Crowd Previews Outdoor Musical In Sever Quad

Rehearsals for "Two Gentlemen of Verona," Harvard's first outdoor musical, drew large crowds yesterday at the Sever Quadrangle and provided a preview to the production, which will open May 5.

Producer Chris Stone '78 first conceived the idea for an outdoor show last May, he said yesterday, adding that the cast's morale received "two real boosts" when Galt Macdermot and John Guare, the composer and lyricist of the show, came to help with the production.

About 100 people are involved in the musical. Stone said yesterday many of the students involved has little previous stage experience but each had a particular talent and had been casted for either singing, acting or dancing.

Choreographers Wendy Takahisa '79 and Nancy Chang '76 have used no choreography from the original production. "Almost all of the chorus has has some dance," Takahisa said yesterday, adding those who have had less "have really come through."

Originally produced by Joseph Papp and the New York Shakespeare Festival, "Two Gentlemen" is sponsored jointly be the Office for the Arts, the Freshman Dean's Office and the Gilbert and Sullivan Players.

Judy Banks '79 plays Sylvia, the musical's female lead. "The biggest thing going for the show is the enthusiastic cast. It's been more fun than anything else," she said yesterday.

Tickets to the show are free and may be obtained at the Holyoke Center ticket office three days in advance. Performances will run until May 15.