N.C. ESSAY - PAGE 3
Features ...
The Que Inside NCSA
II
Innocents Abroad
By KATHLEEN FITZGERALD
From the point where last
week’s article left off the ac
tivities of the various company
members varied so this second
portion will be a rather more
personal account of the tour.
Tuesday, August 11th -1 awoke at
6:30 (because the bell in the
neighboring tower had just
chimed nine times) to discover
that my roomate Sharon Filone,
and I had contracted a disease
which thereafter ran rampant
through the company. The
symptoms were loss of voice,
fever and chills, and the overall
sensation that death was im
minent. There was no doubt. It
was the Plague. It was only a
matter of time before the ap
pearance of running boils in the
groin and armpits. At any rate,
we arose to face what little future
might remain to us and boarded
the bus for Porto Venere.
The sight of the performance
was incredibly beautiful. Off
stage left, rose a castle, the home
of Byron for a time. Off stage
right was an old stone wall. The
narrow windows in the wall
looked out on a sheer drop down
to the Mediterranean Sea. Bet
ween rehearsals and the per
formance we had time for a short
swim along the rocky coast and to
explore the tiny medieval town.
Duncan Noble purchased a
unique yellow sunhat.
The performance, on our first
raked stage, was well received.
“Adagio for 10 and 2” was par
ticularity beautiful with the
sound of the waves against the
wall mingling with the music and
the light sea breeze moving the
girls soft-skirted costumes. We
returned to La ^>ezia to prepare
for the next day's travel.
II
Parts
By A. Marsh
a
Signor Duncan
Wednesday, August 12th - We left
La Spezia for Asolo, the home
base of the previous sununer’s
tour. We were housed in the Villa
Freya, a spacious old relic with
wrought iron balconies, window
seats, sprawling gardens and a
marble bathtub shaped like a
seashell with a full-length mirror
in front of it. Unfortunately there
was never any hot water but we
discovered that by hollering at
the top of our voices we could
counteract the icy water
somewhat. There were also those
who simply did not bathe for
three days. We retired late that
evening after dining together at
the Due Mori where we
exhausted their entire stock of
Coca Cola at one sitting.
Thursday, August 13th - After the
floor had been laid we rehearsed
on stage in the hilltop castle of
Castella Regina. Some of the
company went to Venice that
afternoon while others of us
- ---I
Gardens in Asolo
remained at the Villa in the
gardens to play with the ancient
but savage, asthmatic duck
which appeared to own most of
the Villa’s grounds. Having
missed the last bus, Rodney
Winfield was forced to spend the
night on a park bench in Venice.
Friday, August 14th - We
rehearsed and performed on the
somewhat moisture-warped
stage. The audience was small
but appreciative. After the
performance we had a spaghetti
dinner at the Cipriani Hotel and
lingered awhile at the Bar
Centrale in the town square.
Rain began to fall late that
night and in the ensuing storm
Sharon Filone was almost
strangled in the legs of her
wind tossed unitard before Jody
Ivanov awoke to rescue her by
closing the window.
Saturday, Au|^st 15th - Word
reached the Villa that morning
that due to the previous night’s
deluge and the promise of more
rain to come, the performance
for that evening had been can
celled. Several company
members immediately left to
visit the Eleanora Dusa Villa and
others began to strike the lighting
equipment and the soggy floor.
We ^ould have known. The sky
cleared and word went out that
there would be a performance.
The company was gradually
gathered up and in less than an
hour or two the lights had been
set up again with the help of the
entire company who scaled and
scrambled around on the walls
around the stage to lay cable as
fast as Duncan Noble could un
tangle it. The performance went
very well even though the foam
rubber walkway leading to the
stage was still so wet as to
destroy any semblance of hard
ness in our toe-shoes.
August, 16th - We left early in the
morning for Siena, five hours
away. Because of the Paglio, the
annual medieval festival and
horse race, we had to wait outside
the city to get a permit for the bus
to enter so that we would not have
to lug the by now noxious
costume bags for ten blocks to the
hotel. The Hotel Canon d’Oro was
a maze of hallways and stair
cases, so it took us some time to
get settled.
Don’t miss the continuation of
this next issue wherein I shall
relate the beauties of the Paglio
and the events of the night when
the bus driver apparently went
mad.
Auntie Climaxe darted from
her vinyl-paved seat and flung
open the Sun Room door.
“Dear Sister Millicent,” she
grinningly greeted, “do enter!”
The raven-clad nun, her holy
jewelry clacking together like
crisp bones, did as was bade her
and shook hands with me. Her
grasp was moist, delicate, icy. I
withdrew back into my com
fortable chair. My auntie
IH'epared a paper plate of com
chips (barbecue'-style) and pickle
slices (d^). As Soeur Millicent
munched away with restrained
vigor. Auntie described my work
at the newspaper with the pride
of a devoted mater....the listener
nodding to show us she was at
tentive.
Finally, the old dowager turned
to me.
“Colin, dear, go fetch my
cigarettes. They are on my
dressing table upstairs. Oh, and
catch the matches whilst you’re
about it, won’t you?” I assented
and made an e:dt. Suddenly, just
as I seemed to be out of earshot,
the spinster and the nun began
talking with a low tone, obviouisly
about something important. I
was indubitably curious but went
to get the smokes like I was
requested.
The upper floors of the manor
were as twisted and moody as the
lower. Staircases, sm^ and
winding, were everywhere. I had
pictured those items from
Auntie’s quaintly-dressed
chamber and was in the process
of investigating the ends of the
stairs. Some 1^ to empty dark
rooms and some to doors that
seemed forever locked.
One particularly intriguing
staircase was covered in maroon
carpeting, filled with clots of
beige dust and brittle spider
silk. I mounted the ancient steps,
my shoes soaked into the thick
rug. The walls surrounding the
twisted passage where smooth
and warm, sometimes bedecked
with a worn-out tapestry or a
faded Victorian lithograph. The
mysterious flight continued on
and I frequently came upon the
strangest assortment of objects
d’art that ever I had visualized.
Ceramic beasts and weired tissue
paper plants. Photographs of
severed heads (French kings and
Scottish queens). Stills from
horror cinemas (Dr, X starring
Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill and
Jungle Woman with Evelyn
Ankers). Winged creatures of
assorted hues, dehydrated under
glass.
At last this cabalistic stair
terminated. An open doorway
revealed a small room, filled wiOi
grimy illuminescence. A long
hallway with polychromatic
doors stretched far beyond this.
I had just moved forward into
this hidden cloister when a sharp
voice cried “Stop! Don’t enter
there!”
I whirled about to behold my
Auntie Climaxe, pointing a
gnarled finger at me, her eyes
shimmering with fear and fury!
To Be Continued Y’all
Public Relations
Dirk Dawson has sometimes been called “Mr. NCSA," probably
because he is reminiscent of the rider who jumped on his horse and
rode off in all directions. He is the man who makes publicity happen at
the school. But toere are, in fact, a number of people who are also
involved in public relations in a variety of capacities.
The Public Relations Department falls under the jurisdiction of
Roger Hall as Elxecutive Director of the school. He holds weekly staff
meetings, makes dozens of (rfione calls, deals directly with the more
prestigBous contacts that are made on behalf of the school and per
sonally approves every piece of publicity and advertising that leaves
campus.
Donna Jean Dreyer, who also advised the Essay, is the staff writer
and does the actual writing of press releases and some of the material
appearing on programs. These press releases are sent to a national
and a state mailing list, in addition to local and state newspapers.
They take the place of a regular newsletter and keep interested people
informed about the school.
The Piedmont Players is an off-shoot of the school and consists of
faculty and student performing units and soloists. E^mil Simonel is the
booking agent for the Players and, in this capacity, is also involved in
public relations.
Elizabeth Trotman has served in many different jobs relating to
publicity. At present, she is working with Roger Hall on the fund drive.
However, because of her past experience, she is frequently pressed
into service during busy times to assist in the public relations chores.
Bill Beck, in addition to his teaching responsibilities, is the official
photographer and is charged with producing publicity pictures.
The deans are also involved, because it is Ae responsibility of each
dean to handle the details of production publicity within his own
department. This is a channel-type function in which the dean funnels
information to Dirk Dawson,co-operates in scheduling radio and TV
spots and consults on posters and other arrangements.
Lois Dull and Irene Nolte, secretaries in the Foundation office, are
responsible for placing all the dozens of phone calls, for the
bookkeeping chores and for the typing of releases.
But it is Dick Dawson who makes it all come together. Operating
without a secretary, he is responsible for the carrying out of all
publicity. He designs ads for recruiting and for advertising events; he
also designs posters and brochures when no one else is available to do
so.
Dawson is the man who shows people around campus, a time con
suming job of personal public relations. He arranges for the local
press and TV to interview visiting dignitaries, faculty members and
student performers. He is responsible for all mailings, which will now
be greatly facilitated by the new mechanized mail room, which
Dawson, himself, designed.
Once posters and programs are ready for the printer, he delivers
them, reads the proof and arranges for the work-study students
assisting him to distribute posters and hand out programs. He meets
visiting dignitaries at the airport, arranges hotel reservations and
receptions. Last but not least, he shows up at all performances to
carry on the essential job of meeting in person, the public he is forever
trying to reach.
Photo by Barcelona
Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Artom of the Foreign
language department and Mrs. Johnston of the English
department, who assisted as part of a beautification program
at N.C,S.A., Saturday October 24th.
SPOTLIGHT: Ward Resur
By HR YON TIDWELL
Where might Ward Resur,
instructor in the school of design
and production, be found on
week-ends? Designing sets in the
^op. lighting a set in the
theatre? How about a cave.
Resur considers cave exploration
a second profession.
He became interested in
spelunking while pledging a
fraternity at Indiana University.
Resur and a friend were going to
release a bevy of bats in his
fraternity house in order to
“raise a little hell.” But while in a
cave to catch the bats, Resur
became more interested in the
underground formations than he
was in catching bats. He’s been
going back ever since.
While spelunking, Resur has
discovered over 100 caves. He has
found these on the Cumberland
platau; but he said, “Anywhere
you find limestone, you’ll find a
cave. That’s nearly anywhere in
the world.” Resur plans to make
a documentary film on caves
from his experiences.
And he has had several in
teresting experiences. Besides
getting ‘hung up” in caves
sever^ times, and finding his
way out by the light of a
cigarette, he once came face to
face with a copper-head when
crawling through a narrow
opening. Stiakes don't have to be
a problem, though. Resur said all
one needs is a good sense of
smell. “Copperheads smell like
cucumbers, and rattlesnakes
smell like mountain goats or a
nest of angry wasps.”
This can lead to problems,
though. At one time he had dif
ficulty coaxing his companions
out of a cave when he was eating
cucumbers.
So NCSA can safely say they
have an “underground” in
structor,
literally.