The SCC theater was buzzing with passionate talk about acting on Sunday night at the Undergraduate Theater Collective Mixer. Whether it was musicals or plays, everyone was willing to talk about theater and enjoy refreshments together. There were many knowledgeable Brandeisians willing to share their experience with others. First-years were also there to see what the UTC has to offer. “I’m interested in theater and I wanted to see which people were involved,” said first-year Karina Wen.
The atmosphere was laid back as people crowded the stage to get drinks and desserts. One of them was senior Gabby Lamm, who has been in the UTC since her first semester at Brandeis.
“My first semester, I auditioned for everything, but didn’t get cast,” Lamm said. “I eventually became an assistant manager and now I am a coordinator for UTC.”
Lamm is involved in the popular 24-Hour Musical, which is when students are given a musical and have only one day to perfect all aspects of performing it. This year the 24 hours start the night of Saturday, Sept. 3, with a performance the following night.
“I did 24-Hour Musical as a freshman and from there I became a sound assistant,” said theater assistant Wren Stueck ’18. Stueck said that the musical is minimalist and “not too serious.”
If 24-Hour is not something you’re looking for, Brandeis produces other plays and musicals. Rachel Josselsohn ’17 and Abi Pont ’19 are excited about their production of the Qui Nguyen play “She Kills Monsters.” The play is about a teenage girl who leaves her childhood home following the death of her sister and goes on a monster-killing rampage. “She Kills Monsters” is looking for assistant director, and no experience is needed for the job.
Another play in the works for this semester is “Twelve Angry Jurors.” “It is ‘Twelve Angry Men’ except there is more leeway with the gender of the jurors,” said Rafi Diamond ’18. “Urinetown,” a dark comedy musical written by Greg Kotis, will go up in the fall as well. “Urinetown” takes place in a dystopia where the water supply has run low and bathrooms are owned by the government. People must pay to use the facilities, but everyone is poor, which leads to public defecation. Director Gabe Walker ’18 and producer Heather Gitler ’17 were excited to talk about their upcoming production. Walker is also a member of the UTC e-board and has directing experience from high school.
Everyone seemed in high spirits at the UTC mixer. The UTC is always looking for new members. As Lamm said, “We’re all about bringing people together and trying new things.”
