Linda Jack, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2022
Item
Linda Jack (WLA, Mundelein College 1972 Class Photograph)
Interview Transcript
Title
Linda Jack, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2022
Summary
Linda Jack was a Theater major and graduated from Mundelein in 1972. She lived in Coffey Hall for her freshman and sophomore year, then lived in apartments with friends for her junior and senior year. As a theater major, she was very involved in the theater department. She talks about working as a Student Aide for the Theatre Department and a Stage Manager for the Theater and Auditorium. Linda also shares her memories of being in Chorus, Chorale Singers, USO Troupe and being a Student Academic Advisor to underclassmen for the Theater Department. Linda also fondly remembers Sister Jeanelle Bergen, head of the theater department, as well as Janet Binna, Barbara VanCleve, David Orr, and George Petterson, the theater technical teacher. She learned a lot from all of them and appreciated the knowledge they had to share. She was very aware of the political and social upheaval around the country while she was at Mundelein, as evidenced in her participation in Megan Terry’s rock musical, “Viet Rock.” All of this sparked an interest in politics that has stayed with her ever since. Her older sister, Eileen Drake (nee Jack), also attended Mundelein and graduated in 1970.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Date Created
February 23, 2022
Biography
Linda Jack was born in Chicago, Illinois. When she was three, her family moved out to the suburbs to Arlington Heights. Linda is the third of four children: an older brother, older sister, and younger sister. She went to Sacred Heart of Mary in Rolling Meadows, an all-girls Catholic high school, and after seeing her older sister, Eileen, go off to Mundelein College in Chicago, Linda decided to follow her there. Linda loved Chicago and its culture. She was also enamored with its proximity to Lake Michigan, so after hearing from Eileen that Mundelein was a place where women could be independent, Linda knew that Mundelein was the right place—geographically and emotionally—for her. She enrolled at Mundelein in 1968 and graduated in 1972.
Linda was very involved in the theater department during her time at Mundelein. She was a theater major, joined the chorus, the Chorale Singers, and USO Troupe, was a student aide for the theater department, a stage manager, and was a student advisor to underclassmen for the theater department. She learned all the tricks of the trade in her various activities and loved it. As a senior, she put all that knowledge together when she directed “Adaption,” a one-act play by Elaine May. Through this experience, she was in charge of casting actors, making the programs, paying for the rights to perform the play, printing tickets, painting the set, etc. One memorable play she was in was “Viet Rock,” a rock musical denouncing America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. She and her fellow castmates performed the play on a platform stage in McCormick Lounge rather than the Skyscraper’s auditorium, and even performed it at The Second City for the Chicago Peace Council.
Due to all of the political and social upheaval during Linda’s time at Mundelein, she became very aware of and interested in politics for the rest of her life. It was during her freshmen orientation in the spring of 1968 that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. She was staying in the Northland dorm and remembers not being allowed to leave due to the rioting in the city. She also remembers being horrified when news of the Kent State shootings reached campus in the spring of 1970. Linda recounts Mundelein’s responses at the time and the student activism that resulted.
Linda was very involved in the theater department during her time at Mundelein. She was a theater major, joined the chorus, the Chorale Singers, and USO Troupe, was a student aide for the theater department, a stage manager, and was a student advisor to underclassmen for the theater department. She learned all the tricks of the trade in her various activities and loved it. As a senior, she put all that knowledge together when she directed “Adaption,” a one-act play by Elaine May. Through this experience, she was in charge of casting actors, making the programs, paying for the rights to perform the play, printing tickets, painting the set, etc. One memorable play she was in was “Viet Rock,” a rock musical denouncing America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. She and her fellow castmates performed the play on a platform stage in McCormick Lounge rather than the Skyscraper’s auditorium, and even performed it at The Second City for the Chicago Peace Council.
Due to all of the political and social upheaval during Linda’s time at Mundelein, she became very aware of and interested in politics for the rest of her life. It was during her freshmen orientation in the spring of 1968 that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. She was staying in the Northland dorm and remembers not being allowed to leave due to the rioting in the city. She also remembers being horrified when news of the Kent State shootings reached campus in the spring of 1970. Linda recounts Mundelein’s responses at the time and the student activism that resulted.
Interviewer Biography
Melissa Newman was a graduate student at Loyola University Chicago and a graduate assistant at the Women and Leadership Archives 2020-2022.
Time Log
[0:00 - 5:00]: Introductions, Linda’s family/upbringing, her sister being at Mundelein as well, and impression of Mundelein.
[5:00 - 10:00]: Impression of Mundelein and being with her sister continued.
[10:00 - 15:00]: Classes she took and the USO Troupe. Vietnam War and Viet Rock play.
[15:00 - 20:00]: Viet Rock play continued.
[20:00 - 25:00]: Vietnam War protests and reactions to Kent State Massacre.
[25:00 - 30:00]: How Mundelein shifted her political views, campus living, and roommates.
[30:00 - 35:00]: Tea Room food review, experience being a theater major, and the plays they put on.
[35:00 - 40:00]: Plays continued, Loyola and Mundelein crossover with theater, and professors that influenced her.
[40:00 - 45:00]: Being on campus and in the city and going to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a class.
[45:00 - 50:00]: Importance of music in her life and how she started as a talent agent.
[50:00 - 55:00]: Talent agent continued, being a photographer, and having her photos in the yearbook for Mundelein.
[55:00 - 1:01:24]: Dark room for Mundelein and interview wrap up.
[5:00 - 10:00]: Impression of Mundelein and being with her sister continued.
[10:00 - 15:00]: Classes she took and the USO Troupe. Vietnam War and Viet Rock play.
[15:00 - 20:00]: Viet Rock play continued.
[20:00 - 25:00]: Vietnam War protests and reactions to Kent State Massacre.
[25:00 - 30:00]: How Mundelein shifted her political views, campus living, and roommates.
[30:00 - 35:00]: Tea Room food review, experience being a theater major, and the plays they put on.
[35:00 - 40:00]: Plays continued, Loyola and Mundelein crossover with theater, and professors that influenced her.
[40:00 - 45:00]: Being on campus and in the city and going to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a class.
[45:00 - 50:00]: Importance of music in her life and how she started as a talent agent.
[50:00 - 55:00]: Talent agent continued, being a photographer, and having her photos in the yearbook for Mundelein.
[55:00 - 1:01:24]: Dark room for Mundelein and interview wrap up.
Index
Arlington Heights, LJ 0-5
Art Institute, LJ 45-50
Atlanta, Georgia, LJ 0-5
Bend, Oregon, LJ 0-5
Bergen, Sister Janelle, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 40-45
Binna, Janet, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 40-45
Broadway, LJ 15-20
Chicago, LJ 0-5, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35, LJ 50-55
Chicago Peace Council, LJ 15-20
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, LJ 45-50
Coffey Hall, LJ 30-35, LJ 60-65
Come Back, LJ 15-20
Friel, Brian, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Gannon Center, LJ 60-65
Gannon, Sister Ann Ida, LJ 60-65
Guerilla Theater, LJ 15-20
Hair, LJ 15-20
Hampton, Fred, LJ 25-30
Jack, Eileen, LJ 5-10
Jell-O, LJ 35-40
Kent State Massacre, LJ 10-15, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30
La Mama Theater, LJ 15-20
Lake Michigan, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10, LJ 45-50
Learning Resource Center, LJ 45-50
Little Sheba, LJ 15-20
Lovers, LJ 35-40
Loyola University Chicago, LJ 20-25, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Martin Luther King Jr., LJ 25-30
May, Elaine, LJ 35-40
McCormick Lounge, LJ 15-20
Mundelein College, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45, LJ 45-50, LJ 50-55, LJ 55-60, LJ 60-65
National Merit Scholarship, LJ 5-10
New York, LJ 15-20
Northland Hall, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35
Orchestra Hall, LJ 45-50, LJ 50-55
Orr, David, LJ 40-45
Palatine, LJ 0-5
Petterson, George, LJ 45-50
Playboy, LJ 50-55
Rogers Park, LJ 45-50
Rolling Meadows, LJ 0-5
Sacred Heart of Mary High School, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10
Schnake, Janet, LJ 35-40
Scholasticate, LJ 25-30
Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Actor and Equity, LJ 55-60
Second City, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20
Shakespeare, LJ 15-20
Skyscraper (Building), LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 30-35
Spanish Arms, LJ 30-35
Tea Room, LJ 30-35, LJ 35-40
Terry, Megan, LJ 10-15
University of Illinois, LJ 5-10
USO Troupe, LJ 10-15
Van Cleave, Barabara, LJ 40-45
Viet Rock, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Vietnam, LJ 10-15
Women and Leadership Archives, LJ 55-60
Art Institute, LJ 45-50
Atlanta, Georgia, LJ 0-5
Bend, Oregon, LJ 0-5
Bergen, Sister Janelle, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 40-45
Binna, Janet, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 40-45
Broadway, LJ 15-20
Chicago, LJ 0-5, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35, LJ 50-55
Chicago Peace Council, LJ 15-20
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, LJ 45-50
Coffey Hall, LJ 30-35, LJ 60-65
Come Back, LJ 15-20
Friel, Brian, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Gannon Center, LJ 60-65
Gannon, Sister Ann Ida, LJ 60-65
Guerilla Theater, LJ 15-20
Hair, LJ 15-20
Hampton, Fred, LJ 25-30
Jack, Eileen, LJ 5-10
Jell-O, LJ 35-40
Kent State Massacre, LJ 10-15, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30
La Mama Theater, LJ 15-20
Lake Michigan, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10, LJ 45-50
Learning Resource Center, LJ 45-50
Little Sheba, LJ 15-20
Lovers, LJ 35-40
Loyola University Chicago, LJ 20-25, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Martin Luther King Jr., LJ 25-30
May, Elaine, LJ 35-40
McCormick Lounge, LJ 15-20
Mundelein College, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45, LJ 45-50, LJ 50-55, LJ 55-60, LJ 60-65
National Merit Scholarship, LJ 5-10
New York, LJ 15-20
Northland Hall, LJ 25-30, LJ 30-35
Orchestra Hall, LJ 45-50, LJ 50-55
Orr, David, LJ 40-45
Palatine, LJ 0-5
Petterson, George, LJ 45-50
Playboy, LJ 50-55
Rogers Park, LJ 45-50
Rolling Meadows, LJ 0-5
Sacred Heart of Mary High School, LJ 0-5, LJ 5-10
Schnake, Janet, LJ 35-40
Scholasticate, LJ 25-30
Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Actor and Equity, LJ 55-60
Second City, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20
Shakespeare, LJ 15-20
Skyscraper (Building), LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 30-35
Spanish Arms, LJ 30-35
Tea Room, LJ 30-35, LJ 35-40
Terry, Megan, LJ 10-15
University of Illinois, LJ 5-10
USO Troupe, LJ 10-15
Van Cleave, Barabara, LJ 40-45
Viet Rock, LJ 10-15, LJ 15-20, LJ 20-25, LJ 35-40, LJ 40-45
Vietnam, LJ 10-15
Women and Leadership Archives, LJ 55-60
Copyright
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