March 17, 1970
The N. C. Essay
Page 3
Gl JYS 'N' DPI I S
ONE PERSON'S VIEW
This particular show is not one
with which I have fallen in love—
apparently however, the director has
and was able to demonstrate his
affection to a full house on Friday,
March 6’in the Drama Building.
As a whole the show lacked a
certain theatricality—possibly
because the stage area used does not
allow for a certain dramatic distance
between actors and audience. You
feel part of the show in the Bushel
and a Peak number at the silvery
bistro—The Hot Box—but somehow
this lessens rather than enhances
the effect. Maybe if it were possi
ble to call the waiter for a round of
drinhs before the floor show starts
it might restore some of the lost
magic.
For a multi-Toni award winning
musical, this show seems to have lost
some of its immediacy—Damon Runyon
wrote with a Dickensian eye for de
tail but somehow this is no longer
important. Stereo-typed mugs are no
longer funny...we laugh at differently
dressed foibles now.
This feeling of outdatedness
contributes to a large degree to
the show being overlong in many places.
As a museum piece it has something to
offer—being one of the first
"modern" multi-scene change shows.
But it distinctly lacks any communi
cation other than the rather contrived
relationships of Miss Adelaide and
Nathan Detroit; Obediah "Sky"
Masterson and Sergeant Sarah Bro^TO.
The former couple wages a constant
battle of motives, and the latter
maintains a saccharine "love-conquers-
all" romance.
Although more personal direction
was desperately needed in most seg
ments—choreography was rife. Duncan
Noble, who was responsible for both
chores of direction and choreography,
should be commended for attempting a
major work within the numerous time
and personnel limitations. He had
assembled a hard working, disci
plined cast, but not yet a group of
toughened musical comedy kids -
those performers seasoned by endless
summers of stock productions and win
ters of bus and truck companies—
spending their late summers and
early falls making the rounds at
auditions.
In short, a certain slickness in
performing was lacking—Guys and
Dolts is not a difficult show by
any standards and should look more
like a romp than a study in diction
and double tours en I'aire.
Individual performances were
competent but not outstanding
enough to mention—though all the
major characters were adequately
played and will increase in facility
with time. However, one young
ingenue whose uninspired character
ization completely lacked form and
energy, stands out as an exception
to the whole.
Musically the show was an off
and on thing for the minimum
orchestra assembled under the con
ducting of Marc Gottlieb. They are
not yet seasoned as pit players.
For the most part many made up in
volume what they lacked in wit and
expertise.
It is possible that in the
twenty years since its inception
American thought has changed so
radically that we can no longer
identify with the post-Depression
alliances of mobsters. The over
simplified relations give a Keystone
Cops flavor to the crowd scenes.
Maybe we have gotten too far removed
from a naivete necessary for some
theater excursions, or perhaps we
don't feel that such qualities are
necessary for an evening of theatfer
any longer.
Perhaps in another ten years Guys dnd
Dolls will either be a classic or
high camp.
U€RDV
THUflSDflV
Violetta Verdy, a principal dancer
of the New York City Ballet Company
and Mme. Eugenie Ouroussoq, director
of the School of American Ballet will
be at the school Thrusday, March 19
for the purpose of awarding the annual
Ford Foundation scholarships to stu
dents for the regular shhool term..
They will also see students who
are interested in attending summer
session at school of ^erican Ballet
for the purpose of awarding scholar
ships.
Miss Verdy starred in the film
Ballerina and later joined the Ballets
de Paris to create the role of the
Fiances in Le Loup. She has ap
peared with Festival Ballet, La
Scala, MilanBallet Rambert, and
the American Ballet Theatre. In
1958, she joined the American Ballet
Theatre and had a notable success in
the title role of Miss Julie. In
November, she appeared as a soloist
with the New York City Ballet,
proving herself adept in both
classical and dramatic roles. She
was expecially acclaimed for her deli
cate princess in Birgit Cullberg's
Media and for her bright comedy in
George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes
Now as a principal dancer with the
N.Y. Cidy Ballet Company, many cri
tics have acclaimed her as "one
of the greatest ballerinas in today's
dance world."
BELLA LGUUITZKV
TGflCHinG H6R6
The dance department is honored
to have Miss Bella Lewitzky come and
teach modern dance to the dancers.
For many years Miss Lewitzky danced
with the Lester Horton Dance Group.
The following article is from Dance
Perspectives, describing Horton's
feeling towards Bella Lewitzky as a
dancer.
"In 1934, Bella Lewitzky had
enrolled in Lester Horton's classes.
She came equipped with a fine body,
tremendous enthusiasm, and a
committment to dance that would prove
ideal for the association with Horton
which was to last for fifteen years.
Within less than a year of her
first appearance as a member of the
ensemble, she was dancing lead roles.
To understand just how valuable
Bella Lewitzky was to him, it is
necessary to understand some of
Horton's limitations and strengths.
Though an excellent performer, especi
ally in demi-character roles, Horton
was not well equipped for dancing.
He was stockily built with a long,
barrel-chested torso and short legs.
He also suffered from what he called
an "athletic heart." His endurance
and personal range of movement were
limited. Not so his imagination and
vision. He soon saw in Miss Lewitzky
the perfect instrument for the real
ization of his vision of dance.
Throughout his career as a
choreographer, it was characteristic
of him to indicate intentions to his
dancers, usually by moving in front
of them or calling out a movement.
Once they understood what he was
after, he built movements on their
individual abilities and potential.
Two of the dancers of this period were
especially capable of responding to
this type of demand - Brahm Van der
Berg and Bella Lewitzky. When she
was not able to satisfy Horton or her
self, she is known to have gone off
to a corner to work, sometimes for
hours, on a single phrase or portion
of a phrase. This determination and
unwillingness to accept limitations
led her to become a most extraordinary
virtuoso dancer. (At this time Bella
Lewitzky is still dancing with great
power and beauty).
After a few years of associa
tion with Horton, she was able not
only to move in the range that he
required, but instinctively to know
where a phrase was going once it had
been initiated. She became, in fact,
an extension of his choreographic in
tention. Later she was to be given
credit as co-choreographer on
several pieces.
(Cont. on page V)