HDC Plans More Plays Next Year, May Stage House Efforts at Loeb

The executive committee of the Harvard Dramatic Club tentatively decided yesterday to stage 12 plays next year on the mainstage of the Loeb Drama Center instead of the usual seven or eight.

As a result, House dramatic societies and other undergraduate theatrical groups will be encouraged to produce plays at the Loeb. All productions, however, must be approved in advance by the HDC and the Faculty theatre committee.

But the increased number of productions next year will also result in a reduction of the average budget for each show.

One of the proponents of the expansion of the Loeb's schedule. George Hamlin, associate director of the Loeb, said last night that the decision had a threefold purpose.

First, more students will be able to participate in the productions of the Loeb.

Second, a greater variety of plays will be staged.

Third, the cut in the budget for each show will encourage the plays' producers, directors, and set designers to be more "Imaginative and experimental" in both choosing and producing their plays.

Starting today, the HDC executive committee will accept directors' applications for the first eight plays to be produced next year. Peter A. Jazzi '68, a member of the executive committee, explained that the number of applications received and the type of productions suggested will determine whether the HDC will actually be able to go through with its plan.

The application from will be available in the HDC office in the Loeb beginning today and will be due on or before April 16. Jazzi added that the HDC hopes to have the plays selected by May 1 so that it can forward the choices to the Faculty committee meeting May 2.

Hamlin said that each of the twelve plays will have a run of five performances. This year's plays each ran from six to eight times.

Members of the executive committee praised the plan for the encouragement it will give to many undergraduates with little or no stage experience to participate in Loeb productions.

The principal difficulty the HDC will encounter in producing an additional four plays next year however, will be in attracting qualified students to design and build the shows. Jaszi commented that the small group of students in charge of the technical aspects of the Loeb's productions will not handle the four new plays alone.

Moreover, the budget cut will necessitate increased cooperation between the producers of next year's shows. Jaszi pointed out that parts of sets may be able to be used for more than one show. But he noted that in such areas as costumes and publicity cost-cutting will present "more of a problem for our imagination."

But Horace Armistead, once set designer at the Metropolitan Opera, now teaching at B.U., will join the Loeb next year. His presence as a "half-time adviser" to student designers. Jaszi commented, could encourage the design of "imaginative, economical, and flexible" sets for the new program.

Several HDC members also pointed out hat the program is expected to encourage more undergraduates to join the Loeb productions since their participation is necessary if the expanded schedule is to prove workable.

They also noted that the chance to join in the production of a play before an audience that is comprised of adult and student theatergoers should be "a stimulus" to undergraduates who have heretofore confined their dramatic activities to the House stage