Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 1983, Page 30

Description:	From Dogpatch, U.S.A., to WonderlandThis year there were two successfulproductions at Theatre South during second semester: Alice in Wonderland andthe musical Lil Abner.Lil Abner is based on the comic stripLil Abner. Both the comic strip andthe musical involve political satire. Themusical takes place in Dogpatch, U.S.A.,which is under a threat of exterminationby the government. The town looksdoomed until Mammy sets the citizens ofDogpatch searching for somethingnecessary about Dogpatch.Background to all of this is Daisy Maeswooing of Lil Abner.Theatre South director Mary Foresterexplained that some of the reasons forchoosing Lil Abner were that wewanted a show that would be known byTOP LEFT: Mammy Yokum (juniorJeannette Hammersley) sews upthe pants of Pappy Yokum(freshman John Matthew).TOP RIGHT: Dogpatchers JasonBaxendale, senior; LeighParmenter, sophomore; and RickPowell, senior, show somethingnecessary to Dr. Finsdale, playedby senior Steve Ragatz.BOTTOM: The Queen of Hearts(senior Vicki Zore) talks to a timidAlice (sophomore Patricia Davies).the public, have a large cast, be relatively inexpensive to produce, and enable usto use student instrumental musicians.One unusual factor about Lil Abnerwas that 20 percent of the studentschosen for the production had either abrother or a sister who was also involved. Forester said this was a first forher, in that close to one of every fivestudents involved had another familymember that participated.In describing the production Alice inWonderland, Forester said, The showsimply follows Alices trip down the holeto her adventures in Wonderland andher eventual safe return to her home.Whether real or imagined, it has beensaid to be that of a dream; and if youwant to know the general mood of theplay, it was one of madness.Forester said the decision to do Alicein Wonderland was based mainly on thefact that the theatre department wantedto do a childrens theatre production.The play was short, according toForester. It ran for about an hour and ahalf.Forester was pleased with the progress Alice in Wonderland made andhopes that all the work made the audience laugh and enjoy themselves.Lil Abner ran from April 21-23. Morethan 70 students participated in makingit a success, while Alice in Wonderlandwas comparatively smaller, with about35 people involved in staging the production. Alice in Wonderland ran Jan.28 and 29.30 Theatre South
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/1972
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

Further information on this record can be found at its source.