In their ongoing quest to bring quality theater to the Medford campus, Tufts production groups upheld old traditions and invented new ones both on-stage and off-stage in 2003-04.
In the fall, the drama department's rendition of "Doctor Faustus" thrilled audiences and English professors by staging Christopher Marlowe's original text in a modern nightclub. Black lipstick, spiked collars, and leather pants set the stage for senior Graham Outerbridge's rendition of the title character and the deal he makes with Mephistopheles, played by senior Christopher Tadros. This updated version of the traditional setting proved to be perfect for the Halloween season, leaving audiences with thrills and chills just in time for October 31.
The dark decadence of "Faustus" was followed in the spring by the drama department's "A Piece of My Heart," a moving piece which followed the story of six women in Vietnam. Stunning performances by six talented actresses and well-planned staging brought the horrors of the Vietnam War straight to the Balch Arena Theater.
The final department production of the year was Micheal Frayn's "Noises Off," an English sex farce that proves there is more to comedy than a fake British accent and a plate of sardines. The play about a play-within-a-play (try saying that ten times fast) captured the real drama of the theater that goes on behind-the-scenes and starred a superb cast that brought energy and enthusiasm to the hectic show.
In Pen Paint and Pretzels' (3Ps) fall major, "Ring Round the Moon," senior Joshua Bauml played two roles as twin brothers. This romantic comedy used period costumes, fancy dance moves, and a few too many cases of mistaken identity to set the stage for an old-fashioned party that captured the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
The up-tempo comedy was worlds away from 3Ps' spring major, a controversial retelling of Christ's life called "Corpus Cristi." The play, directed by senior Jenn Jarecki, set all twelve of Christ's apostles as homosexual men living in a conservative Texas town, making the classic story relevant today when raging debates over gay rights and gay marriage dominate headlines. The production actively engaged the audience, using the energy of its talented cast to bring playgoers directly into the performance.
Torn Ticket II's "Little Shop of Horrors," directed by senior Tali Paransky, both terrified and entertained theatergoers in the fall. The performance starred Alexander Sherman as downtrodden pet store owner Seymour Krelborn and Julia Arazi as his love interest and flower shop secretary Audrey. The actors in "Little Shop" proved to have a flair for both physical comedy and up-tempo show tunes, bringing the dark comedy to its hilariously deranged conclusion.
"The Rocky Horror Show," directed by sophomore Jennifer Gerson, transported its audience to an alternate glam rock, sci-fi universe. Starring sophomores Greg Fujita and Julia Arazi as engaged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss and junior Mike La Fazia as Frank N. Furter, the performance left plenty of theater-goers singing its show tunes all the way home.
The Bare Bodkin Theatre Company has made a name for itself with its emphasis on student-written works. These writers showcased their works during the fall semester's 10-minute festival and the spring one acts. Bare Bodkin also established its own new tradition with the start of the B.Y.O.B.B. (Bring Your Own Bare Bodkin) 24-hour theater festival. Participants spent a hectic 24 hours working to stitch together a play, then presented it before judges at the final competition.
Bare Bodkin's fall major, "In the Blood," was directed by junior Marc Frost in collaboration with the Black Theater Company. The play was a modern-day retelling the story of "The Scarlet Letter," following the character of Hester Prynne through her trials as she raises five children by five different fathers.
Productions this past semester were not just limited to traditional theater organizations. Tufts improv group Cheap Sox and mime troupe Hype! joined in the fun when they collaborated in the fall to produce "CheapHype," a combination of improvisation and mimicry that left audience members howling.
Traveling Treasure Trunk, Tufts' children's theater company, continued to make children and undergraduates laugh. This year, even Hillel got in on the act, putting on its own show called "Beau Jest" in the spring that told the story of a young Jewish girl who seeks to marry outside her faith. The Black Theater Company revived itself to produced a night of sketch comedy in the spring, in addition to its collaboration with Bare Bodkin on "In the Blood."
Performing "The Vagina Monologues" has also become something of an annual tradition. This year, senior Sarah Hecht directed the show, and it starred a variety of actresses from across campus. The show sold out all of its performances.
Minors sponsored by all of the on-campus theater organizations were also abundant these last few months. From "Seven Blow Jobs" and "Debbie Does Dallas" to "South Park: The Musical" and "Two Rooms," these smaller productions tended toward the sexy and/or political, and provided a lot of fodder for on-campus debate.
