FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1952
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE
Opera's Past Recalled
By BOB APPLE
Way back in 1907 a group of University students got together,
formed an all-male club, and named it the Michigan Union.
To start this club on the road of financial stability the members
decided to produce an all-male musical comedy, and so the Union
1 Opera was born.
In 1908 the first show, "Michigenda," got under way at the new
Whitney Theatre. After this came "Culture" followed by "Koanza-
land" in 109, which left the University with 'the immortal song,
"College Days."{
* * * *
UNION OPERA WAS NOW becoming tradition and strengthenedf
its hold even more with "Contrary Mary" in 1913 when the first at-r
tempt of a road tour was made. Fdur more smash hits were produced
during the years 1914 to 1917..
So far all these shows were successfully played without- the .
use of women. However, in 1918 the United States went to war
and the male enrollment dropped sufficiently so that that year's .:....
musical, "Let's Go," employed women in the cast.
With things back to "normal" again in 1919, women were ig-}
nored in the production of "Come on Dad."
'* * * *
THE OPERA CONTINUED successfully through to 1930. In 1923
it played the New York Metropolitan Opera House, copping $8,500 with
"Cotton Stockings." Valentine Davies, who wrote the book, is now
jbetter known for his motion picture, "Miracle on 34th Street."
Opera road tours had off-the-scene humor as -well as that
displayed on the stage. In "Top 0' The Morning" of 1924, in;
which Tom Dewey starred, a waterfall set up on the stage soaked
the first four rows of the audience. 174
When "George Did It" was in Cincinnati one of the cast wandered -"- ......\= #
into a saloon across from the theatre and had 17 beers plus a few E n =<f }
"shots for the road." His part was played that night by the director. U
S* * * lhb7 / S*id~iA 94w .:
ON NEW YEAR'S EVE of 1929 the most costly Opera of them all
met with a howling blizzard in New York City. The show went on but
unfortunately there were more people on the stage than in the audi-
ence and the troupe left from the Empire City with empty pockets..
The Opera staggered through the following years trying
to make a comeback in 1934 by enlisting Sally Rand to assist with
the choreography. Miss Rand taught the cast how to please audi-
enebut "Grand Dm Fortune" wasn't impressed and the. ,
show folded the followin~g year.
H Back aa came the Opera i 1940 with All-American Tomy.
HrostreasJmy Roosevelt in "Four Out of Five," a title .
not exactly complimentary to University coeds with the toothpaste"
slogan, "Four out of five have it," the "It" being pyhorrhea. The
show bluntly stated that "Four out of five girls are beautiful; the}
fifth goes to Michigan."
ONCE AGAIN the company came to a halt after playing "Take A
Number" four days after Pearl Harbor.s
Seven long years elapsed before the Opera danced to its feet with
the opening of "Ffroggy Bottom in 1949. The show proved good enough
to draw sellout crowds for all four of its performances. Its excellence
was no accident but the product of two and a half years of hard
work by students determined to put the Opera back on its perch as
a leadin gcollege show.
Again after 20 years the Opera is upholding its old tradition of
taking a Christmas tour. The sight of male burlesque comedy, some.
times crude, sometimes corny, but always funny, has again captured
the fancy of Michigan students.
New Radio
Instruction
To Be Given
Class room instruction via the
airwaves, in the form of a Univer-
sity sponsored radio series on
Michigan historic personalities,
will be introduced this year in high
schools throughout the state.
The series, entitled "Name to
Remember" can be heard over
WUOM from 2 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
on Tuesdays.
Teachers in high school and
junio- high school classrooms can
tune in the show when their local
stations rebroadcast it.
THE SERIES opener which was
aired locally on Oct. 7, tells the
story of Etienne Brule a young
explorer who discovered Lake Sup-
erior and became the first white
man to enter what is now the state
of Michigan. The program is being
sent to outlying stations this week.
Mme. Cadillac, the first white
woman in Michigan, and Rene
Robert La Salle, a Frenchman
who explored southern Michigan,
will be featured in the second
and third programs of the series.
The idea of presenting a group
of broadcasts on local historical
figures grew out of a series on
American history which was given
limited distribution ,last year.
Teachers, who were using the
programs felt that the subject
material was too general and sug-
gested the present plan.
According to Prof. Waldo Ab-
bot, director of the Broadcasting
Service, the plan has created fav-
orable attention for the Univer-
sity in schools throughout the
state.
New Democratic
Center To Open
The Democratic party will open
its new Ypsilanti headquarters to-
morrow at 313 W. Michigan
Avenue.
An open house will be held at
the new headquarters tomorrow
night. Information on candidates,
issues and voting procedures will
be available.
Read and Use
Daily Classifieds
EIGHT LOCATIONS!
Music Students Hike All
Over Campus for Class
\I Do you need I
By CYNTHIA BOYES
If variety actually is the spice
of life the daily routine of a music
student at the, University is ex-
tremely well-seasoned.
Because of the limited facilities
of the music school' building, a
student taking a music school
course would probably find him-
self hiking to any one of eight dif-
ferent locations for a class.
* * *
FOR INSTANCE, if he wished
to consult someone in the admin-
istrative office of music.school or
make use of voice and instrument
practice studios, he would find
both of them in the old building
housing the School of Music which
was erected on Maynard Street in
1879. 1
His theory composition and
musicology class and possibly
music literature and string les-
sons would be housed in Burton
Memorial Tower, while his music
education and choir course,
would be held in Lane Hall, the
Student Religious Association
Bldg.
Students enrolled in opera, or-
gan or string instrument classes
would meet in Hill Auditorium
where they would also find some
practice facilities available. Since
Hill Auditorium was never orig-
inally built with practice rooms,
the choir dressing rooms have
been equipped with pianos and
music stands.
Literary college students taking
music literature courses now meet
in Angell Hjall Auditorium A,
while education majors taking
music education would find their
classes in University High School
or Eelementary School.
THE newly-completed basement
section of the Congregational
'K *,y"." x: .:y{y ;-s a r ".yv. a. e
Church now houses theory and
music education courses and is
also equipped with some practice
studios.
Finally, students in band or
orchestra or any part of the wind
instrument department would
meet at Harris Hall.
Public concerts sponsored by the
School of Music are held at Hill
Auditorium, Rackham lecture hall,
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre and
Architecture Auditorium, when
these halls are free from other
University activities.
Because of the need for more
complete facilities for practice, re-
hearsals, classes, concerts, listen-
ing rooms and libraries, the arch-
itects and consultants to the Uni-
versity on the development of the
North Campus, are now engaging
in a general study of the building
needs of the music school.
1"
t/-
Y-
w-
Y-
Po-
Por
Pledge Pins
Recognition Buttons
Initiation Badges
Stationary
Programs & Favors
Wall Skins
Paddles
Greeting Cards
Awards
Gifts
Personal Jewelry
Traditional Beer Mugs
Personalized Christ-
mas Cards
Visit our store or phone
for appointment
Bob Carlson
L. G. Balfour Co
1321 South University
Phone: 3-1733
I
"Home of the Official
"Michigan Ring"
r
weber's supper club
3715 JACKSON RD.
OLD ANN ARBOR ROOM SPECIALS
SERVED FROM 9 TO 12 P.M.
Greenport Oysters on Half Shell.. .80
Fresh Shrimp Cocktail. . ....... .50
Marinated Herring ...,,.. .,.........40
Oyster Stew ...... . .............60
Welsh Rarebit with Toast................1.00
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce & Grated Cheese. 1 .00
(Rolls and Butter)
NEW SHIPMENT
OF
HANDCARVED
FIGURES AND
MASKS
Special Club Steak Sandwich ........... .
(Open face on toast with Fr. Fries and Slaw)
Chicken a la King.................... .
(Served in Casserole with Fr. Fries)
French Fried Shrimps
(Served with Tartar Sauce, Rolls and Butter)
Hamburger Special...................
(With Fr. Fries and Cole Slaw)
All Steak Hamburger Sandwich......... .
Bar-B-Q Beef on Toasted Bun....... . ... .
Assorted Cheese and Crackers..... .. ...
1.75
1.25
.75
.90
.40
.35
.45
Empress Fancy Smoked Oysters with Crackers .45
FEATURING: WORLD'S FINEST
IMPORTED BEER ON TAP
INDIA ART SHOP
330 Maynard
L
- ....
I
MODERN DAY CHORUS-Last year's Opera cast learns to dance
in high heeled shoes. This chorus line represents the show's
contribution to Michigan beauty.
Union Fall Program Features
Ticket Resale,'U' Calendars
IN DAYS OF OLD-Typical "chorus girls" of the 1920's Union
Opera display the fashions of the day.
Although Not Listed
in Ithe Student Directory
VAN TYNE HOUSE OF S.Q.
wishes to announce that
it is still on Campus
i
ki
,
I
Union activities are in full swing
now, featuring many functions and
services.
Those who have submitted their
tickets for the Indiana game into
the Union for resale can pick up
their money at the student offices
between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily.
Charlie Peterson, world bil-
liard trick shot artist, will give
I
v
an exhibition of fancy billiard
shots Monday at the Union
pool room. Peterson will also
give instructions Monday
through Friday on appointment.
Five new Union office managers
have been appointed for the pres-
ent semester. They are: Stan Bohr-
Miller, '54; Richard Pinkerton,
'55; and Bert Shapero, '55.
i°
Are You Eligible?
DANCING
Friday and Saturday Nites
Dancing Saturday Afternoon
after the game.
Members
and Guests
314 E. Libgrty St.
DON BAILEY Ph. 2-3972
Your Singing Host CI.fL You Must Be 21
HALL RENTALS & .BANQUETS
. .w A &P
i
I
I I
'/
CLEANING
I HR.
SERVICE
(Cleaning While You
Wait)
GENERATION PROVIDES
AN OUTLET
FOR CREATIVE WORK IN
MUSIC
DRAMA
FICTION
ESSAY
M POETRY
hL
For The Fabrics of Today
Use the Cleaning Methods of Today
99C
DRESSES
plain
SUITS
COATS
SOC
SKIRTS
SHIRTS
SWEATERS
PANTS
ii
I
I
Ii