The Madwoman of Challiot

This year, the School of the Arts is turning 100 years old.

In honor of that celebration, the Special Collection department wanted to share some photographs of the play Madwoman of Challiot which was performed twice in campus. The Masquers, the campus drama club and predecessor to the Theater Department, performed the play in 1966 and then again in 1972.

The play tells the story of Countess Aurelia, the madwoman of the title, who with the help of a team of eccentrics, stops corrupt businessmen from drilling for oil in the center of Paris.

The Madwoman of Challiot cast in 1966.

We don’t know the exact order of the photo, but according to our records the cast in 1966 was Becky Bates, Dedaliles, Linda Lee Bolen, Harriett Gibbs, Ken Hall, Dale Vinson, Sonny Helton, Mattlyn Wren, Eddie Austin, Bil Almquist, Fred Moss, Orbie Medders, John Pollett, Cleve Paine, Mike McCall, Sidney White, Jack Stewart, Jim Etheredge, Cathi Ford, Martha Jarrett, Harla McCundy, Hunter Simpson, Caryl Hawkins, Carolyn Rudd, Ken Wolfskill, Bill Pendergrass, Joe Wingand and Rodney Fitzgerald.

The Madwoman of Challiot in performance in 1972.

While we don’t know the names of all the actors in the 1972 performance, we do know it was one of two plays performed that year. The other was “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”.

Text and photographs supplied by Rachel Cohen, Special Collection.  Thanks, Rachel!