The work of producing the Junior Girls' Play is a year-long process. The Central Committee is chosen by the League Interviewing and Nominating Committee in the spring. The committee chairmen begin work on a scenario immediately, and the author must complete the script over the summer. In the fall the junior women sign up with the committees on which they would like to serve; scenery is planned and constructed; costumes are designed; publicity releases scheduled, and posters drawn. Cast tryouts are held after the intersession; even when a professional director supervises the production, there is also a student director who gains practical experience. A student treasurer, working closely with the social director of the Women's League, supervises budgets and expenditures. Five weeks of rehearsal lead to the culmination — the rising curtain. Although four performances are given each spring, it is still opening night — Senior Night — which gives the greatest meaning to the Junior Girls' Play.
THE MEN'S GLEE CLUB
A GLEE Club may have existed as early as 1846. Combined with a string instrument group, it is mentioned in the Palladium for 1859-60 as Les Sans Souci organization. In the following years the Palladium lists the Amateur Musical Club, University Choir, Sophomore Glee Club, Senior Glee Club, Cremona Club, Sophomore Aeolians, Amphionic, and Minstrels. Several fraternities organized serenading clubs in the late 1860's.
The University Glee Club had seven members in 1868-69. This group gave a series of concerts in different cities of the state, beginning at Jackson, in February, 1870. More than one hundred students "formed an excursion party to attend the debut of the club, and we are informed that the pleasure of the trip was enhanced by special railroad accommodations and fine weather" (Michigan Book, p. 137). The Jackson Citizen had this to say of the concert: "The Concert of the Glee Club of the University of Michigan, last night, was a splendid musical treat. The members composing it have fine natural voices, in the main, which they have well cultivated. That the large audience before them was pleased was testified by repeated applause." The club gave twenty-six concerts that season, and "everywhere the alumni were enthusiastic and hospitable. By wearing University caps the glee club gave to some persons the impression that they were members of a fire-company, while others took them to be Arabs travelling with Forepaugh's circus."
The Chronicle noted in 1873 an entire absence of musical organizations and suggested that each class form a glee club. A renewal of interest took place in 1876 and the Glee Club made a successful tour, visiting Detroit, Jackson, and Eaton Rapids, but in 1878 the group again became dormant.
The University Glee Club was revived in 1884, this time without break to the present — 1957. Soon after the time of its revival it became one of the most important student societies. It was supplemented in 1889-90 by the University Banjo Club and a few years later by a second organization, the University Mandolin Club.
In 1890 Albert A. Stanley became director of the Glee Club, and under his
