University of Virginia Drama II

Formed in 1904, the Arcadians, an early student dramatic club, staged primarily light comedies and musicals. “The King of Kong,” written by two alumni, was the fourth opera performed by the group.

At right: The Arcadians, University of Virginia Dramatic Club, Presents “The King of Kong.” Program. [Charlottesville: n.p., 1900s].

At right: Rollo’s Wild Oat was the last Virginia Players’ production to feature an all-male cast.

The Virginia Players, in association with the Raven Society, presented the world premiere of Poe’s only play, Politian. Poe’s tragedy drew loosely on the famous Beauchamp-Sharp murder in Kentucky in 1825. The photograph shows Roy Land, as Jacinta, and Thomas Gresham, as Ugo.

At right: The Virginia Players, in association with the Raven Society, Present for the First Time “Politian” by Edgar Allan Poe. Program. [Charlottesville, 1933].

At right: Production photograph of the Virginia Players’ staging of Edgar Allan Poe’s Politian. [Charlottesville, Cabell Hall, 1933].

The Virginia Players performed in a theatre space in Minor Hall. At right: Production photograph of the Virginia Players’ staging of The Rainmaker. [Charlottesville], Minor Hall Theatre, [1950s].

The Rotunda Stagers was a splinter group of The Virginia Players in the 1950s. The group wanted to perform and direct more plays than they had been allowed to do with the Players. They chose the dome room of the Rotunda as their performance space.

At right: Production photograph of the Rotunda Stagers’ The Lady’s Not for Burning. [Charlottesville, the Rotunda, 1952].