A 1938 Grade School Operetta . February 20, 2020

Copyright © 2020                               John F. Oyler

February 20, 2020

A 1938 Grade School Operetta

While sorting through some old papers at home recently Alfred Barzan came across a nostalgic artifact that he thoughtfully has donated to the Bridgeville Historical Society. It is an eight-page mimeographed program for the “Bridgeville Grade School Operetta, 1938”.

Although its pages have turned brown in the ensuing eight decades, its contents are easily legible and overflowing with nostalgia. Apparently the talented students at Washington Grade School took over the Auditorium at Lincoln High School at 8:15 pm one evening and presented a pair of vintage operettas.

Nowhere in the program is the date given; the subject of both operettas suggests that they were presented during the Christmas season. Students from grades one through three performed “A Mischievous Mouse in Toyland”; then grades four through six performed “The Magi’s Gift”.

Much to my surprise, the script for “Mischievous Mouse” is still available on the Internet, currently going for $140. I was unable to find any reference to “Magi’s Gift”.

Mickey of course, played by Bill Batch, was the “Mischievous Mouse”, who wandered into Toyland and created much mayhem. Bill’s twin brother Jim was one of a group of “drums” in Toyland which included Alfred and Emery Barzan, Marty Chabala, Danny Colussy, Richard Deep, and John Graham (all third graders).

Other featured performers were Russell Kurtz (Teddy Bear); Don Vosel (Santa Claus); Sally Russell and Bonnie Keele (Stick Candy Twins); Dick Meharey, Bob Hopper, and Dick Rothermund (Soldiers); and Don Colton (Indian Chief). Don Colton distinctly remembers his part in the pageant, including the lyrics to the song he sang. Marian Jones was featured as Don’s “Squaw”.

Supporting Soldiers included Howdy Collins, Don Gates, and Aldo Mosso. Among the Dolls were Rebecca Bennett, Nancy Copp, and Shirley Green. Louise Duchess and Dolores Fagan were members of the additional Stick Candies. Familiar (to me) names among the Tops were Joan Batch, Emma Cortazzo, Mary Lou Graham, and Sally Silhol.

A surprise for me was the name of Nancy Schullek as a Top. I remember her as a Senior at Bethel High School years later; apparently her family moved from Bridgeville in the interim.

This was also true of Bobby Albertson, who was one of the Indians, along with Florene Cherry, Ray Fagan, Mary Alice Fryer, Dolores Kovach, Bob O’Neil, Arlene Scola, and Ethol Snyder. Lots of familiar names in the “Singing Chorus” – Bob Baldwin, Pauline Calabro, Alma Moore, Sam Patton, Paul Rankin, Ray Sherp, and Don Toney.

There are a few puzzlers in the list of performers. We remember Ray and Dolores Fagan, but who was Thomas Fagan (one of the Indians)? Listed as a Drum is Erno Rosa. We assumed this was our classmate John Rosa; checking with John turned up the information that Erno was a separate person, a resident of Union Street in those days.

It is unfortunate that we have no record of the plot of “The Magi’s Gift”. Act I takes place in England in the Middle Ages on Christmas Eve. The program lists fourteen musical numbers in the first act, including eight traditional carols, as well as “Kolyada”, Mummers, and Morrice Dances. Act II takes place at the same site, on Christmas Day. It has eight familiar carols as its musical numbers. 

We have determined that “Morrice Dances” are traditional English folk dances performed in unison by six or eight dancers. The six dancers listed in this program include Charles Seaman, Zoe Styche, and Mildred Volle.

We are familiar with the term “mummers” from the New Year’s Day parade in Philadelphia. Apparently it originated with folk plays in the British Isles, often performed in the Christmas season. Our mummers included Russell Adams, Norman Kreiger, Jean Lutz, and Ed Wolf.

“Kolyda” is more of a problem. It probably refers to a pre-Christian Slavic winter festival which somehow morphed into the Christmas celebration. Fortunately this number was performed by “Mary and children”. The part of “Mary” was played by Mary Weise – we will rely on her to explain how Kolyda fit into the plot.

There are many familiar names in this cast, in addition to Mary Weise. Jane Conner was Elsbeth; Bill Hopper, young Tom Moreley; Frank Cortazzo, the Turk (one of the Mummers); and Almo Pruner, Jester (also a Mummer). Embedded in Act II is a traditional Nativity Play in which Charles Banks is one the

Shepherds, Dick Regaller and Sam David are Wise Men, and Dolores DeBlander is one of the Angels.

A large Chorus supported this production. Among its members were Warren Carson; Alfred, Iris, and Skip Colussy; Louisa Copp; Virginia Fitzgerald; Geraldine Harmuth; Patty Patton; Delores Pesavento; and Paul Schmidt.

Jerome Barziloski, Bernadine Conroy, Betty Graham, and Tom Lytle were “Skaters”. Perfectly cast as “Angels” were Betty Jean Miele; the Shepos twins, Betty and Marie; and Velma Viale.

The students in “The Magi’s Gift” ended up being the BHS Classes of 1945,1946, and 1947. “Mischievous Mouse” performers graduated in 1948, 1949, and 1950. Sadly, far too many of them are no longer with us.

Nonetheless, skimming over the names in this program has brought back a lot of pleasant memories, in addition to reminding us of people whom we had forgotten.

We are grateful to Alfred for faithfully preserving this artifact all these years. It is a valuable addition to the Historical Society’s archives.