San Diego Junior Theatre’s 6th Season of Shows
The Fall Session started September 22, with Edythe Pirazzini, director of the San Diego Drama Guild, teaching after-school classes on Tuesday afternoons for teenagers. Charles Newman, director of Starlight Theater, taught Saturday morning classes for younger students starting September 19 at 9:30am. Additionally, William A. Roach taught a course in make-up technique.
In December 1953, Frank Crawford resigned as artistic director to take up television work in Hollywood. He had been appointed Southern California director of Children’s Theater, a national educational organization.
JT newcomer Jack Harrington took his place at the beginning of the new year. Harrington had been for several years special events director for the San Diego County Fair, managing its stage productions. The sixth season had four shows scheduled, featuring students from JT theatre classes, run by teaching artist Susan Reilly.
Winter Session classes began in February and included acting by Charles Newman, dance by Susan Reilly, acting for high-school students by Clare Murphy and Lucille de Waide, and creative dramatics by Dorothy Hicks.
Summer Session classes featured Creative Drama, an “informal fun course where students create their own dramatic fare,” taught by Lucille de Waide. Four production classes were taught by Betty Cunningham, Patricia Hansen and Clare Murphy. As in previous years, three traveling one-acts were presented by the younger students at city recreation centers and playgrounds in late July.
The season was sponsored in part by the San Diego Branch of the Association of American University Women, who also handled ticket sales and promotion for the season. Tickets were 85 cents for adults and 50 cents for children.
Past Shows
Marco Polo
Directed by Frank Crawford
Assisted by Marcia Saxman and Polly Chase
Written by Geraldine Brain Siks
Rip Van Winkle
Directed by Frank Crawford
Written by Grace Dorcas Ruthenburg
Choreographed by Susan Reilly
Musically Directed by Gene Bowers
Alice in Wonderland
Directed by Donna Woodruff
Assisted by Fred Bubenhofer
Based on the Stories by Lewis Carroll
The Indian Captive
Directed and Choreographed by Susan Reilly
Written by Charlotte B. Chorpenning
Happy Holiday Revue
Written and directed by Clare Murphy
Music by Betty Hayter Meads
Lyrics by Clare Murphy
1954 One-Act Plays
The Tinkle Button
By Kathryn Lace
The Magic Forest
Dramatized by Jane Barry Lambert and William M. Lambert
From the Book by Stewart Edward White
King Thrushbeard
By the Brothers Grimm
Directed by Clare Murphy, Patricia Hansen and Betty Cunningham
