Update 7-31-12

Hi,

 

First, something about the end of last week's update, from Zelda White Nichols:  Referring to your last line -- there are times when such a horrific event takes place that nothing needs to be said here.  This newsletter takes us back to more innocent childhood times, and that offers a few minutes of escapism to our high school days.

 

Next, from Allen Moss in Maine:  Just for your information, folks -- I was the one who played Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I remember that Vince Tampio wanted me to play him as a curmudgeon.  The one scene that always used to break Mr. T. up was, as I was leaving the stage, I was supposed to give one of the lazy members of the troop -- I think the one played by Greg Kaplan -- a swift kick in the butt because he was sleeping "on the job."  Even on the night of the play, I could hear Mr. T.'s guffaw as I hit Kaplan with a good one as I left the stage.
    Hope all is well with everyone.  We had our hot spell here, as well.  It was in the 90s for several days.  Very unusual for Maine.

 

Allen later added:  More Moss in Maine memories from the cob-webbed closet of my brain:  I believe Robert Fiveson played Bottom, the strolling player who gets turned into a jackass.  Also, remember that great night in the first performance of Annie Get Your Gun when the lead, Ken Weschler, got incredibly sick, and Mr. T. took over the role.  And, of course, he was great!!   

    I also came across my original script from My Three Angels.  I think I kept it because that was one of the best times I had with being part of Mr. T.'s productions.  The cast was as follows, according to what I had written in the script:
    The three convicts:  Barnet Kellman (Jules), Paul Zegler (Joseph), and Bob Fiveson (Alfred)
    The shop owners, Felix and Emilie Ducotel:  Neil Guberman and Martha Morenstein
    Their daughter, Marie-Louise:  Judy Peters
    The evil uncle, Henri Trochard:  yours truly
    Paul, Marie-Louise's intended:  Elliot Weinger
    Assistant Directors for Mr. T.:  Linda Passaro and Roz Minsky
    I remember just having an incredibly fun time with the gang.  Martha Morenstein and I were always cracking up behind the scenes and then had to do a complete about face when we stepped on stage and became our characters.  Mr. T. wanted me to play the evil uncle as the proverbial Snidely Whiplash, and I loved doing it.  I just remember everyone having fun.

    It was a relatively small production, and I think Mr. T. was less anxious and more relaxed, as opposed to when he helmed those larger productions of Damn Yankees and Annie Get Your Gun.   No chair throwing during these rehearsals.  I think this was an either sophomore or junior year production.  I could not find a date in my scribblings on the script.  Anyway, thanks for all those great memories!

 

[Rich -- My Three Angels was the junior play for the class of '65.  Midsummer was the senior play, but I think because of the large cast, it was a combination junior and senior play that year.  And then the set was used the following week for the Spanish club's production of Romeo y Juliet.

    And unless I'm absolutely wrong, Dave Klattel played Bottom, and I guess Paul Zegler was one of the members of the court.  Also, I knew it wasn't Ken Weschler in Annie, but I couldn't remember the right Ken's last name.  So I asked his friend Ken Ulric, who wrote:  "As for the guy who played Frank, it was Kenny Weinstein.  Remember, he got sick, and Vince went on for part of a performance."

    Vince went on from the beginning of the performance, not the middle.  Ken Weinstein took over the role after about a half-hour, entering with the first line, "See, I told you I'd be here."  I don't know why I remember that, but I guess at the time, it seemed memorable.]

 

From Robert Fiveson:  So I didn't play Puck.  Well, that explains why I don't remember a single line -- or any blocking whatsoever -- from that play.  My ego is so large that I thought I starred in everything -- with exception of those starring roles that my arch nemesis Barnet Kellman stole from me.

    By the way, many people may not know that I have a BA in English Literature.  Did you know that Shakespeare ate bacon?  See!

And from Paula Ignatow Cohen:  Lainie Kazan -- whose original name was Lainie Levine -- went to Camp Che-Na-Wah in Minerva, New York, for many years while I was there.  In 1959, she was my counselor. 

My children later went to Camp Baco, the brother Camp of Che-Na-Wah, and now my grandsons are there.

 

Related, from an online interview with Lainie Kazan conducted by Jerry Tallmer:  At Hofstra University, Lainie Kazan was, indeed, often baited by her classmates as “Lainie Levine, the sex machine.”  From across the table, fellow drama student Francis Ford Coppola said, “Lainie, why not change your last name to your mother’s maiden name?”  And that’s how “Lainie Kazan” came into the world. 

 

A note from Irene Saunders Goldstein, still in France:  Bonjour.  Despite all my efforts in Mrs. Vamvakis's French classes, I could never have written myself the few sentences I posted on Facebook last week.  I give considerable credit to Google Translate, though I had lots of fun speaking and sometimes even thinking and dreaming in French during our trip to Paris and environs.  I included the French translation for the benefit of my newfound French cousins, who are also now Facebook friends.  Viva le Facebook!

 

Finally, after many years, Jay Berliner was able to get in touch with Ray Sinatra through the help of this newsletter.  If you remember, that's one of its actual purposes.  Ray's e-mail address, along with Jay's, and almost everyone related to South who wants to list an address can quickly be found by following the link that's almost always at the bottom of these updates.  That's:  the South '65 e-mail addresses -- reunionclass65 . blogspot . com

 

And, of course, there are photos at:  the South '65 photo site: picasaweb . google . com / SouthHS65

 

 

Rich