THE HtCKMAN BINT3ERY, INC. N. MANckes.
Nrjrtli Carolina Wesleyan College Library
Rocky Mounts North CgroiinQ 27^1
U. s. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 217
Rocky Mount, N. C.
Non-Profit Organization
Special Greek Supplement Enclosed
»»i
VOLUME XVII, NUMBER 3
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11,1977
4 Review
/#
Mice" Leaves Mixed Emotions
By STEVE BRASWELL
Only the “shadow” knows
where it could be. It seems to
me that a stage no larger than
20 by 20 should be enforced
with as many instruments as
the New York City Ballet would
use for a production of the
“Nutcracker Suite,” and still
allow eerie shadows to creep
everywhere, including the foy
er.
Bill Medlin’s portrayal of
George, the realist, was most
refreshing. His acting wasn’t
like Fonda’s, but he carried the
show in the midst of seekers of
Dianoysis. Small of frame, it
was evident that he knew what
Steinbeck wanted: the state
ment rather than exposition.
He if anything underplayed,
but silent power is more
effective anyway. I’d pay for
the ticket to see him play cards
anyday. He was the show.
David Knotts as Lenny must
be related to Don Knotts. His
Lenny was not up to the
helplessness that the role
I requires. I could not identify
; with him. His costume was not
in the least representative of'
the period or the character; not
that his costume made any
difference. Why should I waste
my time?
Ken Rogers as Candy needed
a brogue. His limp didn’t
develop until the second act.
The role needed to be played
n
■
with more chutzpah. Neverthe
less, Ken gave us the general
impression of the dreamer and
the Don Quixote in everyone.
He did not, however, need to
continually g^ive the mamby
stares with the pamby arm.
Curly, alias the Rhinestone
Cowboy was funny. Played by
Mark James, he should have
waited for another show to
appear Roy Rogers in search of
Trigger. He needs work in basic
movement: away from the
theatre.
Curly’s wife, played by Susie
Williams, needs to pick up the
tempo. As the only woman in
an all male show she should
glisten; rather she comes
across tarnished. She perhaps
has the only opportunity to
emote and play the role. She
doesn’t. She is a Americana, too
often thought of as glamourous
and sterile, quickened John
Steinbeck. “Of Mice and Men”
was one of his contributions to
the already vulgar paradox of
American history. His dealings
with the cliched American
Dream usually focuses on the
American Tragedy, and from
the acute dregs of gutter talk
comes a beautiful slice of apple
pie. Somehow, Steinbeck has
the ability to let us become
aware of people rather than
universality of “ism.”
N. C. Wesleyan College’s*
production of “Of Mice and
Men” is a combination of Agnes
DeMille’s “Rodeo,” “The Walt
ons,” and Cooke’s “America.”
The play is material for a
superior company and should’nt
be abused. Due to the nature of
the play (absolutes) one cannot
be confused by aesthetics,
although many human emotions
are presented. One must take it
for what it is: a statement, a
fact, an actual working of the
problem, rather than a postu
late. Wesleyan’s director, John
Tobinski evidently thought that
his life was at stake. His
presentation was fraught with
mamby-pamby stares into
space signifying poignant re
minders that we are all like
George and Lenny and share
the same desires as those in the
ever popular bunk house, (the
place where bunk is exchang
ed). I happened to know that all
people have much in common
before buying the ticket. His
blocking was a great deal like a
double helix raging away into
space with no apparent inten
tion, and certainly no motive or
purpose for existing in the first
place.
Donald Williams, the techni
cal director, who also played
“The Boss” deserves some
credit for his effort at verisimi
litude. Although his acting is
reminiscent of Liberace, his
concept for the set was visually
pleasant. His talent for lighting
design has been lost. Caricature
of Mae West.
Slim, played by Roy Crim
shouldn’t be discussed.
Carlson, played by Jeff Acree
is a perfect foil for Bill Medlin.
He was believable. Type
casting.
Steven Bryant, playing Whit
was lost in this production.
Pat Cook, who played Crooks
needed more stage direction,
but was believable.
74 Students On NCWC Dean's List
Seventy-four students have
been named on the academic
achievement lists at N. C.
Wesleyan College for the fall
term. Twenty-eight of these
being from the Nash-Edge-
combe area.
Fourteen of the area stu
dents have been named to the
Dean’s Honor List which is a
recognition of academic distinc
tion and the highest honor a
student at Wesleyan - can
achieve. Inclusion on the Dean’s
Honor List ranks a student in
the upper five per cent of the
Wesleyan student body. Re
quirements include a minimum
of 12 semester hours of which
75 per cent must be graded “A”
and 25 per cent “B.”
Named to the Dean’s Honor
List from Nash and Edgecombe
counties are: Mrs. Sarah
Adcox, Battleboro; Willie H.
Cockrell, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Elbert H. Cockrell Sr., Rocky
Mount; Mrs. Barbara Cristan,
Battleboro: Miss Jo Anne
Dorsett, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Franklin R. Dorsett,
Rocky Mount; Miss Laura E.
Forsythe, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. John A. Forsythe, Rocky
Mount; Frederick A. Frohbose,
son of Dr. and Mrs. W. J.
Frohbose, Rocky Mount; Miss
Amelia Johnson, daughter of
Dr. and Mrs. Allen S. Johnson,
Rocky Mount; Mrs. Sarah K.
Kittner, Weldon; Mrs. Koral R.
Lewis, Whitakers; Mrs. Lucy
Smith, Rocky Mount; Miss
Beverly R. Stoner, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. John K. Stoner,
Battleboro; Horace F. Ward,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie F.
Ward, Rocky Mount; Miss
Pamefa S. Watson, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Donald R.
Watson, Rocky Mount; Mrs.
Anne B. Wilson, Rocky Mount;
Rev. James E. Drake, Hob-
good.
Fourteen area students have
been named on the Dean’s List
which ranks a student in the
upper 15 per cent of the student
body. To qualify for the Dean’s
List, a student must carry 10
semester hours, and at least 50
per cent must be graded “A”
with no g^ade below a “B.”
Nash and Edgecombe stu
dents on the Dean’s List are:
Miss Leannette Bishop,
daughter of Dr. and Mrs. L. L.
Bishop, Rocky Mount; Mrs.
Ethel Brake, Nashville; Miss
Barbara C. Campbell, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. W. G.
Carpenter, Rocky Mount; Miss
Teresa L. Cook, daughter of
Mrs. Nellie Louise Cook,
Nashville; Mrs. Jeanette B.
Cooper, Battleboro; Mrs. Bev
erly C. Gelo, Rocky Mount;
Mrs. Mary P. Gilbert, Rocky
Mount; Clifton E. Hinton, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Elvin L. Hinton,
Nashville; Miss Mary S. Powell,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar
D. Powell, Rocky Mount;
Thomas H. Smith III, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas H. Smith Jr.,
Rocky Mount; Stanley J.
Stroud, Rocky Mount; Bob A.
Unrue, Rocky Mount; Michael
E. Weatherford, son of Mr. and
Mrs. William H. Weatherford,
Rocky Mount; Mrs. Sheila
Hines Whitehurst, Enfield.
Other students named were:
Dean’s List — Gregory Allen,
James Allen, Melody Begley,
Connie Bryan, William Buchan
an, Theo Ejim, Ronald Ferrell
Paula Frazier, Robert Friese
Jeffrey Garrett, Kevin Gaydos
Michael Haskins, Homei
Hayes, Pamela Hudson, Melin
da Hux, Dana Linder, Eleanor
Maynard, Winston Moss, Cyn
thia Powers, Ellis Price, Alicc
Rogers, Robert Seay, Ralph
Strickland, Walter Sykes, Mar
vin Tyson, Dana Wade and
Debby Williams.
Dean’s Honor List — Jea
Alston, Vickie Brickhouse, Jc
seph Burdette, Alyce Carter
Kathy Collins, Betty Daviy
Thomas Tollett, George Great
rex, James Harris, James
Hembree, Connie Henderson,
Ronald Hess, Vickie Mitchelh
William Rawlins, Carol Reid,
Sally Smith, Teresa Taylor,
Rebecca Walker.