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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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DAY, MAY2
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JOHN CHARLES WEICHER:
CUILTURE lBEAT
I
Conservative 'Tiger'
4> -~-________________
Ends Reign
Drama Season's Godot'
To Star Hyman, Hartman
By BRUCE COLE
Now that the summer months
are almost upon us, winter theatre
throughout the country is rapidly
closing its doors.
Spon, summer stock will blossom
forth in the cultural gardens of
America. Along with the conven-
tional summer stock productions
which are performed on the pros-
cenium-type stage, the theatre-
in-the-round will open its tents.
A relative newcomer to the
American scene, the arena theatre
will once again, as it did last year,
draw thousands of interested and
somewhat curious people.
View Many Benefits
There are many benefits to this
type theatre, For one thing it is
quite informal, thus the audience
need not get dressed up in the
sultry summer months, and also
as Drama Season Director John
O'Shaughnessy said, audiences are.
drawn to it because they feel a
closer relationship to the per-
formers as there is no proscenium
which often creates an "invisible
barrier."
Then again, the audience is freer
to use its imagination regarding
'the setting of a performance, since
elaborate flies and backdrops can-
not be used, otherwise people be-'
hind them would not see a thing.
However, as O'Shaughnessy cau-
tioned, only certain types of shows
can be performed in the theatre
in-the-round.
Attempt Elaborate Production
Several arena theatres lately
have been attempting to put on
very elaborate productions. A few,
including one in the Cleveland,
Ohio area, has put on opera.
Needless to say, the pageantry
was not effective and the beauty,
of the production was lost. How-
ever, the management is forging
ahead and will do the same thing
thing year.
Granted, it was a success at
first, and even the second time, if
based on attendance but how many
of those people going to the per-
formance (each one lasted from
one to two weeks) were merely
curious as to how a theatre-in-the-
round could perform such a thing?
Uses Modern Dress
One thing the Cleveland theatre
did was to set the action of the
opera in modern times and dress
the performers in modern clothes,
to appeal to the audience. The
management also created a mod-
ern plot to go with the opera.
One opera done this way was
"Tosca." Instead of setting the
opera in Rome of 1850, it was set
in a city in Russia in the 1950's.
Scarpia was a member of the Rus-
sian secret police and his job was
to catch Cavarodossi, an enemy of
the state. All characters were
dressed in modern clothes and
Tosca .wore a very modern evening
gown in the great scenes of the
opera.
It is something like this which
can harm a theatre-in-the-round.
Has Immense Possibilities
Possibly, the arena theatre is
a fad, but it has immense possi-
bilities if it learns its boundaries.
Only through the conscientious
discrimination of the arena the-
atre managers in picking produc-
tions will they bring in the crowds
which will appreciate this new
form of presentation rather than
being "just curious, who will want
to come back for more good fare
and who will build up this type
theatre in the eyes of all.
U 'U
-tlzm*
"'World, Flesh and Devil' is,
a film you must see . . . fas-
cinating, stimulating and con-
troversial!"
-Arthur Sooeth
pp,
DIAL NO 2-2513 Cleveland NE
EPEE TSLED
THERE IS NO PAST..TIME MUST BEGIN AGAIN... WITH lUST THESE THREE!
lews
By ELIZABETH ERSKINE
Daily Associate Personnel Director
"Some people have a foolish
way of not minding, or pretending
not to mind what they eat. For my
part, I mind my belly very studi-
ously and very carefully for I hold
that he who does not mind his
belly will hardly mind anything
else."
This quote from Boswell's John-
son sums up the philosophy of
John Charles Weicher, city editor
of The Michigan Daily. It was
tacked up on the ubiquitous bulle-
tin board by John's desk all year
long, where all who came for ad-
vice, assignments and help could
see it.
His natural predisposition to
eating is well known to all of his
associates, and sometimes causes
slight problems when ordering
food. For example, a late snack
(at 2 a.m.) consists of two orders
of french fries and a hot fudge
sundae (usually butterscotch, but
he "wasn't in the mood") and then
reordering, because he was not yet
full, a cheeseburger and a vanilla
malt. Waitresses wonder but they
never forget his order.
Learns Hard Way
To go along with his eating
habits there is always his cooking
specialty -french fried potatoes.
"I used to smoke up the house
every time I made them, because
I had the fat too hot, so they
would close all the doors and open
the windows. I learned to cook
them out of self defense-always
liked them so I figured that I
ought to be able to make them,"
he says.
Other cooking abilities? It is
questionable that John will ever
be a chef-he is forever asking his
roommate, Dan Wolter, "how do
you make canned peas?"
"Tiger" as he is aptly nick-
named has a special taste for
sherbet, and can easily down a half
gallon at one sitting. "Sherbet
and ice cream belong," he growls.
"Not to like ice cream is un-
American."
Never, Never Home
How was he as a roommate? "I
don't know how he was, I never
saw him," his roommate com-
mented, "but whenever there was
any food he ate it all."
As city editor "he was the best
in the last five years," Richard
Taub, Daily editor (who's Daily
memory stretches back just five
years), says. "He was never wrong,
except when I was right," he con-
tinued,
Staff members remember Tiger
as a real tiger for work, spending
most of his waking and sleeping
hours at The Daily. Assignment
sheets, crit sheets, advice to all,
stories to "fill the holes," and
generally running the newspaper
on the "inside" left little time for
his English honors and other
courses.
Though The Daily demanded
much, almost too much, of his
life, Tiger "would do it all over
again.
As a sophomore he transferred
from Colgate University, where he
was a member of Kappa Delta Rho
fraternity (his "fondest memory
of Colgate"), and came out for
The Daily because he was in-
terested in and always had been
on school newspapers.
"It took about two semesters for
it to sink in how much work there
was and by that time I was stuck.
Once I got working it was just one
18 hour day after another," he
grumbled.
Remembers Mistakes
He was then and still is more
interested in the internal aspects
of the newspaper as opposed to
student politics and outside con-
tacts.
"What I remember most about
i _ i
Tiger avidly checks baseball sta-I
tistics and stores them in his head
each day. He can tell you the very
latest in sports news at all times.
This, he claims, stems from the
summers he worked on baseball
statistics and on the Chicago
Tribune sports staff.
Carries Scars
As his right leg will verify, John
is not just a spectator -of sports.
Earlier this spring in a roaring
slide into second base while play-
ing on The Daily intra - mural
baseball team, he scraped most
of the skin from his leg. The scars
still remain.
Some of John's fans will remem-
ber him as the "best looking blond
Indian Michigamua ever tapped."
Michigamua, "good, clean fun" as
Tiger terms it, is worthwhile as
long as the members take an in-
terest in what the others are do-
ing. He feels that the most valu-
able thing about it is the contact
between groups, especially the ac-
tivities men and athletes.
John claims that he was not
always pessimistic. "Only since
1952," he said. It'smuch easier to
be pessimistic, then you're rarely
too disappointed. "I always have
been sunshine and light," he said
brightly.
Growls at Girl
A favorite story about John is
his comment to a girl who owed
him 50 cents. He growled, "No, no
don't give it to me. Keep it; you'll
feel miserable longer." But these
trivial things cannot compare with
his compensating features. He is
an adequate backrubber, Dick
Taub claims that he is the best
dishwasher in town and he has a
sharp but good quick wit.
"The real impact of his per-
sonality comes after you talk to
him. Later you think about what
he says and all of his qualities
come out," Selma Sawaya said.
As for the future - John will
continue, at least this summer,
with journalism, working on a
newsletter in Washington, D.C.
-Daily-Allan Winder
CONTEMPLATES TAFT- City Editor John Charles Weicher
presents a contrast to his companions (one being the author).
John has given up his penetrating "hurumph" for more social
By CAROL LEVENTEN
"Waiting for Godot," the third
production of the Drama Season,
will open at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow
in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.
Written by Samuel Beckett, it
stars Earl Hyman and Paul Hart-
man.
"Waiting for Godot" is a tragi-
comedy about a pair of tramps
who wander down a country road
looking and waiting for something
permanent to give their lives
meaning.
* s* *
"Summer of the 17th Doll," will
open June 1, starring Charles
Hohman. The last Drama Season
production, "The Happiest Mil-
lionaire," starring Conrad Nagel,
will be performed beginning June
8.
Drama Season productions will
be performed from Monday to
Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and at 2:30
p.m. on Thursday and Saturday
of the week they are scheduled to
appear. Tickets are available at
the Lydia Mendelssohn box office.
The Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
announced the following winners
at their awards dinner Friday
Organization
Notices
Congregational and Disciples Guild,
"Study Night," for final exams, May
24, 7 p.m., Guild House.
* * *
Graduate Outing Club, hiking, May
24, 2 p.m., meet in back of Rackham
(N. W. entrance).
Lutheran Stud. Assoc., annual Senior
Banquet - honoring those graduating
from the University May 24, 6 p.m.,
Luth Stud. Center, Forest and Hill.,
Mich. Christian Fellowship, May 24,
4 p.m., Lane Hall. Speaker: Keith Hunt,
"Have You Considered Him?"
Sigma Alpha Oota, Senior Farewell
Service, May 24, 2:30 p.m., Mrs. Flinn's
home. Rides leave League at 2 p.m.
night. Best Actress award went to
Estelle Ginn. '60, for her appear-
ance as "Maggie" in Tennessee
Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,
and Best Actor to Jerrold Sandler,
Grad., for his role as Willie in
"Death of a Salesman," by Arthur
Miller.
Best supporting performance
awards were given to Tom Leitn,
'60, for "Death of a Salesman,"
and to Mayme Walker, an Ann
Arbor resident, for "Visit to a
Small Planet."
The University Symphony Band,
conducted by Prof. William D.
Revelli, will present two concerts
this week.
The first, a solo-ensemble pro-
gram to be held at 4:15 p.m.
Monday in Hill Aud., will feature
instrumental solos with band ac-
companiment. Included among
others will be work for woodwinds,
brass and percussion, presented in
solo and ensemble, by Clarke, De-
bussy Rossini, Bozza, Prokofiev
and Weber.
The band will present a student
conducted laboratory concert at
4:15 p.m. Tuesday in Hill Aud.
Band members from Prof. Re-
velli's conducting class will con-
duct compositions by Bach, Pau-
Chet, Hoist, Gould, Wagner,
Cowell and Milhaud.
Both concerts are open to the
public free of charge.
* * *
The Ann Arbor Recorder Society
will give its annual Spring concert
at 8 p.m. Monday in the band
room of Ann Arbor High School.
Members will perform composi-
tion written for the recorder from
the 12th to 20th centuries, accom-
panied by violincello, flute and
piano.
The recorder is a medieval wood-
wind instrument-a favorite of
Henry VIII-and can be played
by amateurs with a minimum of
practice. It is equally adapted to
folk, popular, classic and Baroque
works.
Compositions by Perotin, Wil-
laet, Hilton, Metzger, Woelfi, Bach,
Rossi, Loeillet and Fasch will be
performed.
The concert is open to the pub-
lic without charge.
* * *-
Grethe Krogh Christensen will
give a public organ concert at 4:15
p.m. today in Hill Aud.
Miss Christensen, a guest organ-
ist from Denmark, will play com-
positions by Buxtehude, including
"Prelude and Fugue in D Major,"
"Toccata in F Major," "Three
Chorale Preludes," and "Chaconne
in E Minor."
After intermission she will play
"Three Chorale Preludes" by
Gade; "Passacaglia," by Videroe;
"Preludes" by Nielson; and "Te
Deum, Op. 56," by Moelier.
NEXT: "The Young Philadelphians" *
"FABULOUS ... TRIUMPHANT IN EVERY RESPECTS"
-Brooks Atkinson, N.Y. Times
"AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING!"
-N.Y. World Telegram & Sun.
"REMARKABLY FUNNY!"
-N.Y. Post
responses to stupid comments.
the past year, of course, were the
mistakes," he said with his usual
cheerful attitude. Of his three
year stint he remembers "the
whole junior year as pretty gruel-
ing."
Susan Holtzer said, "I'll re-
member John as the fastest head-
line writer The Michigan Daily
ever had. He can count a 3-30 in
his head." His amazing ability to
calculate the count of a headline
mentally almost before it was
written will long be remembered,
as will his fantastic memory, es-
pecially for the historical.
John-King or Pope?
Ask a question about the Kings
of England or the popes and he'll
tell you that "the last pope named
John was John XXII, 1249-1334,
whose real name was Jacques
d'Euse."
Or if any of you want to know
the middle name or initial of any
Senator just ask John, one staff
member said. Tiger says modestly
that he has lost much of this
ability since the last election, and
that he'd "probably miss 15 or so
now."
But much as he gets teased
about his photographic memory,
it, along with his bent for details
and eye for catching mistakes,
made John a top-notch city editor.
Meals Were Bonus
A bonus, that came with his job'
of city editor, was his association
with editor, Dick Taub. They had
innumerable meals and talks each
week-and still ended up friends.
John says that "95 per cent of
the time we were as close as two'
people can be and not be Siamese
twins." And Dick answers, "95
per cent of the time we got along
very well, the other five per cent
of the time we hated each other."
An ingrained part of his per-
sonality is his conservatism. In
politics John would stand the rest
of the senior editors arguing for
the "right" side. He remembers*
the 1952 convention when he
thought Taft should win the Re-
publican nomination, as one time
when he was really excited. (The
times he displays any real en-
thusiasm are few and far be-
tween.)
Knew Where To Go
"That was a mistake not elect-
;ng him," he declared authorita-
tively, "he was about the one man
who's been in politics with a
knowledge of where he is going
and practical ability, too."
He has always been interested
in politics, "in the Senate more
than anything else," he says. But
he has never taken any political
science courses because "he is
more interested in day to day hap-
penings than in theory."
"At the age of five," he remi-
nisced, "I was the only Republican
on the block of all Democrats. It
sort of started the whole thing"
Since then he has developed his
conservative ideas to the point
where John says, "I call myself
fascist half the time when I'm
kidding."
Speaks Seriously
Speaking seriously about con-
servatives he says that he feels
that they are pushing toward in-
dividual freedom, while the liberals
are heading toward a pretty tight
state controlled system.
Tiger feels that the University
is in trouble, "The dollars aren't
there to keep us at the top and it
doesn't look like they're going to
be for a while," he commented.
"The University is going to be
too blasted big," he says. "I have
a feeling its too blasted big now,
but you need ;a big place to get
faculty and a variety of outlooks."
Continuing in his pessimistic
way he says that Student Gov-
ernment Council is also heading
down rapidly. "Any changes I'd
make in the SGC plan would be
strengthening it and that is not
the way the wind is blowing," he
explained.
Violated Spirit
He feels that the Sigma Kappa
was in violation of the spirit and
letter of the SGC plan. Reversal
should not be based on whim or a
difference of opinion but like the
judicial system should be' based
on a review procedure. "But it
wasn't when the chips finally got
down," he commented.
His opinion of activities "de-
pends on the mood I'm in," he
said. "If I'm in a good mood I like
what I'm doing but if I'm in a
bad one I can think of a lot of
other things to do."
Had Other Courses
Did he have trouble combining
school and The Daily? Tiger feels
that one can handle English hon-
ors and The Daily provided he has
no other courses. Unfortunately,
he had other courses. "Honors is
a good program," he said. "The in-
structors are good people and it is
an advantage for 25 people to go
through two years of class to-
gether."
"My counseling at the Univer-I
sity was pretty good all the way
through, but I feel that I'm the
exception," he said.
Beside his work in honors, Ti-
ger's interest in Greek. stemming
from reading Aeschylus and Plato
in high school, stands out. He took
a year of Greek at Colgate and
continued it at the University in
his sophomore year. "For sheer
work there is nothing like Greek,"
he said.
Takes Grand Tour
Following his interest in Greek,
he spent almost a week in Greece
last summer as part of a 10 week
European visit. Athens, Vienna,
Brussels Fair and London were the
highlights of his trip. "I guess I
liked London because everybody;
spoke English," he commented.
Though a strong home town
rooter for the Chicago White Sox,
SGC Reading Program'
Called. 'Popular Choice'
By PEGGY GREENBERG
"An estimated 120 people have
enrolled already in the Summer
Reading and Discussion Program,"
Roger Seasonwein, '61., said.
The area of "A Discussion of Dr.
Zhivago" seems to be the most
popular choice of the students
who have asked that the reading
lists for the program be sent to
them, he added.
An entire week will be devoted
to the discussion part of the pro-
gram. On Sept. 28 a debate will1be
held on "The Relationship of God
to Culture," led by Prof. Kenneth
Boulding of the economics depart-
ment and Prof. Anatol Rapoport
of the Mental Health Institute.
Seminars Follow
Seminars will follow during the
week, discussing the reading done
during the summer in one of the
seven areas. All are concerned
with "Problems in American Cul-
ture," the theme of the program.
"The seminars and debates are
open to everyone on campus and
are arranged so that tley will be
interesting to all, whether or not
they have done the reading," Sea-
sonwein said
A second debate is planned for
the week. At present the topic has
been set for "Marx and Morality."
The Committee is "hoping to get
the sponsorship of 'the League for
a Hyde Park on the seminar and
its topics," Seasonwein said.
Bring Together
The program is designed to
bring the students and professors
together in a less restrained at-.
mosphere than the classroom. Its
purpose, is not to bring student
specialists, those majoring in one
of the fields covered in the pro-
gram, together with the professor
specialists, but rather to let the
non-departmental major have the
benefit of these specialists from a
not highly technical viewpoint.
The reading list itself will list
one book that is required for un-
derstanding the area and then
give supplementary readings with-
in that area for those interested
in going further into the topic.
Discuss Book
Prof. Leslie White of the an-
thropology department will dis-
cuss his book, "The Science of Cul-
ture." Other areas include "Social
Security and its Relation to a
Free Economy" to be led by Prof.
William Haber of the economics
department, "Journalism: Its So-
cial Relationships" to be led by
Carl Lindstrom, visiting lecturer
to the journalism department, and
"the Individual Within a Mass
Society."
Prof. Marvin Felheim of the
English department will be the
faculty leader for "A Discussion
of Dr. Zhivago." "Darwin's Influ-
ence on Culture" will be led by
Prof. Marston Bates of the zoology
department.
The B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation is pleased to an-
nounce its annual Honors Day and Installation of Offi-
cers at its building, 1429 Hill Street, this evening, May
24, at 7:30.
Prof. Herbert H. Paper of the Department of Near
Eastern Studies will deliver the address on the theme:
"Honor, Privilege and Opportunity."
The awards will be presented by Dr. Herman Ja-
cobs, Director of the Foundation.
Reception follows the program.
Everybody welcome.
i
11
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DALT O2-3136
STARTS TODAY
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