Photos by Nick Lacy
University group
goes on tour
for the USO
A group of University students will be leaving Friday to travel
through the Orient with the military. They haven’t enlisted or been
drafted, they are members of a USO tour.
Although visions of Bob Hope’s Christinas tour usually appear
with the mention of the USO, this tour is not quite the same. The
United Servicemen’s Organization sponsors several types of tours.
The current tour is a college tour. The USO selects universities
around the country who then prepare a show for touring. Every two
months during the year one of these groups leaves the U.S. for dif
ferent parts of the world
The University tour is different in several ways from the standard
college tour. Normally a full length musical and a variety show are
taken. The present tour involves only a variety show. Approximately
five hours of material have been prepared for the show. Since the
average show will run an hour and a half, the director will be able to
organize a multitude of different presentations. Not only will this
allow selecting the most appropriate material for the varied
audiences, but it also relieves the performers of the monotony of
constantly redoing the same show.
Another unique aspect of this tour was its method of selecting
company members. Normally the selected school prepares its
musical as a part of the regular theatre season. The cast of the show is
then cut to the appropriate touring number. Because the University
was not sending a musical, a new method of company selection had to
be developed.
After a long audition period, the director picked the first member.
The director and member number one met to select number two. As
each person was selected he became part of the group to choose the
remaining people. The entire process took a little over two months.
Horace Robinson is head of the tour. This will be his fifth tour, and
his second one to the Orient. Through his work, the University has
become on of the most active schools participating in the USO
program.
The company, who call themselves “The Celebrities ” will
possibly tour Japan. Okinawa, the Philippines. Guam, Korea and
Taiwan They will not know their exact itinerary until they make their
first stop in Korea.
The Celebrities” call their production, “A Summer Celebration”
and it is a true variety show Included in the show are all types of
music-from classical to rock and from solos to choral work Dancing
in the show will range from light soft shoe to modern interpretive
dance A number of dramatic and comic pieces will be presented as
well as several novelty items such as a musical saw.
Preparation for a tour is very different than for a normal show
The entertainers must be able to adjust to all kinds of acting areas
from large stages to the front end of a naval ship. The show must also
be very portable. The performers are allowed only 500 pounds of
"show luggage.” This amount was filled rapidly with costumes sound
equipment, sets, props and instruments.
Throughout the duration of the tour-June 22 to August 15~the
Kmerald will carry articles concerning the activities of the group and
the places that they visit
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