Curtain open on lively summer
By SHARON DUFF
Of the Emerald
Summer theater offerings in
and around the Eugene area will
be intense and varied during the
coming 1978 season. From Ash
land to Ed Ragozzino and Carni
val Theatre under the tent at the
University Theater the plays are a
mixture of traditional musicals, re
vivals of sold-out shows from past
seasons, drama and the highly
acclaimed Southern Oregon
Shakespearean productions.
Closer to home, the University
Theatre is preparing for its season
opening of / Do! I Do!, this Friday,
June 16 at 8:30 p.m. in the Robin
son Theatre.' The musical is di
rected by Horace Robinson, the
nationally acclaimed director and
guest artist at the theatre named
in his honor.
I Do! I Do! features John Flah
erty and Sue Pack Newbury in the
roles of the newly married couple.
The play follows their efforts to
make a success out of marriage in
the bittersweet, romantic in
tricacies of love.
Bruce MacDonald, musical di
rector for Carnival Theater, de
scribes the show as “traditional
Broadway,” with emphasis on a
catchy tune. He says the produc
tion is full of vitality and energy.
As musical director for Carnival,
MacDonald is responsible for the
artistic quality of the music as well
as rehearsing the orchestra for
each show.
Out of the remaining four shows
in the Carnival season — The Me
Nobody Knows, Thesmaphoria
zusae, Seascape, and The Rob
ber Bridegroom — three are mus
icals. Thesmaphoriazusae
(Thez-mo-foria-zoo-sigh) is a
greek comedy by Aristophanes
with original music and lyrics
composed by McDonald himself.
Robber Bridegroom is a coun
try western musical using banjos
and guitars, with a definite blue
grass sound. The other musical,
The Me Nobody Knows, is part of
the high school apprenticeship
program, featuring light rock
music, a la West Side Story, per
formed by a combo band.
The apprenticeship program
was designed by University
Chairperson Marya Bednerik to in
tegrate high school and junior high
school students into the theater
program. The students work four
weeks with their efforts culminat
ing in the production of the play.
They will be involved in all stages
of production, as well as learning
from the guest artists who will be
at the University doing other
shows.
Two children’s shows are also
on the Carnival bill this summer.
The Princess, The Poet and the
Little Gray Man, and The
Emperor's New Clothes. The
r
Princess, The Poet and the Little
Gray Man is being directed by
Joseph Robbinette, winner of the
Charlotte Chorpenning Cup for
achievement in children's theater.
A revival of The Fiddler On The
Roof is being planned at Lane
Community College for this July.
Edward Ragozzino's highly suc
cessful production was com
pletely sold-out when it ran for
three weeks in April. With most of
the cast returning to their roles, it
promises to be a highlight of the
summer.
Ragozzino will also be prepar
ing for his mid-November opening
of Pippin, the smash broadway
musical about the son of Char
lemagne. The rights to the show
were recently released, and as
much excitement rages around
what will probably be another
Ragozzino extravaganza as ac
companied his production of
Godspell.
Tickets for all these shows can
be obtained by calling the box of
fices at Lane Community College,
747-4559, University Theater,
686-4191, or the Shakespearean
Festival in Ashland, 482-4331.
Changes are being made at
Ashland this year, following a de
cision by the Festival Association
to combine the Stage I and Stage II
segments of production into one
extended season. With this ap
proach the entire season will run
from March through October with
538 performances instead of the
430 offered under the present
two-season schedule.
The festival also intends to hire
an additional eight or nine actors,
at no increase in ticket price. The
final production lists have not
been set for the new season,
which will begin next March. Until
then the Festival will continue with
its present Stage I out-door
schedule.
1
Emerald Photo
An eventful summer awaits theater-goers in the Eugene area this summer with seven performances
scheduled at the University, more in the community and the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland.
Shirts and Shorts
For You.
The Bookstore has a wide assortment of shirts and shorts to keep
you in the running and to keep you cool. We have shirts — T-shirts,
Jerseys, Sweatshirts, and more — in a variety of styles and colors.
Come in and see for yourself.
uo
BOOKSTORE
13th & Kincaid 686-4331 Open: Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30
N
Carnival
Theater
presents
the 1978
Summer Season.
I Do! I Do!
Bittersweet musical story of
marriage. June 16, 17,
21, 22, 23, 24
The Me Nobody Knows
Ghetto kids bring this musical
evocation of youth. July 12, 13,
14, 15
Seascape
Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize
winning comedy. June 30, July 1,
5, 6, 7, 8
Thesmophoriazusae
Laugh-laden-lampoon by comedy
master Aristophanes. July 19,
20, 21, 22
The Robber Bridegroom
A new, lively musical about a
gent and a robber all in one. July
27, 28, 29, August 2, 3, 4, 5
Season Tickets Now On Sale
***Five plays for the price of three***
If you buy our advance season-all five plays-you only pay for three and
receive reserved seating. A $20.00 value for $12.50. After June 21st,
all tickets will be $4.00 and seats will not be reserved.
Mark for each show:
I Do! I Do!
Seascape
Nobody Knows
Thesmophoria.
Robber
W_ Th_ F_ S DATE
W_ Th_ F_ S
W_ Th_ F_ S
W_ Th F S
W_ Th_ F_ S
# of season tickets__
Name
Phone
Cut out and send with check payable to Carnival Theater:
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.
Enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope
for ticket return.
For tickets and summer brochure call 686-4191