The foreign language placement exam may be the only official assessment Tufts freshmen complete during orientation week, but a new Jumbo's energy and patience are also tested to the extreme during these first few days on campus. The never-ending stream of handshakes and prepackaged bonding conversations about hometowns and planned majors can quickly grow harrowing, so weary young Jumbos take note: The best tonic for exhaustion is neither coffee nor Red Bull, but laughter.
Tufts' performing arts organization Pen, Paint and Pretzels (or 3Ps, to anyone in the know) proudly proffers a cure for freshman fatigue with its three comedic orientation shows, scheduled to take place at the Balch Arena Theater. These performances by Tufts' explosively talented thespians promise not only to elicit chuckles, but also to allow audience members a chance to rest overused hands and vocal chords. Sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the show has never sounded so good.
The theatrical festivities kick off with the Comedy Club on Sept. 2, from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. This late-night affair caters to a wide range of tastes by encompassing a medley of comedic genres: From traditional sketch comedy to children's theater, no stone is left unturned.
The director of Cheap Sox, senior Andrew Morgenthaler, who is also a photo editor for the Daily, denies that the improv comedy group has any special tricks up its sleeve. "Cheap Sox has nothing planned for Orientation. It's improv — what kind of a question is that?" His goal for the night is to bring the world of collegiate improv to the class of 2014 by "knocking them upside the head with laughter."
"Seriously, wear a helmet; it has happened before," Morgenthaler added.
It may be best to leave those proverbial helmets securely fastened for the entirety of the evening, which, along with Cheap Sox and 3Ps, also boasts crack-up performances by Major: Undecided, Tufts' sketch comedy group, and a buoyant moment of silence from HYPE!, New England's only collegiate mime troupe. Audience members will be encouraged to embrace their inner children by Traveling Treasure Trunk, Tufts' children's entertainment ensemble. Tufts' Stand-Up Comedy Collective and cabaret group Surprise Teeth! will also make appearances.
After a three-day break, presumably to allow mirthful theatergoers an opportunity to nurse their split sides, the knee slapping starts up again with back-to-back performances of 3Ps' straight play, "The Nerd," and Torn Ticket II's musical, "Girl in the Frame," both produced by seniors Samantha Kindler and Andres Steyerthal.
"The Nerd," written by Larry Shue and directed by senior Ben Leatham, opens on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m., with a second performance on Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. In this farcical piece, one hapless architect concocts a harebrained scheme to sever ties with the socially inept man who saved his life in Vietnam. The outlandish storyline marries the more common themes of romantic angst and office woes, which, when filtered through an absurd lens, prove the makings of a delightfully wry comedy.
"Girl in the Frame," directed by senior Andrew Squier and musically directed by senior Tatyana Zhukov, takes place on Sept. 5 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. Jeremy Desmon's modern rom-com follows a young, offbeat couple's struggle to set their wedding date — a task made infinitely murkier when the fantasy partners of the bride and groom-to-be spring suddenly to life. This dash of wacky surrealism allows "Girl in the Frame" to seriously question the meaning of romantic perfection without losing its merry energy.
3Ps' comedic potpourri for orientation week not only provides freshmen with a few evenings of lighthearted entertainment, but also offers a fun and tantalizing taste of Tufts' performing arts scene for aspiring thespians and avid theatergoers alike.
