Helping Hand
Carol Channing's appearance at EMU helped raise more than $24,000
HELPING HAND
'Professor' Carol
By MARTHA SULLIVAN! pp ~ .Q(J
NEWS STAff REPORTER
YPSILANTI - Thorton Wilder’s most famous heroine - the irrepresible Dolly Levi - came to Eastern Michigan University Friday to, in Wilder’s own words, “encourage young things to grow.”
Carol Charming, currently appearing at Detroit’s Masonic Temple Theater in “Hello Dolly,” stopped by EMU for a brief visit to help the university raise funds for the renovation of Quirk Theatre.
“Money, you should pardon the expression, is like manure,” Channing told an enthusiastic gathering of EMU students and faculty. “It’s not worth a thing unless you spread it around. Well, from the looks of things here today, EMU sure knows how to spread it around. And that’s because it encourages young things to grow.”
Channing arrived on campus via helicopter and then was whisked in a white Cadillac to the New Alexander Music Building, where she was appointed an assistant professor of drama and communications by Ronald Collins, acting vice president for academic affairs.
Channing kicks off
“Professor” Channing then held court in a drama class, where she told students how she got her start in show business. As she marched down the aisle toward the front of the Pray-Harrold classroom, several hundred students rose to then-feet and broke into their own rendition of “Hello Dolly.
CHANNING TOLD the students how she began to study drama and dance at Bennington College and then left after three years to go on her non-resident term to get some practical job experience. “I’m so proud to be named a professor at EMU when I haven’t even got my diploma yet,” Channing said later. “I’m still on my non-resident term getting experience. As my mother told me, ‘you can always get education but you can’t always get experience.’ I know I’ll get my diploma some day.”
In a question and answer session with drama students, Channing told the aspiring actors how important a college drama program can be.
“The university atmosphere is important because it takes the fear away,” she said. “You have to be exposed to the great plays before you get afraid of them. As the years go on when you face
EMU theater drive an important role, you’ll think back and say: ‘Thank you EMU, I didn’t know what I was getting there.’ ”
Channing also stressed the importance of the audience in helping actors keep their performances fresh.
“DON’T DO IT for your own pleasure. Do it for the audience. They paid for the ticket, not you. You have to keep it fresh for them because they’re seeing it for the first time. I’ll go to my grave remembering the laughs I’ve lost because I didn’t make it fresh,” she said.
Channing’s appearance on campus helped EMU developers raise more than $24,204 for the theater project. That will be added to approximately $221,000 in gifts and commitments already received. The campaign organizers hope to raise $1.1 million for a new theater addition, remodeling of the theater lobby and construction of scene and costume shops.
During her visit, Channing was presented with the token first seat in the new theater by EMU President John W. Porter, and received symbolic keys to the new facility as a gesture of EMU’s appreciation for helping kick off the development campaign.