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The Masquers

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See also Shakespeare at Amherst

 


 

Earliest Predecessor

Order of Exercises at the Exhibition of the Alexandrian Society, 1826. This program included two dramatic musical productions: a scene from Major Andre and a scene from a comedy called Credulity and Quackery. This is the earliest item of student dramatic productions in the collection.

 

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The Masquers made their first appearance in the 1918 Olio. Membership in the Masquers was conferred upon sophomores who displayed some dramatic aptitude, performed service for the dramatics organization, and had received a two-thirds majority vote from the Masquers board members in favor of their election.

 

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1918 Olio
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Constitution of the Masquers of
Amherst College,
April 14, 1920
View all 5 pages

 


 

The Masquers Logo

 

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Masquers pendant and tie clasp

 

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The Masquers' first competition was at the Town Players Second Annual Little Theatre Tournament in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1929. They won first prize for their production of Edna St. Vincent Millay's Aria da Capo.

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Samuel French Trophy
for the 1929 competition

 

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Scrapbook page
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Classical Productions: The Cyclops (1957)

 

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The Cyclops by Euripides was performed in
Kirby Memorial Theater on January 11-12, 1957

 

Printed program for three one-act plays performed in Kirby Theater

 

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The Cyclops was performed again in March 1958, using a script "liberated from the Greek" by Robert Bagg (Class of 1957). The Masquers were preparing for a performance at the Yale Drama Festival.

 

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Handwritten announcement of a
dress rehearsal performance
Script of the play

 

Mask used in The Cyclops

 

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Classical Productions: The Oresteia (1960)

 

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Program for the March 1960 production, directed by Walter Boughton
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Set design by Charles Rogers for
Agamemnon and The Libation
Bearers of The Oresteia
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A scene in the production

Costume and Fabric Designs by Charles Rogers
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Cassandra (1 of 2)
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Cassandra (2 of 2)
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Clytemnestra
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The Furies