Page 161 - ThePhoenix1981-82

The Phoenix Friday; April 2, 1982 Western Maryland College Volume I, Number 22 I 1- Thompson IS 'Golden' at WMC Wendi Moore Theatre for a question and an- motivated. I've also "always had a If you happened to be at swer session at the 2 p.m. show- fascination with older people, Western Maryland College about ing of 011 Golden Pond. A and that cootributed also." twenty-one years ago, more than reception was held that evening The next question was, How likely you would have found a in the Understage, and Mr. was the character Norman rather tall and skinny 12 year old Thompson greeted the guests Thayer created? boy running around campus, and and signed autographs. The re- "Norman is orginated from a lot playing basketball in Gill Gym ception was followed by a lecture of people' including myself," said So what? Today that skinny little on the Mainstage. At the close of Thompson. "He is a lot like me, 12 year old is one of today's the lecture Mr. Thompson gave but also my father and some most bril\ant playwrights. WMC a rather generous gift. II other acquaintances." In fact. his current movie On was a five thousand dollar en- On Golden Pond started as a Golden Pond won him an Oscar. dowment to the Education De- play, and opened in the Hudson He is known to the people of partment in his father's name, the Guild Theatre in-September of Westminster and WMC, as Dicky late WMC Professor Emeritus 1978, during the newspaper Thompson, but to the rest of the Theron Barker Thompson strike. "Lucky break!" stated wbrld Ernest. Thompson. He is so During the discussion with the Thompson. By the time it got to well thought of by the people of drama majors and the press Broadway the strike was over, WMC, that Thursday, March 18, conference some very good and the play received mixed family lived there until he was 12 plays 1982 was dedicated especially to questions were raised. The most reviews. However, when the play and they moved to Westminster. "I was frustrated as an actor, him. obvious was, how did On Golden went on the road it was a huge His father joined the faculty at and that's when I turned to Mr. Thompson started his busy Pond come to you? success everywhere,' from Fin- WMC in the education depart- writing," said Thompson. He then day at WMC by' speaking to the "I was in a .New England style land to South East Asia. ment. traveled back to New York and drama majors in Alumni Hall hardware store in Santa Monica, In the spring of 1981, Ernest In those adolescent years he wrote several things Undersfage. After the informal 'CaJifornia. II was just like the Thompson persuaded his direc- was known to everyone as Dicky ''I'm still interested in acting, I talk with the drama majors he ones you lind in Massachusetts tor, Mark Rydell, to give him a . Thompson, Theron Thompson's and maybe I'll write something shot at writing ric scieceplav for -< attended a press conference Hall. in with the checkerboard and candy the movie boy (his real name is Richard for myself someday," he said. The the green jars. I didn't think places like that room in Alumni new play, Ernest). He attended Westminster his Currently, That was followed by a short talk existed anymore," stated Thomp- "Writing· the screenplay was a .High School. At westminster West Side Waltz, is playing at the in Westminster. After that talk, he son. "The combination of the lot different than writing the play, High he held the record for the Kennedy Center Opera House then proceeded to the Carroll water and that store reaUy got me but once I got· started, it was a two mile run: His face was a with none other than Kate Hep- pleasure." said Thompson. familiar one to the people on burn S.F. inducts recruits but after four days of readings campus, and he was very well didn't write the play with her in I The first draft was 120 pages, belief, to popular "Contrary liked by most people. with Katherine Hepburn and the He went to several colleges in mind," said Thompson other cast members it increased the area including the University Also, a collection of three plays Fidy Kuo Bob Thomas and Shari Bullard to 185. Editing was inevitable, of Maryland and Catholic Univer- written by Thompson are being Formally inducting its first new Senior Pride's activities will be and the final copy was atoet 135 sity. He earned his B.S. in dra- produced in Los Angeles for air members was The Student Foun- coordinated with the foundation pages. matic arts at American University. next fall on PBS. As for the future dation on March 16 at their next year. The two new chairper- Before Thompson started his From there he went to Califor- plans of Ernest Ihompson, he is reception held on the Dining sons will be represented in that writing career he grew up (ob- nia to seek his- fortune. He ap- thinking of writing a play set in Porch. The reception was also organization also. viously!). Thompson was born in peared in a soap opera, and Maryland, and just taking it easy. the foundation's first formal·ap- Student Foundation is the crea- --Bellows Falls, Vermont, and his several series, and even a few pearance as a new and perma- tton 01 Gary Smallwood and of nent organization to WMC G,ony Vleck of the Office is to St d nt 1·te WI· th Invited guests to the reception. Development. Its purpose U e s un residents were school president Dr. John, assist the office In creating funds James ·Ridenour, vice- for support of the college. president for development, Dean The organization started at a Mowbray, Dean Laidlaw, and Dr. base with eighteen charter mem- Fidy KUD dents Oppenheim IS also a Forum on April 10 for the party Jeanne Higbee. bers. They were chosen from the Working to organize public member of the Freeze Commit- There will be a beer sale and a Gary Smallwood, the founda- heads of various campus groups opinion for a Mutual NUclear tee. The students have also been blue grass band. The services of tion's faculty advisor, remarked to be representative of the stu- Arms Freeze county wide and involved in operating a petition the band, informed Oppenheim, about the effort put into recruiting dent body. The officers are Stu campus wide is The Carroll table for the Freeze outside the wilt be a donation of one of the the organization's new members. Suts-President, Ken Schaefer- County Nuclear Weapons Freeze Engler Dining Halt. They have musicians who is also a Freeze "The difficult task," he said Vice-President, Checka Leinwall- Committee. also been working to form a Committee member. "was to convince students to Qet Mike Line-Social Chairperson, County wide the effort is being campus organization from which They plan to continue petition- into something they didn't know Carolyn Berry-Publicity and Pro- coordinated by husband and wife they wilt be able to voice their ing "perhaps once a week." The too much about.' motion Chairperson, and Liz Sig- Bud and Alice Coleman. They opinions. process of petitioning consists of This task required a "100 per- ./enthaler-Secretary. are the chatrperscns - of the On March 18, the proposal for distributing any pamphlets and eon-hocre" for publicity promo- For several weeks these offi- Freeze Commtttee.c-Asststtnq official recognition of the organi- literature to interested persons at tion and application review. 65 cers promoted the foundation them are its thirty some mern- zation was sent before the SGA their table. If there are any applications in all were reviewed, and planned for the application bers. They are from the town and for a vote. Said Oppenheim be- questions, the attendants of the which, "surpassed anything we process. the college. Campus chaplin fore the meeting, "I'm confident petitions try to answer them. expected," said Smallwood. The forty neW members ac- Reverend Charles Wallace and that we will receive recognition. Then, of course, there is a peti- . Of the 65 appliCations, 15 were cepted can expect to assist in senior Ann Karn are the "college We're not asking for any of their tion they try to persuade people rejected. The remaining 40 are fund raIsing and campus promo- outreach persons." They. were money. We infend to raise it to sign. spread out as follows: 10 fresh- non activities. Planned is the also co-chairpersons of the re- ourselves." The same efforts county wide men, 10 sophomores, 16 juniors annual phonathon, a Parent's cent Elderdice Peace Week. A "Peace Party" IS in the are being exercised by the mem- and 4 seniors. Next year's chair- Weekend, a possible Sibling's Campus wide, the effort is making to help raise funds for the bers of the parent organization, persons for Senior Pride were Weekend, and mixers and being coordinated by senior Kim campus group if (t is approved continued on page 3 also announced. They witt be continued on page 4 Oppenheim IJIld some 1q stu- by.the SGA. !hey plan to use the