
the MGM picture, “Rich, Yioung,
and Bi^tty.” Now 'they were as
sured of th'at gol’dlen lilttile voice
called fame.
By 1955, the Four Fresihmen
were formally established -as one
of 'the top laats in ^ow business
and since ithat (time, have re
mained one of the 'top. They
play at (the niation’s leadimg
night clubs and concert (halls;
and 'they have played 'at sudh
-places as 'the Crescendo, the Pal
ladium, and the Hdllywood Bowl.
They have also played at almost
every major college in the Unit
ed States, 'and 'at dozens of state
fairs and oonventdons. It is not
suiipi-ising to see (them named
“Best Vootal Group” tSiough it
thrill's -them every time it (hap
pens.
The versaitiHity of 'the Four
Freshmen is evident art; every one
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