The Revolution of the Saints

The HDC's influence at the Loeb during its first four years was erratic and undefinable. Student directors generally chose their own plays, but often with advance consideration for what the Faculty Committee would tolerate. In a few instances when undergraduates put forth radical proposals, they were quickly overruled.

In the Spring of '61, Mark Mirsky wanted to stage The Jew of Malta, but it was rejected by the Faculty Committee, ostensibly because of the difficulty of finding a lead actor. Unofficially, HDC members speculated that fear of incurring outside criticism had been the real reason for the committee's acton.

Director Paul Ronder submitted three plays for the Fall of '62. But when he returned to Harvard at the end of the Summer, he had decided to do Long Day's Journey Into Night, which had not been on his original list. The rights to Long Day's Journey were unavailable, so Ronder chose Ulysses in Nighttown as an alternate; this the Faculty Committee rejected, calling it unfeasible.

Frustrations like these were not uncommon. Yet they resulted as much from the fragmented structure of the HDC as from concerted faculty attempts to exert control. HDC membership meetings were loud, long and fruitless--particularly since no amount of discussion could overcome the organization's overriding problem: lack of money.

HDC non-Loeb productions had been unprofitable, and Loeb profits, such as they were, went to the University, which also financed all mainstage productions. The HDC's main source of funds -- the green-room Coke machine -- was unable to keep the HDC above water, and by the Fall of '64 the Harvard Dramatic Club was all but bankrupt.

Until then the HDC had been an admirable participatory democracy. There was a five-man executive committee, but it had no real power, and its operations were under the complete control of the whole organization. The HDC met en masse whenever there was an important question to decide. Plays were selected in much the same way as a party nominates its presidential candidate, only with less decorum.

This probably would have continued indefinitely, but for the HDC's impending financial ruin. To avoid complete bankruptcy, HDC leaders realized they needed at least a small share of Loeb proceeds. It was suggested that the HDC become co-sponsor of every Loeb production, and that HDC benefit performances be scheduled when necessary. This was unacceptable to the Loeb's administration, which looked with disfavor on the process of assigning mainstage slots by vote of the HDC's whole membership.

The formula which solved everything was developed by John Anderson '66, who later went into cahoots with John Lithgow '67, then a sophomore and already recognized as one of the best actors to come through Harvard in years. Anderson and Lithgow suggested that the executive committee become self-perpetuating--that it choose its own new members--and that it alone be entrusted with selecting plays for mainstage production. In return for this concession to Faculty feelings (Chapman's in particular), the HDC was to pass on all Loeb productions, and its finances were to be regularly replenished through benefit performances.

The most amazing part of Anderson and Lithgow's proposal was their method for choosing the first new executive committee. They simply suggested that, together with Laura Esterman '66 and David Maynard '67, they would become the executive committee. This, understandably enough, aroused the fury of many HDC members.

Chapman, however, liked the idea, even though he did suggest that a fifth person be admitted into the new body: Timothy S. Mayer '66, president of Harvard G&S. Chapman thought this would make the committee more representative of all undergraduates interested in Harvard theatre. Anderson, Lithgow, Maynard, and Miss Esterman concurred.

Predictably the HDC meeting at which the whole formula was unveiled turned into a bloody, no-holds-barred battle. The main opponent of the new proposal was Charles Ascheim '66, and the meeting finally adjourned having only decided to give Ascheim a chance to speak with Chapman -- to see if he would accept an elected executive committee.

Chapman stated unmistakably that he would not. When the HDC met the following week, even Ascheim reluctantly supported a plan for a self-perpetuating committee.

The Age of Mayer

Every revolution needs a leader, and the Spring '65 upheaval at the Loeb proved no exception. Power was fine, but there had to be someone on the newly enfranchised HDC executive committee to consolidate and exert it. That someone quickly became Timothy S. Mayer '66, president of Harvard G&S and one of the five self-appointed leaders of the new HDC hierarchy.