Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC February 1972 Daily Egyptian 1972 2-12-1972 The aiD ly Egyptian, February 12, 1972 Daily Egyptian Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/de_February1972 Volume 53, Issue 88 Recommended Citation , . "The aiD ly Egyptian, February 12, 1972." (Feb 1972). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Daily Egyptian 1972 at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in February 1972 by an authorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Baturday 'Magazine of the 'Daily 'Egyptian SallJrrJay. FebtuiIIY 12. 1972 - Vol. 53. No. 88 Southern minas University This Valentine time of the year seems the appropriate time to introduce Miss Debbie Wentworth---«- rather to complete the introduction, for she really is no stranger to readers of the Saturday Magazine. The story is on Page S. Black Story in Drama • Stirs Awareness I-Iere By Rolaad Halliday in straight drama. Joanne C. P. Rain!, Staff Writer a graduate student in music and perfor­ If you have a chance, don' t miss mer in sru's Opera Workshop, said them ! You' U be glad you had the oppor­ "Although I'm not in the Kutana tunity to see this unique theater group Players, I am enjoying this chance to perform. perform in 'Happy Ending.' It's the Continuing to teU the black story first thing I've done outside 0( music. through the arts, the Kutana Players, Besides-there's iust not much oppm:­ SIU's black theater company, perfor­ tunity for blacks to get parts in pJilys." med two plays for Black History Week. The importance of black theater was The one act plays, "The First Militant spelJea out oy Davenport when he seta Minister," by Ben Caldwell, and " The aspects of black theater for 11\­ "Happy Ending," by Douglas Turner struction in the black community is Ward, were presented Feb. 11 in the best served by these plays. Theater Ballroom of the Student Center. should leach the student to cope with The Kutana Players. one of a few the ways of the society they live in." college black theater companies in the Davenport is persistant.. And more country, are directed by John Daven­ important-he gets results. Much credit port, Aurora, a senior in theater, and can be given to him for helping to Ralph Greene, Jacksonville, Fla., a org;lnize SlU's first black theater graduated student in theater. group. He spent nearly a year working Davenport explained that he and on the idea, but didn' t get any real s .. Greene chose Bonnie Harmon, a mem­ port until last fall, and black theater ber of the black theater company, to came into existence. direct " Happy Ending." Making plans for after graduation, " Ralph was going to be busy direc­ Davenport said, " I hope to enter ting another play so we asked Bonnie if graduate school in speech at SIU, and I shea direct.. She was doing a fine job of ha ve hopes of devoting more time to directing in her class and we think she developing the Kutana Players." has great potential as a director," Besides developing the potential of Davenport said. the group's talent, he has hope that a " Happy Ending" may have been black repertory company and a black Miss Harmon's first play that she has theater program would develop at SII. directed for the group, but she's no "I see learning and experience as my newcomer to Kutana Players. Last fall approach to education. and theater she turned in a fine performance in her should be a way of duplicating that ex­ title role as Mrs. Love in "Con­ perience," Davenport said in a sincere tributions." a play put on by the Kutana manner. " The whole effect 0( creating Players at the Carbondale Multi­ a black theater program would be to Purpose Center. draw more interested black students John Davenport. C(Hjirector of the Kutana Players. explains a scene to Don l.ewir as Her­ Miss Harmon, from Michigan City, into. t:Ilt?' SIU Theater Department.." bert Clay continues the action. (Photo by Cornelius Sinclair) Ind., spoke excitedly about the oppor­ The Kutana Players next perfor­ tunity to use her talent directing. mance will be " El Hajj Malik," direc­ Looking back to last faU when she star­ ted by Ralph Greene, and will run FIf. ted her graduate studies in theater, she 18-~ at the experimental theater in the said "As my main interest is working in Communications Building. Another per­ black theater after graduation, I was formance by the group has been ten­ very glad Kutana Players were on cam­ tatively set for the last week in Feb. at pus." the Wesley Foundation. Talking with several members of the Seemingly if Black History Week and cast, they aU expressed the need for groups like the Kutana Players stir more black opportunity in theater at enough awareness among blacks on SIU. This could be achieved through the ,ampus, change will be brought about.. formation of a better program for the H pefully something good will come of black theater curriculum. it, and the growing needs of the bI..e "We need a full-time black professor students will be favorably acted upon. in the theater department.. That way more needed attention could be paid to interest black students," Miss Harmon emphasized. It was the general consensus of the Da; I." E'g.VPI(,;" cast that now is the time for the theater department, the campus-everyone-to Published in the School of Journalism Tuesday 1hrcugh realize qualified blacks need an open Sa1u~ throughoul the school ~ 8XoepI during door to major parts in theater. The Univelsity vacation periods. examination weeks and legal holidays by Southern lltinois Un~iIy . ~ "mammy ' image just doesn' t cut it.. dale. Illinois 62!Il1 . Second class po6Iage paid et car­ It's time to wake up and recognize the bondale. lltinoi!. 62!Il1. great potential of the black performing Policies of the Dally Egyptian are the responsibility of arts on campus. the edilOrS. Statements published here do not necessarity reIIect the opinion 01 the adrTinislration or' Herbert L. Clay, Chicago, a junior any depMment 01 the Univelsity. majoring in Administration of Justice, Editorial and business offices located Com­ said "I've enjoyed being in the group munications Building. North Wong. Fiscal Officer Howard and I' ve brought others to join because R. long. Telephone S:J6..331 1. SIucIenI '- SI8II: Glenn AmaIo. n-ed Brown. Jim this is a way to promote black Braun. JoI1n Burningham. Keith Busch. Bany Cleveland. awareness. I n other words, knowing Ed Chambliss. Roland HaMiday. Chuck HuIchctaft. Mike who you are, knowing your iden­ Klein. Richard Lorenz. Dave MansrnIwI. &Ie Millen. P,at tification is the purpose 0( black 1IUsman. Sue Roll. Ernie SchM!h. Tom ~. Oatyl Slephenson.. t<en Stewart. Randy ~ . Mol.­ theater. " Walker. F'hoIographers: Nelson Brooks. JoI1n LopinoI. Always wanting a chance to perform Rt Neediema'l. Joanne C. P. Raines. a graduate student in music and performer in SlU's Opera Workshop. has taken the opportunity Kutana Players offered to use her talents in straight drama (Photo by Cornelius Sinclair) PIIge 2. Daily Egypti... ~ 12 . •1972 A Little Bit of M~gic To Make College Degree Ron Gawtborp . "Jamie-O," the clown, gives a big Student Writer share of credit for his success to When James O. Stephan goes to work, another ~rson _ with a paint-smeared people notice. face, Aye Jan.." .ay.e is better known as Stephan. a junior majoring in radio the commerd..atized · Pied Piper who and TV. IS a professional magician leads kids to dinner' at a national fran­ clown and "balloon sculptor." When ~ chise chain hamburger establishment. g~ to work he straps a lar~e black Jayes is famous as the official and SUitcase on the back on his light blue original Ronald McDonald. motorcycle. and buzzes down the " He taught me the ropes o(-: nine­ streets and highways in one or two work tenths· or, what J know in clowning," uniforms : a black tuxedo with lOp hat., said Stephan. " He just about died when or a polkadot clown suit with full facial he heard my name (Mr. James). make-up. "Clowns are supposed to be a comedy Stephan, who resides at 302 Warren figure and " Mr." denotes respect. So, Bldg. in Thompson Point, is also known we changed it around a Little and came ~y two other names. His " magic" name up with Jamie-O.·' IS Mr. James and his "clown" name is Stephan claims to have helped Jaye Jamie-O. also. He taught Jaye some advanced ~tephan is a native of Greenfield, lessons in balloon sculpturing, an art at WIS. After his graduation from a which he describes himself in a no­ technical school in the Milwaukee area brag-just-fact lone as "exceptionally he decided to fu rther his knowledge of fantastic." Stephan prides himself in the electronic media and came to SIU being able to produce more than 140 0b­ jects and animals from one type of ~~:i~.e University accepted all of balloon. Stephan is 20 years of age but already Stephan says another big influence in boasts a 12-year affiliation with the al·t his life was magician Dick Ozwand. Oz­ or ma~ic . He became interested in the wand is one of the na lion's top ' tricky business' at age 8 and by the magicians and, according to Stephan, is time he was 11 he was waving his wand booked solid until 1976.