Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-05-22
For P-TA Audiences
College Actors Bring
TeenP robiemstoLife


Prescription for dramatic P-TA meeting
that will cause talk is to present the University
of Maryland's problem play, Tomorrow Is A
Day"
Talk that will inspire insight into every
parents problems is the object of the University's
Drama Wings one-act performance.
At the same time, a remarkably good eve.
nings entertainment is offered by the five.
member cast of university and high school stu.
dents and their director, E. Thomas Starcher,
originator of the Drama Wing
The story of 15year-old girl, shy to the
point of retreating from life, her cruel and selfish
older brother and their neurotic mother is used
to kickoff discussion by members of the P.TA
audience of the insecurties revealed and what
can be done about them.
The influence Marylands parents and
children of this unique presentation of the parent
child relationship is unreasonable.
But it can be gagged by the fact that in its
first year, the play has had SO performances
before over 1000 people AS Starcher says, lit is
a very unusual parent who returns home com
plete unaffected by the ideas presented"
The director, although he is occasionally
spelled by local educators or psychologists usual
ly leads the discussion, following the 40-mnute
performance which is staged without scenery or
props other than chairs and one table.
Starcher has a subtle touch in directing the
reactions and views expressed to bring out the
point that there must be balance -f successes
and failures IN a child's life. Tipping the scales
in either direction tends to develop personality
that is unable to make the best adjustments in
a competitive society,"
1t is pleasure to watch him guide the par
ents in his audience to clearer understanding
of the emotions behind the problems.
For example from natural first reaction
of wanting to pin back the ears of the boy who
leases his sister the audience is gradually led to
see that the boys problem equals the girls and
both stem from the mothers unawareness of her
children's needs
After SO performances, his cast of young
people have acquired professional smoothness
that adds to the effectiveness of this method of
aiding parents and educators with the problems
of adolescents.
This years casts includes Miss Sarah Savers
a senior at Northwestern High as the daughter
Louise; Miss Barbara Standera, senior major
ing in English the mother Irene; Kim Crock
er, freshman majoring in speech as the brother
Tom and also, Louise's bashful boyfriend
Fred; Miss Peggy Ford, sophomore English
major, as the sympathetic neghbor "Me" The
most versatile actress in Miss Claudia Lingafelt
a freshman speech major, who plays "Stage Man
ager', aunt Caroline" Mrs Lacey" Mrs judi
son." and Mrs. Griscom" with slight changes in
costume
In spite of the fact that his cast has travelled
over 1000 miles throughout the State and has
had one rehearsal and two performances week
on the average, Starcher is proud to point out
that they are all plus over students.
The director is already looking forward TO
next year when second play will be added to
the Drama Wings repertoire. The new play will
be premiered in July at the Maryland Congress
of PTAs workshop on the University of Maryland
campus.
Starcher is also proud that the University's
Drama Wing is the only one in the country to
present problem plays with practical message
for the audience on statewide basis Ohio State
University has something similar but covers a
much smaller territory. The longest trip by the
MARYLAND group to Princess Anne County
on the Eastern Shore round trip of 280 miles.
The idea originated two years ago when
Professor Warren Strausbaugh head of the
Speech Department and University Theater saw
a problem-solvng play presented at the Eastern
States Speech Convention by the American The
alter Wing.
After Maryland's practical demonstration this
year of its success, the American Theater Wing
met with Starcher and members of the cast to
borrow their methods of organization
Five requests for next year from County
P-TAs indicate that the Drama Wings second
season will be as successful as the first
Tomorrow Is Dav" has been seen by the
following Montgomery PTAs Takoma Academy
/ one Oak, Parkwood. Takoma Park Junior High
Montgomery Knobs, Wheaton Woods, Pnecrest
Wheaton High, Rolling Terrace, Highland, Ken.
sington Junior and the County Council of P.TAs
at Pooesville High
In addition the play has been presented to
audiences in Prince Georges Princess Anne Balti.
more. Frederick and Howard Counties. at Haeers-
town Boonsboro Towson and Elcott City among
others.