HTG Votes to Disband; Members to Join HDC

After myriad rumors over the past few months about mergers of local the theatrical organizations, the Harvard Theatre Group yesterday revealed it had disbanded and that its non-graduating members would join the Harvard Dramatic Club.

The decision to give up its charter was recommended by the HTG executive committee last week and approved by the full group at a meeting Saturday night after the closing of its production. "The General."

Irving Yoskowitz '53, HTG managing director yesterday said the group's move was prompted by the fact that the hard core of charter members who have been with the group since its founding four years ago, will graduate this June. These members are Yoskowitz, Michael Mabry, Harold Stone, Jr., Donald O. Stewart, Jr., and John S. Bowman.

Yoskowitz said it was felt that the graduation of these five would leave a group not large or experienced enough to do a major production.

He said he believes all of the remaining 15 or 20 non-graduating members of the organization will join HDC.

"Feels Sad"

"We hope," Yoskowitz said, "that a single small dramatic organization with an ambitions program will convince the University of the need for a theatre. At the same time we can't help feeling sad that the Theatre Group's four years are over."

Neil B. Smith '55, recently elected president of the HDC, yesterday said his group had invited all non-graduating members of HTG to a meeting tomorrow night to discuss future plans.

He said there are plans to enlarge the HDC four-man executive board in order to allow some of the new members to become officials of the organization.

"Regrets Passing"

Speaking for the HDC, Smith said, "While we regret the passing of the Theatre Group and its fine productions, I can not help but feel that theatre at Harvard, by avoiding the crippling effects of competition, has taken a step towards the production of better plays, which is what we all have been striving for no matter what our affiliation."

Earlior this term the two groups began negotiations on a possible merger. The plans called for a joint production this spring in order to let members of the organizations get to know each other.

Yoskowitz explained that those plans collapsed because of difficulties in choosing a play and a production staff for the show.