{"id":258,"date":"2020-08-19T14:49:09","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T18:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/?page_id=258"},"modified":"2020-08-19T14:49:10","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T18:49:10","slug":"1948-1949","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/1948-1949\/","title":{"rendered":"1948-1949"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

N. D. Dramatic Tradition Revitalized
As University Theater Plans Big Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “In a well-conceived attempt to rebuild tradition at Notre Dame,” the University appointed William J. Elsen director of of the University Theater on September 15, 1948. Elsen, an instructor in the Department of Speech, succeeded Rev. Matthew A. Coyle, C.S.C. who became assistant chaplain at Saint Mary’s College (Scholastic<\/em> 90:3, Oct. 8, 1948, 9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Play: Mediaeval Mystery<\/em>, a dramatic adaptation of the Annunciation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> anonymous (based on Karl Young’s edition)
Date:<\/strong> Monday, Oct. 25, 1948, 8:15 P.M.
Producing Organizations:<\/strong> Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Glee Clubs
Venue:<\/strong> Washington Hall

Artistic Staff<\/em>

Adapted for chorus and organ by:<\/strong> Father Joseph Gallagher

Cast<\/em>
featuring 50-60 singers, with a musical interlude on the organ and piano. Roles include:
Mary (soprano):<\/strong>Dorothy Biro
the Archangel Gabriel (tenor):<\/strong> Joseph Sarka
King Achaz (baritone):<\/strong> John Brocerick
Elizabeth, cousin of Mary (contralto):<\/strong> Evelyn Sabol
On the Podium:<\/strong> Father William McAuliffe, director of the Moreau Seminary Choir
At the Organ Console:<\/strong> Carl Mathes
On the Piano:<\/strong> Father Gallagher

Notes:<\/strong> We do not know how the organ was set up in Washington Hall.

Source:<\/strong> Scholastic<\/em> 90:5, Oct. 22, 1948, 10; 90:6, Oct. 29, 1948, 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Play: The Milky Way<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> Lynn Root and Harry Clark
Dates:<\/strong> November 28-December 2, 1948
Producing Organization:<\/strong> University Theatre
Venue:<\/strong> Washington Hall

Artistic Staff<\/em>

Director:<\/strong> Leonard Sommer

Cast List<\/em>

Spider:<\/strong> Louis Garripo
Speed McFarland:<\/strong> Dan Caulfield, Jack Powell
Anne Westley:<\/strong> Martha Jo Harper
Gabby Sloan:<\/strong> Ed Goerner
Burleigh Sullivan:<\/strong> Pat McAteer
Jane Sullivan:<\/strong> Agnes Anthony
Eddie:<\/strong> Richard Blume
Willard:<\/strong> Jack Keane
Wilbur Austin:<\/strong> James Beymer
Dog [quadruped]:<\/strong> a “beautiful St. Bernard that stopped the show twice”

Production Staff<\/em>

Stage Manager:<\/strong> James Beymer
Master Electrician:<\/strong> Robert Schmid
Properties:<\/strong> Leonard Costantini
Makeup Coordination:<\/strong> James Beymer
Program Cover and Posters:<\/strong> Charles O’Brien
Photography:<\/strong> James Ferstel
Business Manager:<\/strong> Edwin Kempf
Assistant Business Manager:<\/strong> William Doyle
Crew:<\/strong> Roger Vorce, Leo Stepanian, Lee Sheridan, Ed Jasta, Harry Oderman, Ed Kane
House Manager:<\/strong> Frank Finn
Head Ushers:<\/strong> The Blue Circle (founded in 1922 as the Boosters and named the Blue Circle by 1924, this service club was inactive 1931-46. See Scholastic<\/em> 90:3, Oct. 8, 1948, 16.

Notes:<\/strong>

Source:<\/strong> Scholastic<\/em> 90:10, Dec. 3, 1948, 20; Dome<\/em> 1949, 354; Program, University of Notre Dame Archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

A bill of three one-act plays<\/strong>
Dates:<\/strong> March 14, 15, 1949, 8:00 P.M.
Producing Organization:<\/strong> University Theatre
Venue:<\/strong> Washington Hall, with a new black velvet cyclorama curtain (replacing a twenty-five-year-old lavender backdrop<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artistic Staff<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director:<\/strong> Francis J. Hanley
Producer:<\/strong> William J. Elsen
Lighting and Special Effects:<\/strong> James Beymer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Play: The Rising of the Moon<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> Lady Gregory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast<\/em>Sergeant:<\/strong> Maurice Mahon
The Ragged Man:<\/strong> Jack Powell
Policeman B:<\/strong> James Maher
Policeman X:<\/strong> Donald Curran<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Play: Dust of the Road<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> Kenneth Sawyer Goodman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast<\/em>Peter Steele:<\/strong> Lawrence Lopina
Prudence Steele:<\/strong> Jean Richard
Old Man:<\/strong> James Carrig
Judas:<\/strong> Stephan Hauser<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Play: Monsignor’s Hour<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> Emmet Lavery<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast<\/em>Guide:<\/strong> Lou Garripo
Professor:<\/strong> Pat McAteer
Labor Leader:<\/strong> George Kashmer
Dowager:<\/strong> Jean Richard
Lawyer:<\/strong> Maurice Mahon
Artist:<\/strong> Helen Hearn
Gabriel Raphael Pagnani:<\/strong> Vernon Buckhart
Cardinal Perez:<\/strong> Lawrence Lopina
Monsignor Amato:<\/strong> James Beymer
“His Eminence”:<\/strong> Stephen Hauser
Rt. Rev. Monsignor Michael Carey:<\/strong> William Owen
Monks:<\/strong> Frank Malzone, Robert Nickodem
Swiss Guards:<\/strong> Richard Fitzgibbons, Leo Blaber<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notes:<\/strong>
Eugene Rossi painted The Key of Heaven<\/em> for this production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source:<\/strong> Program, University of Notre Dame Archives; Scholastic<\/em> 90:19, March 11, 1949, 9, 12; 90:20, March 18, 1949, 12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Play: Shadow and Substance<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/strong> Paul Vincent Carroll
Dates:<\/strong> May 11, 12, 13, 1949, 8:15 P.M.
Producing Organization:<\/strong> University Theatre
Venue:<\/strong> Washington Hall

Artistic Staff<\/em>

Director:<\/strong> Francis J. Hanley
Set Design:<\/strong> Francis J. Hanley

Cast List<\/em>

Brigid:<\/strong> June Anderson
Dermot F. O’Flingsley:<\/strong> Jack Powell
Thomasina Concannon:<\/strong> Mary Jo Cowger
Father Carr:<\/strong> Leo Blaber
Father Kirwan:<\/strong> James Maher
Rev. Thomas Canon Skerritt:<\/strong> Stephen Hauser
Miss Jemima Cooney:<\/strong> Jean Richard
Francis Ignatius O’Connor:<\/strong> William McShane
Martin Mullahone:<\/strong> Charles Perrin
Rosey Violet:<\/strong> Hildegarde Vargyas

Production Staff<\/em>

Assistant Director:<\/strong> James Beymer
Stage Manager:<\/strong> Pat McAteer
Set Construction & Painting:<\/strong> Francis J. Hanley
Costumes:<\/strong> Francis J. Hanley
House Manager:<\/strong> William Doyle
Head Ushers:<\/strong> Blue Circle

Notes

Source:<\/strong> Program, University of Notre Dame Archives; Scholastic<\/em> 90:26, May 13, 1949, 9; 90:27, May 20, 1949, 10; Dome<\/em> 1949, 339.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

last edited by Mark Pilkinton April 14, 2011<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

N. D. Dramatic Tradition RevitalizedAs University Theater Plans Big Year   “In a well-conceived attempt to rebuild tradition at Notre Dame,” the University appointed William J. Elsen director of of the University Theater on September 15, 1948. Elsen, an instructor in the Department of Speech, succeeded Rev. Matthew A. Coyle, C.S.C. who became assistant chaplain at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3793,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":-1948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-258","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3793"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":259,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258\/revisions\/259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/theatre-chronology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}