New Student Theatre Organization To Present Weekly Summer Plays

A newly-formed non-Equity dramatic company will present a series of theatrical productions this summer. The organization will use the Pi Eta Theatre, which will be air-conditioned, for an eight or nine week period.

John van Itallie '58, director of the current production I Am a Camera, will direct the summer's productions. The producer will be Victor N. Claman '58, former president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Players. Mark J. Mirsky '61, assistant producer, Peter B. Salisbury '58, lighting director, and William H. Batchelder '60, technical director, are also on the staff.

Claman expects that about half of the company will come from College theatre groups. He stated that the technical staff is almost complete, and the basic acting company will probably be announced in a week.

Possible Permanent Company

However, the company will be looking for extra actors and technicians throughout the summer, Claman noted. If the theatre succeeds financially, its backers hope to turn it into a permanent repertory company.

The Players intend to produce their first show about July 1, and will plan a new play weekly for eight or nine weeks. "If a show is a success," Claman asserted, "we'll probably hold it over."

Director van Itallie plans to aim his productions at a broad audience, and hopes to produce established works of various types. As possible playwrights, he listed Shakespeare, Jean Anouilh, and Ugo Betti, and musical writers Noel Coward and Kurt Weil. Special admission prices will be given to students.