Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-05-05
.P||lAF|:ORE MADE
DISTINCT HIT
Annual Production of the
High School Glee Clubs
Largely Attended at
Armory.
PARTS WELL TAKEN
PARTS WELL TAKEN
Audience Generous in APP
plause and Appreciation
OF Presentation.

Friday nights performance of H. NJ
rs. Pinafore, after preparation some
what ont of proportion to that devoted
to the average school annual musical
was greeted hy a capacity house. That
the opera was not u disappointment
docs not express the manifest attitude
Of the audience and. really, mere sue.
cess does not seem to adequately eX-
press the situation. Perhaps ovation
would more nearly describe it and, il
necessarily amateur in character, Pima
fore was distinctly good. AS al
amateur performances it was notable
among the several high class affairs Of
the kind heretofore given by our stu
dent body.
The Cast.
OF the principals in the cast, Jose
phine was charmingly taken by Ienna-
fdOre Berg with her clear soprano and
defective singing. Sir Joseph Porter,
X. G. b., was inpersonated and sung
by Edgar Atkinson in a manner most
gratifying to his friends and slrpris-
ing to those who know him merely as
one Of the high school kids. Hebe,
the admiring favOrite among Sir JOS
eph's numerous sisters cousins and
aunts," was portrayal by Leona
Teget that suggests career for that
young lady,, while Buttercup, sung by
I.Ora BOysell, made one forget the more
ample proportions and more mature
individual usually associated with the
part of the "BumbOat woman Not
an easy part. Leslie Bourne carried
off the part of the gallant Captain
Corcoran and later of the common sea-
man, to which he was reduced by
cruel fate with much aplomb and good
manly quality of voice. Then there
was Bill Bobstay, Chester Miller, who
called the distinguished attention of
| the admiral to the fact that while
Ralph, common sailor MARY Wiese)
to which rank the gallant COrcoran
was finally reduced, that he, Rack
straw, in spite of the divers and sun
dry nationalities to witch he might
have laid claim, remained an English
man." Miss Wiese attained the role
including neat hOrnpipe and carry
ing off the more dignified. part Of the
captain, from which distinction she
had been defrauded, by little Butter
cups perfdy in mixing those babies
up' while practicing baby farming.
Tom Tucket, midshipmate, Donald
Fear, was one of the hits of the cast,
as was Ralph Sweazy, in the part OF
Bob Beckett, bosn's mate. Out OF the
somewhat repellent character, Dick
Deadeye, Wallace Hampton construct
ed character that gave distinctly
salty flavor to the evening-with ms
rolling gait and his bury vocality'
not to mention his cherished pipe.
| Held Audience Well.
What with the duet. trios, quartefs,
ensembles and chOruses and the really
good orchestra, the affair could be cali
ed an operate performance without
Earring the critics, and it held the
house mute with attention, except when
moved to hearty applause, which the
numbers almost invariably elected.
The selection >of H. NJ. s. Pinafore
might have been deemed n bit ambitious
las a selection for high school prOduc-
ton with, of course, the most limited
experience in opera but any who re-
garded it as too ambitious for school
annual overlooked the capacity Tor
work, toward accomplishing what the
present classes undertake and also what
might be called the musical audacity OF
Miss Rosalind Cook, music supervisor
of our public schools, as well as her ca
pacity as coach and conductor. The
recognition and appreciation OF the high
school glee clubs was most Beautifully
emblemized i'm an immense sheaf OF Am
erican Beauty roses, the stems of which
euualled the recipient in height The
flowers were presented, for the glee
clubs, by little Miss Gayle Hunter
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs, w. +. Hunter.
Miss Cook had just resumed her pa
ton for the second act, when the cur
tain rolled up. disclosing the full Choir
us, through the ranks of which small
lady emerged, carrying the beautiful
favor. Those close to the recipient were
doubtful whether she was temporarily
undone or further inspired by the at
ltention from her musical charges. AT
lany rate, the opera proceeded with due
lclimax, Notwithstanding the climaxlc'il
finale to the first act.
1 Much Work Involved.
1t is difficult to review such per
formance in detail. but reference shouis
not be omitted to the musiciamy rem
ldering as whole, as to many oil th'
concerted numbers and to much OF tli'
.,,o.oI ,,,act. ,,.b; oh apurnnchaI in MANY