By Edward K. Burbridge

As most Woodbury students know, all important campus projects must be approved by the highest authority. Such was the case in June 1969 when then college president Mrs. Dora Kirby greenlighted the first ever talent and variety show, dubbed the Woodbury Summer Showcase.

Yours truly, a journalism graduate of the class of November 1969 was granted the responsibility of producing and directing the one-hour stage presentation which was the forerunner of Woodbury's talent fashion shows. From the archives of the June 1969 production of the Woodbury Collegian are the following excerpts of that colorful and historic event.

"The next time I'll be doing my act backstage—that's where the action really is," remarked Rita Berg, Woodbury accounting major who sang "Climb Every Mountain." Rita was referring to her near stage fright and the opening act's sitar player, Mark Pick's arrival just 30 minutes before curtain time.

Then there was the shock value of the fertility dance duo, Suds and Lids, Leslie Schiller and Sylvia de Smet respectively, who may have planned to miss the previous day's dress rehearsal so as not to be axed from the show for their outrageousness.

Not to be outdone in the eccentric department was Marcella French, who performed her act only after changing her mind three times, 60 seconds before curtain call, probably due to conflict with her dancing partner Carrie Otis — the act "A Donkey Meets an Elephant" collapsed for political reasons. Marcella was a young Republican and Carrie was a Democrat.

The Summer Showcase rounded out with performances by Tony Halby a gifted pianist who never had a lesson and Leslie Manheim, a gifted folk singer and interior design student formerly of the University of Houston.

History buffs can still revisit the downtown Los Angeles site of the Woodbury campus at 1027 Wilshire Boulevard, now a parking lot save the old stage structure which was painted with murals and is now covered with graffiti, a poignant reminder of the first Woodbury Summer Showcase.

 
To submit an "In Your Own Words" article, please contact Claudia Campos, alumni relations officer, Office of University Advancement, at 818.767.088 or claudia.campos@woodbury.edu; or Evanne Levin, Office of University Advancement, at 818.767.0888 or evanne.levin@woodbury.edu.