Top Notch "Third Tiers"
James McMaster
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Life!
The Muhlenberg Theater Association (MTA) is one of the most competitive, liberal arts college theater association out there. Fortunately for the students, the MTA has circumvented competition with the special productions, referred to as "third tiers."Students initiate and produce these productions in alternative spaces, with no budget, and provides an opportunity for all students in the organization to show the College what they've got. Steve Balliet is organizing "third tiers" this semester with the idea that all artists should have the opportunity to present their work in mind.
"Women and Wallace is a one-act play by Jonathan Marc Sherman about the psychological consequences a parent's suicide has on their child's future relationships," says Director Alex Nagorski '10. The play went up on Nov. 14 and 15 in the Red Door. The cast featured Teddy Lytle as Wallace, the leading man, who anchors the show. Aside from Teddy, the cast and creative team consists of freshmen, sophomore, and junior girls of the Muhlenberg Theater Association. The whole cast offered extremely touching performances.
Audiences took part in the world premiere of another one-act play written by Brendon Votipka '09. The piece is based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and is called Like, Whatever. "It follows the romantic entanglements of two teenage couples who are subject to the wills of their friends and enemies in the games of romance." Justin Schwartz directed the work, which opened on Nov. 13, also in the Red Door. It featured a large ensemble cast who executed the contemporary comedy with sincerity and hilarity. Another cast that features freshmen is the performing ensemble of Freshmen 15. The name indicates the roughly fifteen acts for the freshmen to receive their fifteen minutes of fame.
It is also a play off of the fifteen pounds college students allegedly gain by the end of their freshmen year. The ensemble was created and is led by Cait Murphy '12 and Katie Rie '12 in order to provide even more theatrical opportunity for freshmen in the competitive Muhlenberg Theater Association. The theme for this performance of Freshmen 15 is "New Beginnings."
My Name is Rachel Corrie is an hour long piece based on the personal writings of Rachel Corrie, a young college graduate who joined the International Solidarity Movement at the age of 23 and who was killed by a bulldozer driven by the Israeli Defense Forces. The piece is directed by Alex Lotorto '09, a political science and film major, is being performed by an ensemble of talented freshmen girls. The open dress rehearsal was followed by a talkback with "Invincible", a hip-hop organizer for the Palestinian Youth Solidarity Network.
Other special productions presented in the past few weeks included Love is Merely Madness and The Spotted Man. Audiences responded with interest to all these shows with great turnouts of students supporting their peers.
"Women and Wallace is a one-act play by Jonathan Marc Sherman about the psychological consequences a parent's suicide has on their child's future relationships," says Director Alex Nagorski '10. The play went up on Nov. 14 and 15 in the Red Door. The cast featured Teddy Lytle as Wallace, the leading man, who anchors the show. Aside from Teddy, the cast and creative team consists of freshmen, sophomore, and junior girls of the Muhlenberg Theater Association. The whole cast offered extremely touching performances.
Audiences took part in the world premiere of another one-act play written by Brendon Votipka '09. The piece is based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and is called Like, Whatever. "It follows the romantic entanglements of two teenage couples who are subject to the wills of their friends and enemies in the games of romance." Justin Schwartz directed the work, which opened on Nov. 13, also in the Red Door. It featured a large ensemble cast who executed the contemporary comedy with sincerity and hilarity. Another cast that features freshmen is the performing ensemble of Freshmen 15. The name indicates the roughly fifteen acts for the freshmen to receive their fifteen minutes of fame.
It is also a play off of the fifteen pounds college students allegedly gain by the end of their freshmen year. The ensemble was created and is led by Cait Murphy '12 and Katie Rie '12 in order to provide even more theatrical opportunity for freshmen in the competitive Muhlenberg Theater Association. The theme for this performance of Freshmen 15 is "New Beginnings."
My Name is Rachel Corrie is an hour long piece based on the personal writings of Rachel Corrie, a young college graduate who joined the International Solidarity Movement at the age of 23 and who was killed by a bulldozer driven by the Israeli Defense Forces. The piece is directed by Alex Lotorto '09, a political science and film major, is being performed by an ensemble of talented freshmen girls. The open dress rehearsal was followed by a talkback with "Invincible", a hip-hop organizer for the Palestinian Youth Solidarity Network.
Other special productions presented in the past few weeks included Love is Merely Madness and The Spotted Man. Audiences responded with interest to all these shows with great turnouts of students supporting their peers.