Monday, December 1,1980 — THE VOICE — Page Five
‘^The R iver Niger
yy
A Review
mm
Sim'
A dramatic scene from “The River Niger.” Left to right: Perry Cozart, Curtis Sawyer, Robert Johnson,
Vonda Barnes, Mark Windley with gun and Elliott Moffitt in background. (Photo by Charles Mooney)
By Lillie Booth
“Their performances will
surprise a lot of people,” Elliott
Moffitt, FSU’s Drama Guild
Director, confided in me in
reference to his relatively
inexpeienced cast for “The
River Niger” recently.
“I guarantee that it’s going
to be extremely exciting and I
wouldn’t be surprised if mpst
people who see it would like to
see it again,” he further
commented.
Elliott Moffitt is a man of his
word. The cast of “The River
Niger” gave the Fayetteville
Community a sample of
professionalism that would rank
with any exceptional Broadway
production. Moffitt’s continu
ous demand for perfection
seemed to have paid off. The
audience, to say the least,
reaped the benefits of seeing
Fayetteville State University
students performing at such an
undreamed of level. Afterall,
most performances in the past
years have fairly gotten off the
ground primarily because stu
dents failed to commit them
selves to seeing a production
through. The professional that
Moffitt is, not following
through on a production would
be a total betrayal to the art
that he loves so well.
“The River Niger” deals
with a Black family living in
New York and the problems
they encounter. The play ran on
Broadway for more than two
years and was written by
Joseph Walker who teaches
Drama at Howard University.
With the exception of Sonya
Brown and Mark Windley, the
cast was relatively inexerienc-
ed. Clarence Howard who
played the role of John
Williams convincingly made the
audience see him as a
middle-aged man searching for
his battle ground. He walked
drunk. He walked tired. He
talked tired. But most of all he
died professionally. 1 felt
emotions rising in my throat
and it would have worked
beautifully, except on this
particular night he called a
character the wrong name. And
instead of crying, I giggled.
Even at that, no one can deny
that Clarence Howard dies
professionally.
Dr. Dudley Stanton played by
L. Craig Johnson doesn’t come
off quite as effectively as a
middle-aged man. He forgets
the slower pace at times and
appears more like the young
brisk man that he is
camouflaged behind greying
hair. However, “the old
monkey chaser,as John is
fond of calling him, does
effectively convey an air of
pessimism that’s certain to
spread as contagiously as a cold
if you stayed around him long
enough.
Everyone that saw the play is
still talking about Grandma
Wilhemina Brown alias Sonya
Brown. I can still hear Grandma
humming. I can still see
CompiM Popeibock Deslseiieis
1. Shogun, by James Clavell. (Dell, $3.50.) Englishman’s
adventures in 16th-century Japan: fiction.
2. Sophie’s Choice, by William Styron. (Bantam, $3.50.)
Star-crossed lovers and the nature of evil; fiction.
3. Still Life with Woodpedier, by Tom Robtiins. (Bantam,
$6.95.) A sort of a love story: fiction.
4. The Dead Zone, by Stephen King. (NAL/Signet, $3.50.)
Terror tale of a man who sees into the future: fiction.
5. Godei, Escher, Bach, by Douglas R. Hofstadter. (Vin
tage, $8.95.) Computer scientist's theory of reality.
6. Shibumi, by Trevanian. (Beillantine, $2.95.) Intrigues of
the perfect assassin sind perfect lover: fiction.
7. Memories of Another Day, by Harold Robbins. (Pocket,
$3.50.) Saga of Americein labor movement fiction.
8. A Woman of Substance, by Barbara Taylor Bradford.
(Avon, $2.95.) Successful woman & her children: fiction.
9. Texasl, by Dana F. Ross. (Bantam, $2.75.) Life in Texas
prior to statehood: fiction.
Workshop For North Carolina Women
December 5 is the application
deadline for a one-day work
shop in Raleigh, next April for
North Carolina women interest
ed in careers in science,
mathematics, engineering, and
social science.
The workshop will be at
Meredith College in Raleigh, on
April 4, 1981. Research
Triangle Institute (RTI) will
conduct the workshop under a
grant from the National Science
Foundation.
Applications to attend must
be received by December 5,
according to RTI workshop
director Carol Place.
About 250 women will be
selected, she said. They will
include unemployed and under
employed women scientists and
college senior and junior
women majoring in science.
mathematics, engineering, or
social science.
Postage-paid applications are
available from North Carolina
college and university offices of
continuing education or career
planning, or from RTI in the
Research Triangle Park.
Place said workshop sessions
' will be conducted by women
scientists from industry and
universities. Topics will include
job-seeking skills, career-family
conflicts, educational and ca
reer interruptions, financial aid,
advanced education, and career
opportunities in science.
There will be a five dollar
registration fee. Women wish
ing more information should
call Mary Ellen Taylor at
Research Triangle Institute,
919-541-6324.
Grandma sneaking a shot of
spirits. I can still hear Grandma
ranting on about how young
men and old men are still the
same. Still wanting them high
yellow women. Yes, I can still
see Grandma giving the
audience her best. And I can
still see the audience loving her
for it.
Elliott Moffitt joined the cast
in the role of A1 and gave the
audience a chance to see how a
real professional handles him
self. Moffitt skillfully played
the villain. The dialogue
between he and Perry Cozart
(Skeeter) was co-ordinated so ^
perfectly that one sympathizes
with Skeeter when he tries to
get A1 to give him “the stuff.”
Cozart expertly reveals to the
audience the world of a dope
addict.
Mark Windley as Jeff
Williams gives the audience a
performance that one would
have to see to appreciate. His
most memorable performance
was a monologue in which he
talks about “letting go of his
nigger toe.” The emotions he
stirred in the audience were
worthy of a standing ovation.
Other characters in the play
included Debra Williams as
Mattie Williams; Ann Vander-
guild as Sandi Dorn; Robert
Johnson as Mo; Curtis Sawyer
as Chips; Vonda Barnes as
Gail; and Billy Joe Betters as
Lt. Staples. Their performances
were also exceptionally done.
They proved to the audience
that any FSU student is capable
of producing a top-notch
production with disciplined
leadership.
Dr. Frank Whaley had the
opportunity to do what he does
best — design the set.
Although the set was limited to
a kitchen, living room, stairway
and a front door entrance, it
served the purpose well of
transforming the Bulter Little
Theatre stage to a world of
magic. Professionalism was
evident once you viewed the
set.
The support crew members
are to be commended also.
F. Marie Regan deserves an
applause. As assistant director.
I’m certain she worked many
long and hard hours along with
Moffitt to see that the
production would live up to his
guarantee.
I look forward to seeing other
outstanding productions by
Moffitt and Company.
10. Petsds on the Wind, by V. C. Andrews. (Pocket, $2.75.)
Children take revenge in horror sequel: fkSion.
Compiled by The Chmnicle of Higher Education from Infomiation
supplied by college stores throughout the country. Novemtw 5,1900.
Keuj & Recommcndcd
Kari Marx, an Intimate Biography; by Saul K. Padover.
(NAL/Mentor, $3.50.) Personal life of the philosopher and
political activist.
The 65th Tape, by Frank Ross. (Bantam, $2.50.) Intrigues of
diplomat turned security agent & uses and abuses of power.
The Year of the French, by Thomas Ranagan. (Pocket,
$3.75.) French to the aid of 18th-century Irish uprising.
Association of American Publishers
SOLUTION
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Wanted!
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Contact:
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