In an attempt to offer deeper insight into this Fall's theatrical offerings, each UTC mainstage director (as well as the director for Hold Thy Peace and the President for Boris Kitchen) was encouraged to submit a piece explaining what makes each show special, or to partake in generally shameless self-promotion. All of the shows below will be in the Shapiro Campus Center Theatre, with the exception of Boris Kitchens Old Shit Show. As show dates approach, watch the Hoot calendar for performance times!

The Laramie Project
Brandeis Ensemble Theater
Oct. 19-22
Director Michael Carnow 07: The creation of the piece was prompted by the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. The members of the Tectonic Theatre Company decided to go to Laramie and interview as many people as possible to try to understand the murder. This is an event that is very much a part of our upbringing. It forced people to examine the meaning of hate crimes and to look at gay rights laws in their communities. The play itself is a theatrical collage or a documentary onstage. It's a play unlike any that most people have seen This is the type of play that asks important questions about who we are both individually and as a community, and the plays that challenge us to be better are the types of plays that should be done over and over again.

The Goat, or, Who is Sylvia?
Brandeis Players
Oct. 26-29
Director David Klasko 07: Meet Martin. He is a successful architect living a great life with his loving, liberal family. But what will happen to his perfect life when Martins family discovers that he has been having an affair with a goat?
The Goat is a show that will leave you rolling with laughter just as it cuts you deep, right wear it hurts. It is hilarious, raw, scathing, yet always takes itself seriously. It is [Edward] Albees challenge to our sensibilities, to our tolerance, and to our capacity for love, human or otherwise. Bring your friends and family at this years Fall Fest!

The Tempest
Hold Thy Peace
Nov. 3-5
Director Dina Maron 08: I absolutely love the beautiful language and nuances of this script. The dialogue within this show is arguably some of Shakespeares finest writing, and the relationships between the characters are complex and interesting. The themes within this show are applicable to many different life situations and are accessible to the audience. Notably, this show addresses struggles between attaining freedom and being dependent. Individuals consistently balance their desires for finding independence from others, establishing new versions of themselves and building new support networks, while still remaining true to themselves and their values, which applies to Brandeis because students here attempt to find their place as adults and individuals, while depending on familial structures emotionally, financially, and academically. This show is a very captivating visual experience from a design standpoint and Im looking forward to collaborating on what will make this show uniquely ours as a period Shakespeare piece.

Seussical
Tympanium Euphorium
Nov. 9-12
Director Hannah King 08: I like good music, shiny things, and intense theater. Intense theater can most definitely be centered around stories from childrens books, despite popular opinions to the contrary. I am drawn to Seussical because it conveys all the serious, meaningful elements of theater while allowing for a colorful, high-energy, surprising performance. I think people don't know what to expect, really, and that's a good thing.

Betrayal
Hillel Theatre Group
Nov. 16-19
Director Allie Winer 08: I read it in a class last semester, and I was really drawn to the challenges it presents. When I was reading plays to pick one to direct, I kept going back and forth between plays that are standard American theater and those that are more experimental. Betrayal is a rare blend of both. The play follows the affair between a married woman and her husband's best friend. It begins two years after the affair has ended and works its way backwards to the beginning. This structure exposes the many lies and betrayals that occur between the characters in a unique and powerful way. This play is incredibly challenging for the actors as well as the designers and myself, but also allows for a lot of creativity and experimentation.

Boris Kitchen
Old Shit Show: Oct. 6
Sketch Festival: Dec. 1-2
Boris Kitchen President Joshua Louis Simon 07: First is the Old Shit Show. We do this every year. It's when we bring out some of our old favorite sketches that we haven't done in a while. New actors and a new director, same old sketches. The show is particularly exciting because it's where we showcase BK's newest members! It's happening on Friday, Oct. 6 at 8:00 p.m.
Our second big hoorah will be the 7th Annual Sketch Comedy Festival. For the past six years, Boris' has been hosting college and professional sketch comedy groups from around the country to get their funny on. Boris' Kitchen also performs our first new set of the year BOTH nights. This year, The Festival will be Friday, Dec. 1 through Saturday, Dec. 2. It's gonna be hilarious!