More than four hundred students gathered in Levin Ballroom on Saturday night to support the Brandeis arts community’s presentation of Brandeis Cares 2010. Tympanium Euphorium, Brandeis’ only musical theater troupe, raised more than one thousand dollars through their silent auction, raffle and t-shirt and ticket sales.
More than one hundred students from across the Brandeis arts community hit the stage in an ensemble performance of 15 acts from beloved Broadway shows, both new and old. This is the second time that the normally competitive theater community has come together for the event. Brandeis Cares was previously coordinated in 2008 but failed to come together in 2009. Coordinators said they plan to hold the event again next year.
All the money will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Broadway producers and actors founded the organization in 1988 to help their peers who had been stricken by the growing AIDS epidemic. Since its start, the group has raised more than $175 million. Donations are used to support industry professionals affected by AIDS, AIDS service organizations across the country and HIV/AIDS research. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the leading non-profit organizations contributing to cutting-edge research for a cure.
All acts were directed, choreographed and preformed by current students. Two campus a cappella groups met on the stage for a singing battle of “Anything You Can Do,” which included some Brandeis specific jokes centered around determining which a cappella group on campus is actually the best. The audience happily joined in the singing of songs like an instrumental version of a “Lion King” medley and “La Vie Boheme” from Rent. For the finale Adagio joined female coordinators for a rendition of “Cell Block Tango” from the musical “Chicago.”
Despite minimal set and costume design, the group was still able to give the Brandeis community an impressive taste of Broadway. Taking into consideration the time commitment most students have to their academics and extracurricular activities, it is amazing that so many students were able to find the time to put on such an amazing show.
