UMASS THEATRE GUILD
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The 1960s & 70s

Though beginning a tumultuous decade in American history, the Sixties saw business as usual when it came to theatre on the UMass campus. Productions began to test the limits of the groups' resources, producing more recognizable shows with more impressive technical elements. In fact, a 1964 production of the musical "The Streets of New York" included real [trick] fire onstage!

Speaking of fire, the building which housed University's supply of scenery and electrical equipment caught on fire in February 1967. The blaze lasted nearly nine hours and gutted the building which also served as a rehearsal hall. Still, the group pushed forward continuing to perform regularly in Bowker Auditorium and across campus.

The late-sixties also gave rise to the Theater Department at UMass. Though theatre (as you can see) was always a staple on campus, degree programs in theatre only just started popping up during this decade. Some MFAs were awarded in '67 for instance, but it seems the department was officially established sometime around the end of the decade.
In the 1970s, UMass Amherst was booming. Student enrollment reached over 20,000, the new W.E.B. DuBois library was completed, and the UMass system opened 4 new campuses across the state. Student-run theatre on campus now competed with the burgeoning theater department and so became wholly self-sustaining, using revenue from ticket sales to fund future projects.

In 1970, the Operetta Guild was rebranded as the “UMass Music Theatre Guild”, opting to produce more recognizable Broadway hits moving forward. Such productions included: “Company” (1973), “Pirates of Penzance” (1975), “Kiss Me Kate”(1977), & even an original musical titled “Just Friends of 1923” (Fall 1979).

So as a 1976 article suggests: “No longer at center, Roister Doisters go on”. Students from the 5-College Consortium began joining on the productions — some students of theatre, though many not. Many were known to participate in both UMMTG and RD productions at this time.
Scene from "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Karen Connolly (Princess Winnifred) lifting weights in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Karen Connolly (Princess Winnifred) & Cast in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Karen Connolly (Princess Winnifred) & Susan Albino (Nightingale) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Tony Francis (Jester), Anne Umana (Lady Larken), & Bob LaCroix (Minstrel) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Anne Umana (Lady Larken) & Tom Babson (Sir Henry) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Ballet Scene from "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Jay McAuliffe (Prince) & Rick Kaplan (King) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Scene from "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Tony Francis (Jester), Rick Kaplan (King), & Bob LaCroix (Minstrel) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Rick Kaplan (King) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Karen Connolly (Princess Winnifred), Anne Umana (Lady Larken), & Jay McAuliffe (Prince) in "Once Upon A Mattress" (1967)
Fire-fighters attempting to save the University's theatrical storage building, ca. 1967
Scenic Design for "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
Kathy Atkinson, Anne Agard, & David Zucker in "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
David Zucker (Paul Bratter) & Kathy Atkinson (Corie Bratter) in "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
David Zucker (Paul Bratter) & Kathy Atkinson (Corie Bratter) in "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
David Zucker (Paul Bratter) & Kathy Atkinson (Corie Bratter) in "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
Kathy Atkinson (Corie Bratter) & Pedro Silvi (Victor Valasco) in "Barefoot in the Park" (1968)
Leo Ablicki (Parsimonius), Jay McAuliffe (Lil Abner), Bob Peters (Zeke), & Richard Bartolomeo (Ebenezer) in "Lil Abner" (1968)
Frances Botelho (Mammy Yokum), Jay McAuliffe (Lil Abner), & Chris Niemyski (Daisey Mae) in "Lil Abner" (1968)
Mike Rush (Dr. Smithborn), Cathy Broomfield (Unwashable Scragg), Linda MacCutchean (Unbearable Scragg), Mooyean Field (Unsociable Scragg), & Bob LaCroix (Dr. Krogmeyer) in "Lil Abner" (1968)
Richard Gere (W. Roper), Vere Drakeford as M. More, Jim Sargent (Thomas More), & Kathy Atkinson (A. More) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Richard Gere (W. Roper), Jim Sargent (Thomas More), & Vere Drakeford (M. More) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Kathy Atkinson (A. More), Robert Rotenberg (R. Rich), Jim Sargent (Thomas More), & Richard Gere (W. Roper) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Vere Drakeford (M. More), Jim Sargent (Thomas More), Kathy Atkinson (A. More), & Robert Rotenberg (R. Rich) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Vere Drakeford (M. More), Richard Gere (W. Roper), Jim Sargent (Thomas More) & Michael Walker (Norfolk) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Michael Walker (Norfolk) & Jim Sargent (Thomas More) in "A Man For All Seasons" (1968)
Dressing room with Richard Guerra, Joseph Wilkins, Richard Gere, Kathy Atkinson, Vere Drakeford, Michael Walker ("A Man for All Seasons", 1968)
Scene from "Flowers for Algernon" (1977)
< 1950
1980 >
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  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Documents
    • FAQs
  • Fall 2020 Season
    • Twelfth Night
    • Other Events >
      • UMTG Coffeehouse
  • Get Involved
    • Meetings
    • Auditions
    • Applications >
      • Rehearsal Team
      • Artistic Team
      • Marketing Team
      • Executive Board
  • Archive
    • Production History
    • Galleries >
      • 2015 - 2020 >
        • If/Then
        • The Haunting of Hill House
        • Secret in the Wings
        • The Addams Family
        • Arcadia
        • Lucky Stiff
        • The Shadow Box
        • Heathers
        • Spelling Bee
        • Peter and the Starcatcher
        • Chicago
        • Proof
        • Starmites
        • Frankenstein
        • Legally Blonde
      • 2010 - 2015 >
        • Importance of Being Earnest
        • Spring Awakening
        • Farragut North
        • A Little Night Music
        • House of Blue Leaves
        • Almost, Maine
        • Children of Eden
        • Death of a Salesman
        • Cabaret
        • Company
      • 2000 - 2010 >
        • Rent
        • Sweeney Todd
        • Bare
        • Hurlyburly
        • Best Little Whorehouse
        • Edwin Drood
        • On The Razzle
        • Wit
      • 1990 - 2000
      • 1980 - 1989
      • 1960 - 1979
      • 1950 - 1959
      • 1930 - 1949
      • 1920 - 1929
      • 1906 - 1919
    • Old UMTG Websites >
      • Tumblr (2014-2018)
      • Blogspot (2009-2014)
  • Connect