Student Plays (Group 5)
My central responsibility was to research and provide detailed explanations of the way in which Student Plays played a role in campus life, as well as how it was promoted across campus. Entertainment has been, and always will be, a major factor in the enjoyment of those who walk across college campuses. For example, as part of the Elizabeth Byrd Taylor scrapbook, page 22 advertises Entertainments, Lectures, and Plays at the University of Florida. Since the Florida State University and the University of Florida were sister schools, I believe that it would be fair to relate the ways in which these entertainments were carried out to both locations. From December 1922 through March 1924, this brochure lays out the scheduled events that were to take place, from plays, to musicals, to solo instrumental performances. The brochure is layed out in a manner that allows for several performers to be listed on the same page. One of the titles of the performance is "Dream Stuff". It takes place at the Daffin Theatre on April 10, 1923 at the University of Florida. The note states that one "Martha Murphree was voted the most popular girl and received a silver loving cup and masquerades pins".
Jewell Genevieve Cooper attended the Florida State College for Women from around 1924-1930. Page 77 from her scrapbook is dedicated to the Georgia Teach Glee Club performance at the FSCW. The Georgia Tech Glee Club had been touring for their 1925 season, and broke more hearts than not in their musical revue. Every performance was highly anticipated due to their surplus of talent, and good looks. Seats that had been previously collecting dust were filled at the hearing of their appearance. Where they went, excitement, pleasure, and hopes followed.
Here in this newspaper, the Florida Flambeau published information about all events, ranging from exhibits at the Tallahassee Museum to concerts. In this range of events, events of the performing arts were included. The president of the university was so pleased with the significance the newspaper had and the effects it had on campus life and the surrounding communities that he decided to allow and help start up the newspaper. It was with this assistance that student plays had the opportunity to be displayed and advertised, which was better overall for campus life and the members of the arts.
Works Cited
Elizabeth Byrd Taylor , “Elizabeth Byrd Taylor Scrapbook page 22,” Exploration of FSCW Scrapbooks, accessed December 4, 2020, https://humfscwexploration.omeka.net/admin/items/show/7.