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“The Glass
Menagerie
by Winnie Kennedy
The Winston-Salem State University’s
Drama Guild under the direction of Dr.
Fred Eady recently presented “The Glass
Menagerie,” a drama written by the late
Tennessee Williams.
The characters were Amanda Wingfield
played by Miriam Frazier and her two
children, Tom and Laura Wingfield played
by Blair Page and Sharon Edmond. Joseph
Bruinton played the part of Jim D.
O’Connor the gentleman caller who had a
small part at the conclusion of the play.
Amanda is a woman living in her
daydreams of past glories, which consisted
of many beaus and possibilities of marrying
and continuing her gentile Southern
lifestyle. She cannot face the reality of her
hopeless existence of dire poverty in the St.
Louis slums.
Deserted by her husband she has become
a frustrated, nagging woman driven by her
desire to push her children into succeeding
where she has failed. In this pushing she has
caused Tom to escape into alcohol and the
unrealistic world of the movies and shy,
crippled Laura has her illusions, she plays
with her glass animal collection and listens
to records day in and day out.
Hopes for the future comes with a
gentleman dinner guest. Amanda im
mediately sees him as a husband for Laura
and Tom would then be free of his obligation
as caretaker of his mother and sister.
This dream is shattered when Jim an
nounces he is engaged to be married. The
despair eventually pushes Tom to his limit
and he at last leaves his home, mother and
sister.
I was very impressed with Sharon Ed
mond’s portrayal of sad Laura. She did a
great job as the oppressed, crippled
daughter of an overbearing mother.
This was the third time I’ve had the
privilege of seeing Miriam Frazier on stage.
Miriam has great talent, but I suspect
there’s a bit of the comedian buried under
the dramatic roles I’ve seen her do. The role
of Amanda was a very demanding part and
she did it well. But I believe her flair for
comedy kept her from making Amanda th
true despairingly tragic figure which she
was. I hope someday to see Miriam in a
comedy just to see if my suspicions are cor
rect.
Along with the audience I enjoyed the
play very much. I have long been a fan ol
Tennessee Williams and enjoy the depth
and intensity of the characters he has
created. It’s always a pleasure to see one ol
his plays and my hat is off to the Drama
Guild for a tough job that was well done!
Congratulations
Creative Writing
Contest Winners
Poetry
L Benita Perry - “A Crowded Rain”
2. Cynthia Stivender - “Black Woman”
2. Michael Reid - “Growing Up”
3. Karen J. O’Linn - “Carnival Bells”
Fiction
1. Felecia Mosely - “Hmmm...”
2. Cheryl Lide - “The Learning Process in
Black-N-White”
3. Cynthia Stivender - “Blacker Than My
Hair”
Honorable Mention
Anthony Billings - short story - “Back From
WSSU’s Dance
Troupe Holds
Spring Recital
by Karla B. Barksdale
The WSSU Dance Group held its Annual
Spring Recital recently in the K.R. Williams
Auditorium.
The dancers performed a variety of selec
tions, one of which was dedicated to the late
Marvin Gaye.
Graduating senior, Pam Smith, danced
her final appearance with the dance troupe.
She danced to “Out Here On My Own.”
The members of the WSSU Modern Dancel
Class were guest performers for the even
ing. Two members of the class, Elliot
Lowery and Kim Williams performed a
duet.
A highlight of the evening was the presen
tation of a token of appreciation to the
group’s advisor, Mrs. Vivienne Conley. This
is the last year Mrs. Conley will advise the
group.
Lip Sync
Contest
by Mike Taylor
Lip Sync Contest
The News Argus’ “An Evening With The
Stars,” a Lip Sync Contest, was a big suc
cess on April 15, at the K.R. Williams
Auditorium.
There were nine acts which included: The
Time, who won 1st place; ($50.00); The
Gothom City Rockers, 2nd place ($25.00);
WSSU for Africa who won ($15.00) 3rd
place; The Supremes, The Mary Jane Girls,
Ready For The World, Run/DMC, Roxanne
Shantes & UTFO, and Jeffrey Osborne. The
music consisted of Soul, Top 40, Rap, and
Punk Funk.
The Time stole the show, with dance
routines taken from Prince’s “Purple
Rain” movie. Kent Beatty, the
choreographer for The Time, says that their
goals for the lipsync contest were "to win
1st & 2nd place, but he really didn’t think it
was possible.” “We decided to enter the
show because we already practiced our
dance routines for the Gothom City Club’s
show which was postponed,” explained
Beatty.
The members of The Time included: Kent
Beatty, Mike King, Chuck Bennett, Tony
McKay, Greg Gillis, Terry Brox, and Albert
Tapp, are all members the Gothom City
Club of WSSU, and they are all from Fayet
teville, N.C. The money they won was put in
the club treasury.
Deborah Sharpe, came up with the idea
for WSSU for Africa.
The news media was constantly talking
about the famine in Ethopia and the song,
“We Are The World,” was a hit.
Many of the participants in this group
dressed similar to the actual singers who
had specific parts in the song.
The New Argus would like to thank all of
the participants in their first lip sync con
test. They would also like to thank all of the
people who attended the program.
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The ••Gospel”performed by the WSSU Dancers.
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Congratulations
Lip Sync
Contest Winners!
Time
1st Place
Gotham City Rockers
2nd Place
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WSSU For Africa
3rd Place
From The News Argus Staff