Object: Photo of a faculty/grad student performance of William Wycherley’s The Country Wife (1675), 10 Dec 2002.
Observations: 1) During the 2000s, for department holiday parties we often performed scenes from Restoration and 18th c. plays as a holiday entertainment, drawing on the expertise of Bonnie Nelson and others. This performance in 2002 of Wycherley’s The Country Wife (1675) would have been our second one, following on Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem (1707) in 2001. 2) Looking at this photo, the performance seems both long ago (ah, youth!) and recent, given the recognizable faces smiling for the camera. From left to right: Phil Weitl (MA ’04) as Horner, Michael Donnelly as Sir Jaspar Fidget, Naomi Wood as Mrs Margery Pinchwife, Jo Maseberg-Tomlinson (MA ’03) as Mrs Squeamish, Karin Westman as Mrs Dainty Fidget, Elizabeth Dodd as Old Lady Squeamish, Mel Sheffler (MA ’04) as Quack, Dave Smit as Mr Pinchwife, Erin Downey Howerton (MA ’03) as Lady Fidget, and Amanda Demarais as Lucy. 3) There is a lot going on in the world right now that requires our energy and attention. Nonetheless, it is a pleasure to reconnect for a moment with the community spirit of our energetic (if not always expert) theatrical performances and to look forward to others ahead.
— Karin Westman, Associate Professor and Department Head
K-State English 