The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1962-07-27
ELEANOR
CONTINUED from Page One)

role was immediate. CflJlcS
throughout the state offered
huzzahs for her performance
from the beginning of the '5s
season.
Identification With Role
Rather reluctant to discuss
her prowess in the play, she has
mentioned that a sense of mental
Identification with Eleanor may
be responsible.
al have tried" she says, "to
think about the kind of woman
| thought Eleanor Dare really
was" 81 have great deal OF
respect for her as a woman,
and through the years / have
tried to think as she might have
thought"
Marjalene Thomas not only
thinks like Eleanor Dare; she is
possessed of many qualities pc
culiar to the heroine. Dedication
and perseverance are two such
qualities. She has missed, for
instance, only three perform
ances of the drama since 1858.
They were, Enthusiastically,
missed because of her devotion
to her family. Two nights were
taken by the actress in order to
attend her husbands graduation
exercises, when he received his
masters degree. On another oc-
casion, Marjalene missed the
show when her son, Hunt, Jr.,
became ill.
In the words of Clifton Brit
ton, the productions director,
"there simply isn't a more loyal
! worker in the show than Maria
lene Thomas" you'll find no
Liz Taylor temperament there"
he added.
Another undeniable asset is
given to Eleanor's part by Mar
jalene's gifted soprano voice,
which tremors across the sandy
stage, during the lullaby scene,
with a curious, desperate but
undaunted quality that grips
the heart.
Trained Early
Unlike most actresses who fin
ish college, only to find them
selves lost in an overcrowded
profession where parts are at
premium, Marjalene was well
established as a performer in
The Lost Colony before gradua-
ton.
A graduate of Greensboro
College, with a major in voice.
she fortified her ambition with
the Colony at school by per-
forming in several college opera
productions.
Family Lives Colony
Since graduation, she and her
husband, Harry Thomas, have
literally built their lives around
the symphonic drama. During the
winter months, the Thomas fam
lily lives in Elizabeth City,
where, as Marjalene puts it,
tive can always keep our eyes
on what's going on around Roa-
noke Island and the theater."
In Elizabeth City, Harry is
principal of Elizabeth City High
School and Marjalene is teach
er of the third grade at j. G.
Sawyer Primary School. Mrs.
Thomas says that she tries to
use techniques in her teaching
which help with her acting. 81
think that many of the qualities
which actors strive for are i'm
portant for teachers too," she
confesses.
In her classroom, Marjalene
often leads the nine and 10-year-
olds in singing and games.
Sometimes we use pantomime
to express ourselves; this is an
other example of a kind of spill
over which creeps into my
teaching" she adds.
Marjalene and Harry Thomas
owe their marriage itself to The
Lost Colony. They met while
working together in the drama
Harry was lighting director and
Marjalene was then a bit play
er. The summer evenings to-
gether, the full moons and the
shimmering water of Roanoke
Sound worked their inevitable
magic and they were married ir
1948.
The product of this union is
> rather energetic and talented
! youngster, Hunt, Jr., 6, wht
, has followed in his parents foot
steps by portraying an Indiai
boy in the show. Marjalene say
that Hunt, Jr. is "wild" enough
to come by the part naturally
, Hunt thus becomes the fourtl
, generation of his family to par
! ticipate in the New World dra
ma.
Hunts grandmother, Mrs. Ha
! eel Twyne, portrayed a colonis
! woman for many years; nj
r great-grandmother, Mrs. Dor
Willis. assisted in the coStum,