One Acts: comedy and farce, short and sweet Those who like things short and sweet would have enjoyed the four one-act plays presented in Harding's Little Theatre, September 23. The "Four Vaudevilles," written by Russian playwrite Anton Chekov, were produced by students and members of the faculty. Selections included in the quartet of one-acts were titled "Marriage Proposal," "A Joke/' "The Brute," and "The Harmfulness of Tobacco." Director Charles Parker described "The Brute" as "a trivial little farce in the French style." It focused on a confrontation between a bill collector and a recently widowed woman. The bill collector, finding himself in love with the woman, asks her to marry him. Each of the other selections also included their own unique humor which was characteristic of many of Chekov's one acts. Produced to provide acting opportunities for those interested in theatre, the "Four Vaudevilles" were also presented in competition in little Rock and Fort Worth. As part of the Arkansas College Theatre Festival in Little Rock during December the performers were awarded an opportunity to present their work at the American College Theatre Festival in Fort Worth, February 7. Similar to one acts in their Inegth but different in acting style involved Reader's Theatre productions. This year Mollie Cox directed and acted in the Reader's Theatre piece, "P.S. '78." The selection predicts what public school will be like in the future. According to it, students will be mechanical in their response to their teachers , and likewise, the teachers will be mechanical in their presentation of material. "P.S. '78" also represented Harding in theatre competition at the Speech Communications Festival in Little Rock March 2. After presenting the production there, the cast performed in . chapel April 20, and later at the Ozark Interpretation Festival. 2. AS PART OF the first semester production "It All Started With Eve." Reso lorn portrays Josephine, the Wife of Napoleon. 3. NON-CELEBRATING at the time, Mrs . Merchutkin (Billie VerkJer) receives comfort /rom Shipuchin (Chuck Parker) during the one-act ''The Celebration" 4. SCORNFULL Y. Scott Cody looks at a fellow student who gave an unacceptable answer in the Reader's Theatre production "P. S. 78. " Plays ~ 21
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==