Notes from the Archives of Peter Zavon: Gondoliers '70

During the general meeting in December, a straw poll was taken which showed that the membership favored Gondoliers for the spring show. During the same general period, it began to look as if the Savoyards might obtain the use of the BU Theatre at 264 Huntington Avenue for the spring show. The board decided to do Gondoliers and let that decision be known, unofficially. The Board was then made more aware of the probable financial outlay and staff requirements of Gondoliers, especially if done at the BU Theatre, reversed itself and decided to do Patience. Apparently, feedback on this decision caused the Board to call another general meeting, where the question was put up to the membership. At the meeting, Professor Edmonds made a stirring speech about how the group could now do anything it really set its mind to. Charles Keiffer, the President of the MIT G&S Society, who was present as a member of the Savoyards, announced that MIT would in all probability do Patience, that their performance dates would be before those of the Savoyards, and that they had the resources to do Patience even if the Savoyards were doing it also. In the end, the membership threw the question back to the Board, which decided for Gondoliers. This production had the most elaborate set of any Savoyard production since 1966. It included platforms 3½ feet high, and 10 and 12 foot flats. The set change between acts was extensive and involved moving nearly every piece oc scenery and rolling up the backdrop. Most of the painting was done by Connie Miller's art students at Avon High School. They received a grade for their work. The basement of Old South Church being inconveniently distant, the Savoyards tried to move back into the CLA boiler room for the set construction, but found it piled high with chairs and unusable. Eventually, the Savoyards were given a small room in the basement of 236 Bay State Road, which had once been used by the Drama Club. Delay in getting a lock on the door postponed the beginning of set construction until after spring vacation. Set construction and painting were in such a state that the house was not opened on opening night until 8:50, twenty minutes after the show was supposed to start. One day before opening, Linda Bond's vocal chords separated and Connie went on as Tessa on one day's notice. The first weekend, Barbara Sacks played Inez. The second weekend, Nancy Green played the part. Between weekends, Bob Canterbury came down with German Measles. He saw the show as part of the audience the second weekend, and thus became the first person to be in both the cast and audience of the same production. No description of Gondoliers '70 would be complete without mention of Anthony Mowbray. Anthony was a marvelous Grand Inquisitor. However, as a person, he left something to be desired. He insisted on a private dressing room, although no one else had one. He did not put his costume away,as did all the other members of the cast, but left the pieces sitting where they fell. The costume crew was dissuaded only with great difficulty from throwing his costume on the floor to be stepped on by everyone who entered the dressing room. At the cast party, Anthony was heard to remark that the only thing he got out of the production was a sandwich, which he didn't want. He said he would have to claim he was paid to do the production, for he had no other excuse for being in it. The cast party was held in the MIT frat house on Beacon Street to which Bob Kassouf belonged. At this party, the custom of giving awards over and above the gifts to the Director, Musical Director, etc., was established. This was another instance of emulating the practices of the MIT G&S Society. The Miller Awards, tongue-in-cheek certificates of "excellence" were given in various areas. The Miller Awards included the Anthony Mowbray Award, the Bob Kassouf Rehearsal Attendance Award, and numerous others. The girls of the cast and staff voted to determine the recipient of the Mac Sloan Lech Award and the runner-up was given the Silver Screw Award. The Lech Award was a very realistic, monumental model of a phallus which had been made by Noreen Tuross. The guys of the cast and staff voted to determine the girl who would receive the Bucky Beaver Award for the chorus girl with the best smile. The winner would have her name engraved on a plaque on which was mounted a model of two buck teeth, and would have custody of the plaque for a semester. (One of the by-words of a Miller production was "smile!") In meetings held after the production closed, a new constitution was drafted, submitted to the membership, and ratified by mail during the summer. The initial draft was written by Noreen Tuross with Craig Lanzoni. It was taken, in some cases word for word, from the constitution of the MIT G&S Society which was then in force. Article Six, in particular, was taken over completely. This constitution, slightly modified by amendment, remained in force as of 1975.

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