Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 1986, Page 26

Description:	^mrnmmf^-- -Marathon and melodrama performancesA new form of theatre—afundraising form—providedthe opening act for TheatreSouth this year.The Improvithon, abrainstorm that can be attributed to senior actor JohnMatthew, raised over $2,000for Theatre South and helpedclear the clubs debts fromprevious performances.Group members put onunrehearsed monologues, duetsand group scenes for amarathon 18 hours. Before going on stage, the actors and actresses were given an idea orscene and had to elaborateupon it with no previousthought. Pledges were taken forevery hour that the fundraiserlasted.Theatre Souths first production was F.D.R.s LastSpeech an unusual piecewithout a clear theme. Actorsand actresses darted around theaudience, unexpectedly popping up to tell their story. Thespotlight then moved to TheatreSouths next project, EastLynne.A macho hero, a villain witha handlebar moustache and asinister black cape, played bysenior Till Piedmont and adelicate damsel in distress,played by senior Amy Hohimerwere the main characters thatcomposed the melodrama. Booing, cheering, and dressing upto look like the main characterswere clever gimmicks welcomed by director Mary RuthForester to promote audienceparticipation throughout theplay.Viewer involvement, detailedprops and backdrops, and captivating emotional performances combined to makeEast Lynne seem like anold-fashioned soap opera.Theatre South expandedtheir horizons this year withunique plays and innovativetheatre. Through dedicationthey proved to be able to withstand the stress and pressuresof the stage to make it work.
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/2442
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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