Tufts theater hopes to entice first-year Jumbos

Tufts theater wants new students to know that it's cool. On Sunday, Aug. 31, and Monday, Sept. 1, incoming freshmen will be able to see two orientation shows: "boom," produced by Pen, Paint, and Pretzels (3Ps), and "Edges," courtesy of Torn Ticket II, the musical theater group on campus. Each show tackles coming-of-age issues and interpersonal relationships. The purpose of the orientation show is to allow incoming freshmen to see theatrical performances, giving them a general sense of what theater at Tufts is really like. These shows are particularly relevant to the first-years because of their themes of young adult life.

But, preparing for an orientation show, or "O-show" as it is more commonly known, is difficult work. Plays and musicals are intensely collaborative and would not be possible without the efforts of backstage crew members who ensure that every prop and every actor are in their proper places. The O-show requires a tremendous amount of hard work and attention to detail in order to impress incoming students. Senior Ali Tai, stage manager for "boom," shed some light on these often unseen elements of the O-show performances which are a tradition at Tufts.

"Months of ridiculously hard work go into all of the shows," said Tai. The role of the stage manager is particularly challenging because it marries the creative and performing aspect of the play, she said.

"From working with designers to make sure that their visions are cohesive and translate to the stage to actually completely cueing the show, I get to have my fingers in everything," Tai said.

Sophomore Mitchell Katz, stage manager of "Edges," concurs about the multi- faceted nature of the job. "I always have to think of unique solutions to problems when we need something that won't work logistically due to various reasons," he said. Fortunately Katz seems largely unfazed by the logistical hurdles of his job, saying that "stage managing took [his] heart." In addition to being organizational wizards, stage managers work closely with the show's artistic players, such as set, costume and lighting designers, whom Tai was quick to praise.

"Designers often don't get the credit they deserve! The stage is their canvas, and their art is performing every bit as much as the actors' [role] onstage," she said.

The importance of a show's aesthetic cannot be overstated. In this case it is particularly critical because one goal of orientation shows is to entice incoming students to become active in theater on campus. Hoping to attract new members, it is in the interest of performing groups like 3Ps and Torn Ticket II to appear at their best during an O-show.

The desire to impress O-show attendees extends from the appearance of the set to the actors. Sophomore Anna Robson moonlights as a hair and makeup designer for many campus performances, and highlighted the importance of actors' appearance in the orientation shows.

"The way a character looks is often the audience's first clue as to who that person is in the world of the play, so it's important that we're communicating the right things." Robson, the makeup designer for both “Edges and “boom,” said. Stage makeup is furthermore a specific art very different from application of regular makeup, according to Robson.

"It's all about adding back in the definition and structure that's being washed out by theatrical lighting," she explained. Despite the theatricality of the application, the designer is still interested in keeping actors' looks natural.

"I'm not really into pristine, precious application because that kind of thing is boring for an audience," Robson said. "I'd much rather do something that's a little raw, maybe even a little bit off."

Even though preparing for the orientation show has been difficult, the performers are incredibly excited to show off their skills to O-show audiences.

"This piece has a hilarious script, superstar cast, and brilliant production staff — definitely not a show to miss," Tai said about "boom," which will be playing in Balch Arena at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday and 4:00 p.m. on Monday. "Edges" will be also be playing in Balch at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday and at 2:00 p.m. the following Monday.