Theater

'Tick, Tick... Boom!' celebrates the legacy of theater composition

By Henry Chandonnet | November 30

On Nov. 26, legendary musical theater composer Stephen Sondheim died. Sondheim leaves behind a changed fate for the modern musical, having reinvented the standard with classics such as “Into The Woods” (1987), “Company” (1970) and “West Side Story” (1957). Just a week before Sondheim’s passing, “Tick, Tick… Boom!” was released on Netflix. The film celebrates musical theater and composers, namely through the original writer Jonathan Larson. These two consecutive events call on us to reminisce upon the icons of composition and reinvestigate the simple joys of live theater. 

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Theater

Daily Week Senior Profile: Stephanie Hoechst

By Sarah Crawford | February 25

During her time in Arts, Hoechst has covered everything from on-campus theater productions to the most popular movies of the year. She has written an impressive 48 articles, edited countless more and spent a semester as Executive Arts Editor, during which she helped to grow the section.

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Theater

Keep the Cameras Rolling: The distribution dilemma

By Julian Levy | October 7

What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force? Thus is the state of movies in 2020. It’s difficult to understate how profound an effect COVID-19 has had on the film industry; after a historic year in 2019, with Disney alone producing several, billion-dollar movies, major theater chains are now struggling just to stay in business.

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Theater

'Sense and Sensibility' to bring Austen's classic to modern audience

By Stephanie Hoechst | February 27

Between the corsets, accents and obsession with propriety, experiencing a period drama can feel like stepping into another world. For some, that ability for escapism is part of its charm; for others, its rules can make the stories feel alienating.Barbara Wallace Grossman, a professor in the Department ...

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Theater

Learning from love and loss in 'The Last Five Years'

By Sam Heyman | November 15

Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Torn Ticket II’s fall minor production of "The Last Five Years" cast doubt on the old adage. The one-night engagement starred seniorNick Jodka and sophomore Francesca Viggiani as Jamie and Cathy, respectively, two ...

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Theater

20th anniversary 'Rent' tour stops in Boston

By Elaine Gao | November 15

The 20th anniversary tour of “Rent” had its final performance at the Shubert Theatre, Boston, on Nov. 10. From its very first show at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1993, “Rent” has won several musical awards over the years and was adapted into a movie featuring most of the original cast members ...

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Theater

Drama department's ‘An Enemy of the People’ explores modern environmental issues

By Megan Szostak | October 22

This Thursday, the Tufts Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies will open a production of Brad Birch’s 2018 adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 play, “En Folkefiende” (“An Enemy of the People”)in the Balch Arena Theater. Directed by Noe Montez, associate professor of Theatre, ...

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Theater

New Faculty Q&A: Meghan Pearson

By Janya Gambhir | October 7

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Hailing from Syracuse, N.Y., Meghan Pearson is a lecturer and costume shop supervisor who began teaching at Tufts thissemester. The Tufts Daily spoke to her to learn about her background, interest in costume design and theater, ...

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Theater

24 Hour Play Festival is a change of scenery

By Sam Heyman | October 3

This Friday evening, a cabal of student dramatists will seal themselves off from the light of day for a full 24 hours to complete a Herculean trial of wits and wills. But this isn't the congregation of a shadowy cult to the dramatic arts; it’s the 24 Hour Play Festivalhosted by Pens, Paints, and ...

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Theater

Senior Profile: Abby Schmidt

By Christopher Panella | May 19

Disclaimer: Abby Schmidt is a contributing writer for the Tufts Daily. Schmidt was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.For some seniors, going to Tufts was about a change of place. “I’ve always loved traveling and seeing new places,” Abby Schmidt said. In an open study room ...

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Theater

'Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes' questions about stereotyping, representation

By Stephanie Hoechst | April 11

This weekend, the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies will be presenting their spring production, “Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes.” While the cast is small, with only five actors, the show asks big questions about stereotypes in Hollywood and grapples with issues of representation.Heather ...

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Theater

Torn Ticket II explores high school, mental health in 'Heathers: The Musical'

By Stephanie Hoechst | March 27

Disclaimer: Amanda Rose is a former assistant arts editor at The Tufts Daily. Rose was not involved in the writing or editing of this article. This weekend, Torn Ticket II will tackle “Heathers: The Musical” as one of its spring shows. The student production has come together in just six short ...

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Theater

Central Square Theater’s 'Frankenstein' reclaims its monster

By Amanda Rose | November 5

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. Frankenstein’s monster, as he is known today in popular culture, is a far cry from the philosophically and morally tortured being created by Mary Shelley in the novel that jump-started the genre of science fiction. Two hundred years after the publication ...

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Theater

Q&A: Visiting Artist and director Bridget Kathleen O'Leary discusses upcoming university production, 'Violet'

By Ruijingya Tang | October 25

Bridget Kathleen O’Leary (BKO): [The play] is set in 1964, right after the Civil Rights [Act of 1964] has passed ... It’s kind of looking at the external scar that [Violet] carries and what it is for [Flick] to travel through the world as a black man in the '60s ... It is of great cost to him to be a black man out in the world, and she is struggling to be a woman that does not believe she has external beauty. There is this really beautiful refrain in a couple of the songs that they both sing, where they say, "Look at me." "Really look at me" is what they ask of each other. It’s this idea of "can you see beyond the exterior to get to the heart of who I am."

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Theater

Tufts Creatives: Think fast

By Julian Blatt | March 1

Coming to Tufts with minimal improv experience under her belt, sophomore Isabel Schneider was terrified when she auditioned for Cheap Sox at the beginning of her first year. However, Isabel is now an integral member of the improv troupe and looks forward to its musical performance, “The Sound of ...

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Theater

Boston Symphony Orchestra opens 2017–2018 season with inspired Bernstein tribute

By Silvia Curry | September 28

Last Friday night, the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), led by conductor Andris Nelsons, kicked off its new season at Symphony Hall with a program centered on the centennial of celebrated composer and Boston-area native Leonard Bernstein.At most classical orchestral concerts, the orchestra and music ...

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Theater

Sneak peek: orientation productions '[title of show]' and 'Stop Kiss'

By Cassidy Olsen | August 29

Between awkward icebreakers, Target runs and meals with your pre-orientation family, your orientation week can fill up fast. If you're looking for entertainment and a peek into the campus arts scene, take some time out of your day this Sunday and Monday to catch one (or both!) of the orientation ...

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