FABULOUS FLORENZ ZIEGFIELD'S
Showgirl Follies Return

Tonight, when the flash of lightning end the rumble of thunder resounds beyond the percenium arch, Campus Thunder '53 will be underway. Thunder '53 will attempt fo bring you back to the glorious era when the world was filled with orchids, bathtub gin and gorgeous Ziegfeld showgirls. The late Florenz Ziegfeld, masterful showman of the Great White Way, who added so much to this era is best remembered for his gay, glittering, rollicking and star-spangled production - The Ziegfeld Follies.

From these Follies emerged such unforgettable magic names of the theater as Marilyn Miller with her rendition of "Shine on Harvest Moon," Eddie Cantor, the prancing light-footed banjo-eyes warbling the everlasting "Making Whoopee," Jolson, down on one-knee, pouring the homey lyrics of "Mammy" out over the footlights, Will Rogers, Ed Wynn, Paul Whiteman, Fanny Brice, Bert Lahr, Vivian Segal, Sophie Tucker, Anna Held, Billie Burke, Rudolph Frlml, Victor Herbert and Sigmund Romberg all products of the Ziegfeld mold.

Late in the second act of this evening's performance, members of the cast will recreate some of the hit songs from the Follies of Fabulous Flo Ziegfield. Listen for "Harvest Moon," "Mammy," "Hello, Frisco, Hello," "Rose of Washington Square," and a number which has become synonymous with Ziegfeld and beautiful women - "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody."

Yes, beautiful women, and Ziegfeld certainly had them. The most beautiful in the world in fact. ' So raise the curtain, flash on the lights, illuminate the great stage and Bring Bock Those Ziegfeld Days.

KLEIN MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
NOVEMBER 21, 22, 24, 1952
The Office of Campus Productions
in association with
Knights of Thunder
of the
University of Bridgeport
Presents
CAMPUS THUNDER 1953
(6th Edition)
WRITTEN, STAGED AND DIRECTED BY ALBERT DICKASON

WORDS AND MUSIC ...........................................Steve Martin and Harry Ahlberg, Sime Neary, Billy Robbins
CHOREOGRAPHY BY..........................................Mrs. Charles Rasmussen
BOOK AND SKETCHES BY..................................Albert Dlckason
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR........................................Fred Mills, Jr.

BUSINESS MANAGER...................................... Charles Rasmussen
ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY...........................GusMeyers, Jr.
PRODUCTION ACCOMPANIST.............................Adeline Meath
LIGHTING BY.......................................................Dick Kalm

STAGE MANAGER................................................... Stewarl Baker...'51
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER.................................Fred Kirk
PUBLICITY..........................................Bertram Arthur '50 Frank Castellucci '52
SCRIPT GIRL ...........................................................Rose Nobili

MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS BY.................................Harry Ahlberg

CAMPUS THUNDER '53
with Cynthia Rkhelsoph as AIMY
and Sidney Karam in the role of SAM

PART 1

1. CAMPUS THUNDER (Shades of Ziegfeld)
Genie ... ....................................................................................... BILLY JONES
The Secretary ...................................................................................... .LENORE BIFIELD
Man Waiting ............................................. ........... ............................... SAUL GOLDWASSER
WITH COMPANY AND DANCERS

2. A PRODUCER'S OFFICE
Haag.........................................................................................................ED HESKE
Piere .......................................................................................................LEO MULDOON
Son ........................................................................................................SIDNEY KARAM
Mr. Ebbers............................................................................................... SAUL GOLDWASSER
Almy .........................................................................................................CYNTHIA R1CHELSOPH

AND FIFI AND THE THUNDERETTES

3. AIMY'S BEDROOM (The Nightmare)
1st Actor ...................................................................................................ED HESKE
2nd Actor ...................................................................................................LEO MULDOON
The Actress..................................................................................................ELLEN RUTH BLOCK
Drummers ..............................DANIEL IEESON, WITH AIMY, SAM, MR. EBBERS AND DANCERS

4. SOMEWHERE ON 51st STREET

THE THUNDERETTES

5. BOARDING HOUSE FOR HAMS
Show Boy ....................................................................................................DAVID HOWARD
1st Show GirI ..............................................................................................ALBERTA IVANKO
2nd Show Girl ....................................................................................... MARY ELLEN BHUNO
Miss Armor .................................................................................................MARLENE FANTA
Three Actresses ...........................................ELLEN RUTH BLOCK, PAULINE SCINTO, KLAIRE KNOTT
The Actors .................................................................................. MARVIN GELFAND, ROGER VARS
The Blonde ..............................................................................................SHIRLEY BRIGGS

WITH SAM, AIMY AND COMPANY

INTERMISSION

6. AMISH PICNIC
Old Woman.............................................................. JANE GOLDSMITH
Aimy's Pa.............................................................. SAUL GOLDWASSER
1st Girl Singer............................................................... MARY LOU DONAHUE
2nd Girl Singer.............................................................. PAULINE SCINTO
Man Singer.............................................................. DAVID HOWARD
The Boy and Girl.............................................................. JAMES QUIGLEY, JR., DOLORES LUDKA
The Couples........ MARY LOU DONAHUE, PAULINE 5CINTO, MARVIN GELFAND, ROGER VARS WITH AIMY, SAM AND COMPANY

7. THEATRE CORRIDOR

SAM AND AIMY

8. THE ZIEGFELD FOLLIES
(1) Bring BackThose Zieg'eld Days

(David Howard, Ellen Rulh Block, Nina Silver)

(2) Ridin' the Roof Top
(John Schoffner and Dancers)

(3) I Saw a Ziegfiefd Showgirl
(James Quigley, Jr. and Men of the Company)

(4) The Thunderettes
(5) Show Girl
{Sam. Aimy and Dancers)

9. DINNER WITH ZIEGFELD
The Waiters .................................................................................. ED HESKE, LEO MULDOON
Ziegfeld Gi.l.................................................................................. LENOBE BIFIELD
The Men ...............JAMES OUIGLEY, JR., ROBERT MIDDLEMASS, MARVIN GELFAND, ROGER VARS
The Ladies ...................................... SHIRLEY BRIGGS, CONSTANCE KMIEC, MARY LOU DONAHUE, DIANNE MacDOUGALL, PAULINE SCIMTO, GINNY TENMANT AND AIMY AND SAM

10. ZIEGFELD FOLLIES FINALE

COMPANY AND DANCERS

11. FINALE (Entire Company)
GIRLS OF THE COMPANY
Lenore Bifield, Ellen Ruth Block, Shirley Briggs, Mary Lou Donohue, Morlene Fanta, Jane Gold smith, Gail Henderson, Constance Kmiec, Klaire Knolt, Dolores Ludka, Dianne MacDougall, Pauline Scinto/ Nina Silver, Ginny Tennont.
MEN OF THE COMPANY
Marvin Gelfand, Samuel Goldberg, David Howard, Harold Lucas, John Micka, Robert Middlemass, Dovid Miller, Allen Moorin, James Quigley, Jr., John Schaftner Gary Singer, Roger Vars.
DANCERS OF THE COMPANY
Geraldine Bennett, Marion Breen, Mary Ellen Bruno, Marjorie Cisero, Yolondo Delmore, Alberla Ivanko, Ginger Kelly, Anne Yerontokis,
THUNDERETTES
Joseph Abrahams, David Bogen, Phillip Carrubba, Frank Jawohz, Jerold Mouren, Robert Paul, Richard Probst, Roger Saxon, and Lawrence Bluth as FlFI.

STAFF FOR CAMPUS THUNDER 1953

Director …………………………………………ALBERT A. DICKASON
Business Manager ……………………..……CHARLES RASMUSSEN
Stage Manager …………………………………STEWART BAKER '51
Assistant Stoge Manager…………………….FRED KIRK
Technical Director ………………………….FRED MILLS, JR.
Choreographer …………………………………CELE RASMUSSEN
Tickets and House Manager …………………ROBERT WEISS, CHARLES RASMUSSEN
Program Co-Chairmen………………………………LEO MULDOON '52, JOHN MICKA '52
Publicity and Advertising …………………………BERT ARTHUR '50, FRANK CASTELLUCCI '52
Cos! Forty Chairman ………………………………FRANK DRISCOLL '51
Treasurer …………………………………………EDWARD MORRISON '50
lighting ……………………………………….....…DICK KALM
SpEciol Effects ……………………………………CHARLES KELLOGG
Spot Lights …………………………………………ANDY DEMOTSES
Master of Properties …………………………………ROBERT MILLAR
Wardrobe .. …………………………………………MARGUERITE SCOTT
Wardrobe Assistant …………………………………MARY PIRELLO '52, MARILU ELLIOTT '50
Make-Up Director ……………………………………MARCIA PEDEN
Make-up Assistants .. BARBARA BURHORN, DOROTHY SECKLER, LAURIE PEDERSON, PEGGY McMAHON
Program Assistants ………………………………… FRANK CASTELLUCCI, ALLEN MOORIN, CHARLES KELLOGG, JAMES QUIGLEY, JR., BERTRAM ARTHUR AND ENTIRE KNIGHTS OF THUNDER MEMBERS
Script Girl …………………………………………ROSE NOBILI
Photographers …………………………………….EDWARD BRINSKO, CORBIT STUDIOS
Head of Usherettes …………………………………MARYLN COLEMAN, KATHRINE CLARK
Production Accompanist ……………………………...ADELINE MEATH
Orchestra Conducted by ……………………………GUS MEYERS, JR.
Musical Arranger …………………………………………HARRY AHLBERG
Cover Design …………………………………………FRANK CASTELLUCCI
Staff Artists …………………………………………ADVANCE DISPLAY CO.
Chairman of Reheorsols ……………………………………EDWARD HESKE
Original Costumes ty …………………………………… MRS. S1ME NEARY, MARGUERITE SCOTT

MUSICAL PROGRAM
Part I

"Campus Thunder" - Dickason ................................. COMPANY
"\ Saw a Zlegfeld Showgirl" - Neary ..............................GENIE
"Crossroad!, U. S. A." - Neory....................... .... .... ..... COMPANY
"Bring Back Those Ziegfeld Days" - Martin-Ahlberg ......... DAVE HOWARD, MARVIN GELFAND, JOHN SCHAFFNER, ROGER VARS
"Bock in the Ziegfeld Days" - Near/ ..... ..... ... ... .. PRODUCERS
"Auditions"- Neary ... ... .. .................................THUNDERETTES
"I'm An Actress Now" - Robbins .......................... - .... AIMY
"The Devil's No Stronger" - Robbins .. .. -... ... .... ....SAM
"Walking the Floor With Baby" - Neary ... .... ...... ...... .. .THUNDERETTES
"Show Girl" - Marti n-Ahl berg .. . .....DAVE HOWARD, ALBERTA IVANKO, MARY ElLEN BRUNO
"Boarding House for Horns" - Neory. .. . . ..... .... MRS. ARMOR AND COMPANY
"I Tender My Resignation" - Mortin-Ahlberg . ..... ..... ..SAM
"Father Time" (Tkk-o-Tock) - Martin-Ahlberg .. ... ... AIMY AND COMPANY
Reprise: "Crossroads, U. S. A."..... ..... ... ... ... . ..COMPANY

Part II

"Quaint Old Amish Way" - Neary... ... .... . ....................... AIMY AND COMPANY
"Gee, But It's Great to be Sixty" - Neory .... ........ . ....... . . JANE GOLDSMITH, SAUL GOLDWASSER
"Take the '(.' Out of Gold" - Martin-Ahlberg .. MARY LOU DONAHUE, PAULINE SCIN1O, DAVE HOWARD
Reprise; "I Tender My Resignation" ... . ... ... ... -... -... .................SAM
"Let's Watch the Country Side Go By" - Neary ... . .... ... ........... .... JAMES W. QUIGLEY, JR.,
DOLORES LUDKA AND COMPANY Reprise: "Bring Back Those Ziegfeld Days"................. DAVE HOWARD, ELLEN RUTH BLOCK, NINA SILVER
"Ridin' The Roof Top" - Martin-Ahlberg.. .. ... .. ..... .. ... - JOHN SCHAFFNER AND DANCERS
Reprise: "I Saw a Ziegfeld Showgirl" .. ...JAMES W. QUIGLEY, JR., AND MEN OF THE COMPANY
"Ziegfeld Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" - Neary ....................... .... THE THUNDERETTES
Reprise: "Show Girl" .... ... .............. .. .. .................SAM
Reprise: "Father Time". ............ .................. .. ................. AIMY AND DANCERS
Past Ziegfeld Melodies..... ...... .. .. ........ ........ ....... LENORE BIFIEID, JAMES W. QUIGLEY, JR., ROBERT MIDDLEMASS, MARVIN GELFAND, ROGER VARS AND GIRLS OF THE COMPANY
Reprise: "I Tender My Resignation".............. .... ... ... .. SAM
Reprise: "I Saw A Ziegfeld Showgirl"............ ... JAMES W. QUIGLEY, JR. AND MEN OF THE COMPANY
"You're the Girl" - Neory ...................... ..... ... ....................... .SAM AND THE COMPANY
Reprise: "Bring Back Those Ziegfeld Days".. ................... ......COMPANY
"Campus Thunder" ...................... ................................. ... ...... ......COMPANY

CREDITS

COSTUMES - Undor the supervision of MARGUERITE of the Stage Costumes, Inc., New York, under the supervision of Mis Thunderette Ziegfeld Costumes by Mrs, Sime Neary Ziegfeld Girls' Costumes by Marguerite
SCENERY - C & W Theatrical Equipment Service, New York Fowler Scenic Studio, [nc.. New York
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Slme Neary Dance Studio, USB Main Street, Bridgeport
Mr. Theodore W. Nowlan - Murphy Outdoor Advertising
Connecticut Railway and Lighting Co.
Wended Kellogg - Hofstra College, Hempsteod, Long Island
H. O. Canfield Co.
Municipal Bus Terminal
Connecticut Symphony
Rodio Stations - WNAB, WICC
Bridgeport Sunday Herold
Bridgeport Post-Telegram
University of Bridgeport SCRIBE
D. M. Read Co,
Howland Dry Goods Co.
Fulton Clothes

EVENTS AND MEMORIES FROM
CAMPUS THUNDER
1953
"RETURN OF THE ZIEGFIELD FOLLIES"
(6th edition)

Played three performances to S.R.O. on three evenings---

It was still another year and the sixth edition of Thunder was upon us. The budget was strictly cut but according to one of the columinsts what we lost in beautiful extravangaza scenery, we gained in spirit, scenes, dancing routines and one of the best Thunder shows of all times. According to another critic, the dances this year were above everything else.

This year's edition was the first the Knights of Thunder co-produced as a working group. The show for the first year really made a handsome profit. The program taken over by the Knights made another handsome profit for the first time in six years. Campus Thunder was now in. From here on we would go to bigger and better things.

Performances were cut to three to see if money could be made. If a profit was shown the show would go back to the four day stand next season.

The show designed with laughter and extravaganza in mind, concerned itself with the return of the Ziegfeld Follies and the troubles of Flor-enz Ziegfeld. The songs in the '53 show far out did any other edition and the top getters were "Father Time" (the tick-tock song) and "Take the "L" Out of Gold".

Stars of the show were Cynthia Richelsoph and Syd Karem. Attending the closing night's performance was silent screen movie queen, and one of Flo Ziegfeld's most well known Ziegfeld Girls - Miss May Murray. Panic hit the Klein stage one half hour before the last night's performance of the show when Gail Henderson, chorus girl, fell down the dressing room stairs and broke her arm. She was rushed to the hospital while Rose Nobili, script girl, who had never had a rehearsal, was placed in the final night's chorus line. By the way she did exceptionally well.

Joke of the show - Al Dickason did not recognize the Thunderettes in the final number, and began asking who they were.

Song writers were the old stand-bys, Sime Neary, Steve Martin, Harry Ahlberg and new member from last year Billy Robbins. Larry Bluth took over the coveted role of the Fifi, leader of the Thunderettes, while Billy Jones retained his role of the Genie from last year's production.

Top scenes in the 1953 edition were: "Shades of Ziegfeld" (the opening number); "Boarding House for Hams"; "The Return of the Ziegfeld ' Follies."

The sixth cast party was held at Eichner's restaurant under the supervision of the Knights of Thunder.

1953 ORIGINAL SONG HITS BY SIME NEARY, STEVE MARTIN, HARRY AHLBERG, BILLY BOBBINS

"I Saw a Ziegfeld Showgirl"
"Crossroads U.S.A."
"Bring Back Those Ziegfeld Days"
. "I'm An Actress Now"
"Auditions"
"The Devil's No Stranger"
"Walking the Floor with Baby"
"Show Girl"
"Boarding House for Hams"
"I Tender My Resignation"
"Father Time " (The tick-tock song)
"Quaint Old Amish Way"
"Gee, It's Great to be Sixty"
"Take the 'L' out of Gold"
"Let's Watch the Country Side Go By"
"Riding the Roof Tops"
"Ziegfeld Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"
"You're the Girl"

1947 1948 1950 1951 1952 BLANK
1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 BLANK

Return to: CAMPUS THUNDER HOME PAGE..

Any questions...? E-Mail me at: geosep@comcast.net

To see The Return of the Ziegfield Follies Gallery of Photos: CLICK HERE


This page is currently under construction