After a year of varied productions, the final curtain has been drawn on campus theater. From the dark "Monster" to the heartwarmingly chipper "Newsies," Tufts actors and actresses have explored a range of styles and settings through the drama department and numerous student theater groups.
In the fall drama department musical major, "Parade," faculty member Barbara Grossman directed a talented cast, while exploring the range of the genre. Rather than the archetypal musical of sunshine and tap shoes, Alfred Uhry's "Parade" used song to convey deeper emotion in the tale of a Jewish man's experience in 1913 Atlanta, which included lynch mobs and rampant anti-Semitism.
Neal Bell's "Monster," directed by faculty member Laurence Senelick, was the next show to grace Balch. An edgy take on Shelley's classic "Frankenstein," the show highlighted themes of life and death, passion and obsession. The creature, made by Frankenstein and subsequently ignored, wreaks a path of destruction through the creator's life. A departure from the darker themes explored this year arrived in time for a dreary spring. Noel Coward's "Hay Fever," the final department show, entertained audiences with the story of the house of Bliss. The play begins when each member of the clan invites a guest to stay in the same room, allowing for merry melodrama.
Pen, Paint, and Pretzels (3Ps) fall major, "Metamorphoses," directed by senior Jess Fisch, brought stellar acting and characters to the stage. An update on Ovid and a Tony award nominee in 2002, the play features several classical stories tied together by the theme of love.
The spring 3Ps major, "Woyzeck," directed by sophomore Brendan Shea, brought what many have called the first modern tragedy to campus. This interpretation, set in an eerie carnival, tells the tale of the soldier Woyzeck, detailing atrocities mental, physical and emotional as the man slowly descends into madness with his only friend, the imaginary Andres, as a comfort.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, "Newsies," directed by sophomore Brian Smith, brought a sunny enthusiasm to campus. An adaptation of the 1992 Disney film of the same name, the show entertained and amused audiences with its tale of newspaper-boy woe.
An adaptation of Martin McDonagh's Broadway play, "Pillowman" cleverly mixed comedy and tragedy. Directed by senior Dan Balkin, the show follows the police investigation of child murders eerily reminiscent of those in an author's short stories.
Maureen Donohue, president-elect of 3Ps, believes the shows produced by the many groups beneath the 3Ps umbrella this semester were diverse.
"We had a range. 'Woyzeck' and 'Newsies' are about as different as you can get," she said. Donohue and the group tried to choose shows that would interest both actors and audiences.
"We're trying to find shows that the actors want to do and get Tufts excited. We've been trying to get new people to shows, who don't necessarily spend all their time in the theater," Donohue said.
The 3Ps spring minors, "Newsies" and "The Pillowman," were among the best audience draws according to Donohue. Other staples of Tufts theater enjoyed good attendance as well, including Bare Bodkin's annual 24-hour theater festival.
Bare Bodkin continued to bring student-written works to the stage in the fall with "Aria da Capo Prime," a work combining Edna St. Vincent Millay's "Aria da Capo" and two acts by senior Kate Burns. In the spring, Bare Bodkin sponsored "The Night Visitor," a play by senior Armen Nercessian, which brought the author's nightmares to life.
Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," directed by senior Christina Hanson, once again packed Cohen just in time for V-Day to educate and entertain. Rat-a-Tat, Tufts activist theater, brought "The Laramie Project," and Hillel sponsored "Kindertransport," which provided theater with a social context and message.
It was a year for comedy as well, with the newly formed group Major: Undecided hosting its first feature show, "Death by Vending Machine," in the spring, while Cheap Sox continued to make audiences laugh with its witty brand of improv. Traveling Treasure Trunk continued to bring creative theater to local children, and the mimes of Hype! explored the genre outside the glass box.
Torn Ticket II, the musical theater organization, brought "A New Brain" in the fall, and "Children of Eden" in the spring, as well as "Tick, Tick ... BOOM!" and a jointly sponsored minor with 3Ps.
Next year's theater season looks equally promising for 3Ps and the organizations beneath its umbrella, with "The Wild Party," and Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance" set to debut in the fall for Torn Ticket II and 3Ps, respectively. Donohue has found that the call of the theater and a promising new season often bring back alumni.
"We haven't had Hank Azaria or Peter Gallagher come back, but we're a close knit community, and I anticipate a lot [of alumni] coming back next year," Donohue said.
