Sunday, December_ 12,.. 1971
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
THEATER PROGRAM
- fPTP: Entertaining 'U'
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impressive. She has staged such
operas as "Susannah", "L'His-
toire du Soldat" and "Mignon" for
the New York City Opera Com-
pany. For four years she was the
first woman director in network
television. "Studio One" was
among the programs she directed
for the Columbia Broadcasting
System. She set up the prize-win-
ning American performing arts
program at the Brussels Fair. In
addition to directing regional and
Off-Broadway theatres, she has
also acted on Broadway.
The Schnitzers arrived at Mich-
igan armed with a vision. At that
time, there was no university-
sponsored professional t h e a t r e
program in existence. Now, 10
years later, over 100 colleges and
universities offer such programs.
All are professional, each with its
tions to struggling young com-
panies already in existence and in
need of a home base and support.
As a result, The Association of
Producing Artists (APA) was in
residence on campus for eight sea-
sons under PTP sponsorship and
created many productions for
campus audiences prior to New
York successes. The PTP has
sponsored four other guest com-
panies. These include the Phoenix
Theatre which performs here an-
nually prior to New York; San
Francisco's American Conserva-
tory Theatre (ACT); the Strat-
ford Festival of Canada; and the
Actors Company, which originated
in Seattle.
In addition to visits by leading
companies, the PTP has brought
to the campus many outstanding
artists including Brian Bedford,
Tammy Grimes, Ruby Dee, Rose-
mary Harris,, Victor Buono, Sada
Broadway by the producer of "The
Effect of Gamma Rays on Man
in the Moon Marigolds" which
won thse 1971 Pulitzer Prize.
Additionally, PTP tours are sent
out each spring to remote areas of
the state, co-sponsored by t h e
Michigan Arts Council, to reach
rural audiences which never see
living theatre. These tours a r e
completely student-run, by the
PTP Fellowship Company.
One of the least known and
most important PTP projects are
the nine fellowships awarded an-
nually. Talented graduate students
are selected by national auditions
in the fields of acting, adminis-
tration, design and playwriting.
This project is designed to h e 1 p
bridge the gap between the aca-
demic and professional drama
worlds and has assisted more than
50 gifted graduate students.
c ic theater marks
42nd comm *t
By HANNAH MORRISON
"The greatest advantage of a
civic theatre is the resources avail-
able to it from the general com-
munity," 'says Carol Deniston,
chairman of Ann Arbor Civic The-
atre (A.A.C.T.).
In its forty-second season, the
theatre has mushroomed in terms
of membership, physical facilities
and artistic contributions.
It now offers four plays and two
musicals each year, in addition to
a summer worksshop program for
novices.
In 1962, A.A.C.T. moved into the
former Water Works warehouse
at 803 W. Washington, finding
classrooms and members' homes
inadequate for rehearsals and stor-;
age.
Founded by eight people from
Ann Arbor, the membership roster
numbers over 250 students and
permanent area residents.
Membership fluctuates through-
°out the year, as people interested
in working on a particular play
become active. Participation in at
payment of annual dues are re-
least one play each season and
quired.
Deniston estimates that over 400
people will have joined by mid-
April, when "Star-Spangled Girl,"
the final production, is presented.
Currently, A.A.C.T. is rehears-
ing the musical "Fiddler on the
Roof," adapted from the stories
of Sholom Aleichem. It will be
presented Dec. 15-19 at Lydia Me
delssohn Theatre. Director 'Steve
Wyman, a graduate student in th
University's speech department,i
working with the cast to bring ou
the Jewish atmosphere of the m
sical.
He says, "The actors definite
have talent and humor, but the
finest quality is a sense of excit
ment. Everyone's here voluntari
-not because they need this as;
cognate for a teaching certificat
which often happens in speech d
partment courses."
Other University students i
volved with "Fiddler" expre
similar feelings. Ed Pieczenik,
junior majoring in speech, co
trasts it to his previous'acting e
periences. He says, "It's more
matter of people getting togeth
and having a good time puttin
on a production. In the speech d4
partment, everything is inten
and serious."
Wendy Abend, a senior in t
Residential College, finds it a ne
experience to act with all ag
groups on a different stage.
"It's refreshing to get out of t
politics of a closed acaderi
field," adds Iris Hiskey, a seni
in the music school.
Deniston does not view A.A.C.
as a training ground for am
teurs. "Even though it's not pul
licized," she says, "patrons co
pare us to the professional co
panies that perform in Ann Arbo
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n msealguasities supp Moses Gunn, Helen Hayes, James spectrum of dramatic diversity for :
x" She stresses , ;;:hf imp..r:ance ff.byqFedera..:andpstate funds.:.vAs t,:s.udvn.stihare bt.eni.:,vrd..dr.h}:Ph r.nixtTheatre prn:Y:"re;i.nd
campusrequirements. t b .....s..T...-......n..h
rsnWhitmore, James Stewart, Cath- the 1971-72 season. The roster in-
y Sfce ritSO n Cisney forsees a time when leen Nesbitt, Will Geer and Cathy ludes the production of a new
there will be a National Theatre Burns. play by Danny Lpman, a 22 year Oh Christmas r e , oh Christmas re eR
composed of a network of major Thousands of high school stu- old PTP Fellow; special one-man
y We have to be at our best-and try regional theatre companies located dents throughout Michigan and shows by stars Siobhan McKenna
ato improve with each season. " at leading universities supported d hdh- g n g sa oh nmhne2- s__d---d
e Fhedsrescs tingposrtancefbjFderalastathpre furnds.Ashestudents have been afforded the Phoenix Theatre premiere; and, 55
is the play-selection committee to in- has said, "Before we can exporto a tit the debut of the new Juilliard Re-
frtesnryrnadlA meicand eror igar t hy h s to rttcptn.Ls erPP petoy n o m any, hily succsf-O~6
ut sure ticket sales. Because A.A.C.T. ian prorm ing that rical fare at special d i s - prory Ch as insMed
U- is a non-profit, self-sustainingdp- other nations we must first build counts ASohn Theatre - in addition to the
eration, it depends on the box up our wn resources. PTP also annually sponsors a Broadway and Off Broadway ser-
ly office for its existence. When the Schnitzers accepted playwright-in-residence project. A ies of touring attractions in thes
ir Dy iter roduction Hatcher's invitation they proceed- young author is selected from ta - Power Center.
;e costs as a major problem. "Five ed with some rather unorthodox ented applicants all over the coun- The PTP has journeyed quite a ~AEIASFRTCOC NTP EODR
ly years ago, $6000 was enough money methods. The University offered try and given a grant while writ- distance since its inception in tp
a for an entire season. This yearh to build a theatre for the new pro- ing a new original script on cam- 1961. From the time the Schnitz- S onylZ - solid state d
e, 'Fiddler' alone is costing us twice ject but they preferred to wait, pus. The play is then produced by ers came to Michigan until t h e N J ~uu~euuu
e- as much. For example, shingles rather than put money into bricks PTP with the author actively par- preent, they have created 'an infaue
for the scenery run a dollar a and mortar. They chose to first ticipating. Last year PTP play- novative and highly successful
board," she says. build a program, believing that a wright Dennis Reardon won a program which has transformed
This season's playbill includes structure to house it would follow Hopwood Award and his Michi- Ann Arbor into, according to the °
hgan-written'and PTP-produced New York Times, r..nt. one of the
n- Oor Fiddler," n INever Sang Nor did they form a new com- play, "Siamese Connections", will leading regional theatreducenters
ga "M irsalli e, hcsearednin i tim.sasn Ofin teUco ntry. ;W on nson as onrlwt
x- My Father" (March 1-4), "An- pany; instead they issued invita- be presented this
a tione" by Jean Anouilh (March br
r 22-25) "Star-Spangled Girl" (April - - -k tsrir- n-pri
12-15), and "Once Upon a Mat- .. *.. * ** *..*' ** " '**t. . d.. , :
tress," the final musical (May
Ts 70. ®rtial."
At the close of evey season, GIJTTIIUTUD4
he A.A.C.T.hosa wardsat
frbest actor -and actr ess, sup-
Sorting characters and minoi ole .E sound with sound 0 two vu meters
ge F or the first time, season ticket-. r . INoudSnToudRUpusMcntolwihToc
Sticipate in electing award winners. *t s
or m ber Silverman,an A.A.C.T.ud s a Ewalnutbase
r.ACaCEmpnisS hS RE aaiiy0tredgttp one
omeme says, "It'll make the LESS NS* vibration-free motor9'
awards more meaningful and im- "Y(* vertical or horizontal operation
T. partial."rInstruments
>a- A.A.C.T. is part of a state-Aider Fs
b- organization called the Civic The- N MADE REARE 13 0
(C.T.AM.)awich iclude simiareSo t Stte$1 95
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