The ubiquitous question: What is a Bare Bodkin?

What is a bodkin? And more importantly: What is a bare bodkin?

A bare bodkin is the head of a sewing needle and is also an allusion to Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Why is this information prudent to the Tufts' community? Such definitions are only the foundation of one of Tufts' newest theatrical organizations, The Bare Bodkin Theatre Company, which presented its 1st Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival Saturday night.

The Bare Bodkin Theatre Company is devoted to providing an outlet for student playwrights and directors to perform their work on and off campus. The Company is a "found-space" theatre company which has to date performed everywhere from Barnum 008 to the basement of Houston Hall and most recently brought the Ten-Minute Play Festival to Hotung Caf?©.

Student directors, writers, and actors came together at this special theatrical happening to perform scenes written by both students and established playwrights. From mimes to monologues, the Festival was a non-stop evening of creative expression.

"I was very pleased to see the culmination of so many people involved in so many productions," Artistic Director Marc Frost said. "I was really happy with the size of the crowd [in the audience] and I think the night had a great flow and energy to it."

Says performer Dave Adler, "I had a really good time....It was a [performing] experience I couldn't have had outside of Bodkin."

So what can audiences expect next?

"The evening demonstrated that if we're going to perform in Hotung, we need to choose louder plays," Frost said.

Tufts audiences will definitely be listening.

-- by Jennifer Gerson