No Plans This Weekend? Oh, Pfff!!! Come See OPF!

I keep regretting all these blog titles, plz someone stop me

Do you like dogs? Do you like cookies? What about Christmas? Do you like to laugh? Okay, what about crying? Finally, do you like good theatre? If 3 of your answers were yes, 1 was "um...what?', and the other was "is she trying to be funny again?", then I've got the show for you! The 9th Annual Original Play Festival is back in action and you have THIS WEEKEND ONLY to secure your ticket! Let's talk about it, and look at all my blurry pictures!

The Process

Student playwrights! Student directors! Student actors! A student run theatre company! So many students! Rutgers has a lot of those! Come see these amazing artists put on never-before-seen plays in our own little black box theatre. 

“It doesn’t follow the conventions of a typical Cabaret show. By performing five completely different plays, the show stays fresh and the audience gets something a little bit different than what they’re used to, something I hope they remember and tell their friends about after they’ve left the theater”

— Nathan Olmeda (Senior)

The way it works is that plays are chosen by the OPF coordinator, students interview to be a director, and then hold auditions for the shows they're assigned. These directors have the unique opportunity to communicate directly with their playwright, and make their work come to life! 

Tatianah Demande (Junior, English and Comparative Literature) talked to me about her awesome relationship with the playwright of her show, Com Down. "Fortunately for me, I got the work of someone I’ve known for a while, Julianna Pica, and was familiar with. Pica and I were immediately on the same page. From the beginning she told me, do what you think is best, I wrote it but you’re staging it. There was a level of trust and respect there that I think is really important when you put on someone else’s work. If I ever wanted to change something, I would explain it to her and she either revised or explained to me why a change like that would take away from the piece. There was an open dialogue that allowed the production to be the best that it could be."

A lot of times when I would be in english class or some sort of music rehearsal, the teacher would say, "this is kind of vague, but we can't really ask the writer or composer what they meant because they're dead!" so I'd imagine it's really cool to have have questions for a playwright that is easily accessible and breathing! 

The Cast 

As I've said time and time again, Cabaret is attracts some of the most talented people ever. No exaggeration. And this cast is no different - these 5 shows make up a cast that wowed me right from when the lights came up to the bows at the end. With such complex characters, people might wonder what these student actors do to get themselves in character. 

“My favorite part of being in OPF is being surrounded by people who put their all into the work they’ve done to help OPF become a memorable production for the people involved and for the audience. Just by witnessing all of the hard work that everyone’s done for the production, I get inspired to do the best that I can to help make OPF a success and a wonderful experience.”

— Colee Bellmark (Sophomore, History)

Colee Bellmay (Sophomore, History) is an OPF veteran, and gave me a little insight into how she prepares for her role. "I crafted my character around people I know and my relationship with my parents, and also the relationship that my mom had with her mom. Using experiences and conversations that I’ve had with these people has definitely allowed me to connect with and craft my character." Fun fact: her show made me shed a super dramatic single tear. Watch out for her, she's incredible.

Nathan Olmeda plays 2 very different roles in this production, and does a great job at both! "Both roles are very fulfilling in their own way! By playing two roles, I get to expand my range of emotions and feelings in a way that I can't in a normal production."

Watching casts work together as a unit is something I find so special about theatre. This show's got it. Come see it. 

Directing

First time directors probably had a few things they were worried about on their minds, and I decided to e x p o s e them - just kidding. But they really were all ready to comment on their growth as a director. 

Maya Mitterhoff (Sophomore, Music Education) directs Syzygy and does a rockin' job at it. However, she had her doubts going in. "The most challenging part was taking the lead for the first time. I've spent a lot of time working on being a good cast member and performer, but this was totally new to me. Now, it's not so scary. I know it's all about teamwork and flexibility and risk taking. And it's a very exciting thing, that I definitely want to do again."

Tatianah was worried about getting the show to it's final product. "It was weird. Like you already kind of know what you’re doing but at the same time you have no idea and you always question whether you’re making the right choices and if it’s going to come out right. Getting over that fear and always wondering what the playwright will think or if the audience will enjoy it was really hard. I think I got to the point where I just had to ask myself if I like it and was I okay with what I created because at the end of the day it was my work and the efforts I made with others. That was what really helped me get over that fear and gave me a different perspective on what I was doing. And I f-ing love it."

“It’s cheesy to say it, but it truly will make you laugh and cry, and it will be hard to leave without a smile on your face.”

— Maya Mitterhoff (Sophomore, Music Education)

David Novis (Junior, English and Political Science) said, "I actually didn't choose this show. The way the process went, I just applied and had a play assigned to me. It was sort of daunting at first, considering I didn't know right away if I could do the type of show well and was scared I'd screw up somebody's work, but luckily they paired with a scene so good it was hard to mess up." He also thinks he's he's hip with the cool slang in his next answer - "The most challenging part was trying to figure out how to hit those hard emotional beats right (and also teaching Benji how to play solitaire)."  (***spoiler alert!) (I think it's too late for it) (my b) Come find out what he means with his fancy youth lingo! 

The Experience

Cabaret is a place for opportunity. These directors and actors spent the last several weeks working together and growing together as artists. I talked to a bunch about what they got out of the OPF experience. 

"My favorite part of this experience is the people I got to work with," says Tatianah. "You get support for every side of it. Someone was always there when I had a question or needed help whether it was lights or costumes or even just coming with me to Target. Working with people in the same boat as me as first time directors, and sharing those experiences really helped. Elizabeth, Jill, and Ajit were a wonderful support system. And words can’t even describe how awesome Emily and Thomas were. You go into auditions hoping for the best and the you hope you made the right choice. I got them and they pushed me to be better. This was my first time directing and they were already such talented actors. We made a great team. We all did.

There's no way people won't believe we've got great people in this show, because that's all anyone could talk about!

"My favorite part of being in OPF is being surrounded by people who put their all into the work they’ve done to help OPF become a memorable production for the people involved and for the audience," raved Colee. "Just by witnessing all of the hard work that everyone’s done for the production, I get inspired to do the best that I can to help make OPF a success and a wonderful experience."

“ The best part was really being able to finally know that this is for me. I was in the office last night after tech, putting some last minute touches on a costume and I had a moment where I just sat there, mulling over the production and the process and knew. This is it. Of course it is not without its difficulties but this experience was nothing I wanted it to be and everything I needed it to be.”

— Tatianah Demande (Junior, English and Comparative Literature)

But of course, these people are here to perform, and Maya's favorite part was putting all the pieces together. "My favorite part has definitely been being able to watch it come together during tech. These plays are all so great and watching them for the first time was a wonderful, magical thing. I'm so proud of the other directors and actors, in addition to my own actors of course. Storytelling is definitely something everyone in OPF deeply cares for, and I must say we do a damn good job at it."

 

Are you convinced yet? Please say yes omg

Come see these amazing Rutgers students put on a show in our little black box theatre on the street corner. This is the only weekend to do it! See you there :) 

“People should come see OPF because their fellow students wrote dope stuff and it’s great to support their work and it’s great to support student theater and it’s all great and also you get to watch Benji play solitaire for about fifteen minutes which is so great I swear.”

— David Novis (Junior, English and Political Science)

You Got Older! Duh! That's How Time Works!

I already regret this blog title. 

Hello theatre friends, and welcome to yet another episode of Anna Tries to Take Decent Pictures and Write Funny Words on the Internet! I'm your host, Anna, and today I'll be talking about Cabaret Theatre's third mainstage, You Got Older. 

Directed by Shayna Carney, this show goes through the life and times of Mae, whose life and times are actually kind of a hot mess. And it gets even worse when her dad gets sick and she has to move back home after being dumped and fired by the same guy. Talk about a bad day, wow. You Got Older walks us through her life, as she falls back into the youthful routine of her adolescence, her fantasies about a burly Canadian cowboy, and dealing with the rest of her siblings as they await her father's treatment. 

Not gonna lie, this is a weird show. I like to consider myself to be a weird person, but this show really threw me for a loop, which is the first time this has happened in like...ever. But that's a good thing! Congrats, guys. You beat me. I found myself squirming, and cringing, and laughing, and dropping my jaw, and on the verge of tears multiple times throughout the whole show - and that's freaking awesome. That's theatre. 

The cast has an incredible dynamic. Comprised of 7 fantastic actors and actresses, You Got Older presents an extremely relatable story - even if you aren't a person who fantasizes about Canadian cowboys. Krystina Matos (Junior, Majors in Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies, Minors in Sexuality and Statistics) leads the show as Mae, and told me a little about how the cast works with each other. "The cast dynamic is so funny to me. There is never a moment in the show where the whole cast is on stage, and there were very few rehearsals where we all were there before we started running the whole show. Yet, we still have this closeness and this constant need to be talking to each other and checking on each other. It's so easy to have that when there are so few people involved, except Andrew can't seem to remember our names for some reason..."

“Eating a raw avocado...That’s complete anarchy. I can think of so many better ways to consume an avocado.”

— Andrew Parsons (Sophomore, Pre-Business), Matthew

The Characters

From watching the show twice, I couldn't even tell that they didn't rehearse all that much as a full cast. The way they work off of each other is so natural you can't detect it. Celine Dirkes (Junior, Theatre and English) went into how she uses the cast to craft her character. "To connect with my character I connect with other characters! I imagine the circumstances and place the other characters in the position of my siblings or father and then focus on reacting truthfully to what they give me in the moment. "

At the same time that they were falling into place with their cast members, some of them found themselves in their own characters. Krystina said, "The most challenging part about my role is doing it justice. Mae is such a full, well-rounded, real character, and this play surrounds and centers on her. Because the play is so intimate, it's hard to remember sometimes that I'm on stage because you're enveloped by the person across from you. Mae and I are similar in so many ways. We're both very bold women with no filter on our conversations. There were so many times during the rehearsal process when I'd laugh at myself saying a line because it's exactly something I would say - ridiculously out of nowhere yet thought-provoking, thinking-out-loud. But mostly ridiculous."

“My favorite part of the show is when Brian Nowak rides an actual live horse into Cabaret. You don’t wanna miss that.”

— Katie Siegel, Jenny

Mario Gambino (Senior, Communication) plays Dad, and finds that he can see himself and his grandfather in his role. "The general jokeyness of dad is something that I think he shares with me. He's never too serious. Even in this dark time he's able to be lighthearted, but he has his limits and you kind of see him break down at the end. In terms of differences, I think Dad is probably a lot more patient than me. I mean it takes him almost until the end of the play to even lose his cool a little bit. I would have been a lot less patient with Mae giving me the cold shoulder so often. The connection I share with him is more external than internal. I based him a lot off my grandfather who's just a very kind hearted man who went through similar medical issues a few years ago and it was just inspiring how he handled it. So, I kind of think of it as trying to do him proud. You know, having the honor to basically live as him for a night is really special and that makes the connection I have with my character all the more important and meaningful."

The Message

The show is funny, this show is dark, this show is uncomfortable, this show makes you hungry for food and other things (lol). I left the dress rehearsal with a bunch of different ideas as to what they wanted me to focus on, but I asked the cast their opinions. 

Katie Siegel (Journalism and Media Studies) plays Jenny and talks about what it means to be family. "I think there are numerous messages that can be taken from the show depending on the individual and their own experiences, so I’ll just say the main one that speaks to me. The part of the show that I’m involved in is very family-centered, and as corny and basic as it sounds, I think one of the simpler messages of the show is the importance of family. While in this show the family is related by blood, I think the definition of family can be expanded to include the people who are there for you when you need them the most."

“When you come out of this show, I hope you try to find little moments of celebration even when it seems like the world is crumbling around you - just like Mae. ”

— Shayna Carney, Director

Mario doesn't think there is one: "I think there is no grand message. I think this show is vey impressionistic and the message really depends on what an audience member sees. There's definitely a lot here and I personally see it as a piece heavily involved with empathy and maturity. But, I think it heavily depends on what an audience brings in to it and I really credit the writing and directing to be able to do that so delicately and without making it feel lightweight."

“People should come see this show because it’s something you rarely get to see on college campuses. It’s not aiming to thrill with spectacle, it’s very personal and I think that’s the most special a piece of theater can be. It’s made to be savored. It’s rewarding and it’s the kind of thing you’ll always remember seeing.
But if all that fails to bring in an audience: it’s freaking hilarious. It’s hard to juggle comedy and pathos, but when you do it makes the comedy all that much funnier.”

— Mario Gambino, Dad

The Vision

Director Shayna Carney didn't originally have this version of the show in mind before auditions happened. The most rewarding part of this process was getting to see these particular actors bring this show to life. We went into auditions with a completely different view of how this show was going to go, but everything changed when* we got our actors. They bring such a new and creative life to it and it has been amazing watching that unfold.

A big part of this production is that fact that it's real. It's relatable. People watching it will definitely be able to connect with the characters during this show, maybe even a handful of times throughout. "I proposed this show because I love capturing raw moments on stage and making the audience feel like they are a fly-on-the-wall to a family that probably resembles them," says Shayna. 

“People should come see the show because it provides such an intimate look into each character’s life that it almost makes you feel as if every scene is an intrusion — no moment is one that the audience should normally be able to witness.”

— Oren Merhav, Assistant Director

Assistant Director Oren Merhav (Sophomore, Biomedical Engineer) expressed a similar sentiment. "My favoite part of this show is the absolute rawness. There is no part of the characters' lives that is off limits, and everything done on stage is as real as it can get in a performance setting."

So there you have it, folks. You Got Older is the La La Land of Rutgers Theatre right now - you HAVE to see it so you can find out if you like it or not. That's a terrible analogy, but I just wanted to throw in on a completely new social media platform that I was really not a fan of that movie. Anyway, here's ** the link to tickets.  Don't miss out!

"People should come see You Got Older because it is the perfect intersection of the banal and unconventional. There's a familiarity about the story that you feel comfortable in, yet there's always this underlining discomfort, whether it be visually uncomfortable, physical, intimate, or just plain awkwardness. There are so many levels to Mae's life that become clear through the characters around her, and every single moment, no matter how simple it may seem on the surface, is an important glimpse into who she is." - Krystina Matos, Mae

* [the fire nation attacked] [don't tell me you didn't think of this because then you'd be a liar]

**wonderwall.

RNL Idiots: not by Green Day, not a musical, def funny

THIS SHOW IS FIRE. Was that enough to get you to buy tickets for this weekend? No? Alright, fine, I guess you'll have to read another one of my lovely posts with the blurry pictures and the poor photoshop skills and the terrible jokes. Here we go. 

Rutgers Night Live is presenting its 14th show at Cab this weekend! Hosted by Dan Robertson, this hilarious troupe takes the audience through a whirlwind of some of the funniest jokes I've heard since Inauguration Day, or whatever the heck that was on January 20th. Sorry, am I allowed to say that? I don't know but I'm confident you're all interested in this show's content!!!

The show starts off with a sketch about the #reallife struggles of the first class of the semester, which is followed by a highly entertaining monologue by the ever-fantastic Dan Robertson (Theatre BA, Sophomore), who has always wanted to be on SNL - luckily, this show is only 1 letter off! On how he wrote his opening monologue, he said "There's a lot of pressure tackling the art of stand up comedy when you are not in fact a stand up comedian; it's a whole new ball game. A funny idea won't just suffice, you need to write jokes with natural fluency while keeping the audience perspective in mind. This is extremely difficult, but when you find a line that just works it's pretty awesome." Guys, I don't know what he's talking about being "not in fact a stand up comedian" because Jill and I were LITERALLY cracking up in the audience like GUYS THIS IS SO FUNNY UGH

One of the cool things about RNL is that it's so gosh darn different every they put on a show - which is cast member Paige Grecco's (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Senior) favorite part about it. Current events are happening literally all the time - that's what makes them current, duh. So these guys have a lot of new and different things to work with each time they sit down to write. Kim Bollard (Theater and Journalism, Senior) talked to me a little about how she prepares for sketches. "I don't really have a plan for writing, I just think of things that I think are funny and then I put them in story format. Some are good, and some are less good, and then I turn in the sketches that I think are worthy of being performed and then we vote on them!"

“It’s cheaper than a mainstage!”

— Benji Sills (Communication, Senior)

Mario Gambino (Communication, Senior) mentioned how this year so far hasn't been very pretty. "It's been a rough year, we all need something to laugh about. But most importantly it's a lot easier to get tickets to our show than SNL. I mean you don't even have to wait in line!" I think that's a recurring thing for most of them: It could be worse.

Chris Michael even mentioned the cheeto-skinned hairball by name! "People should come see RNL if they have no plans this weekend and they want to make plans... To laugh! Also this is the first RNL since The Donald became The President, so if you want to see some college kids make slight political commentary this is def your show. RNL 14 is one for the books! We've overcome a lot of obstacles to be here. Such as not knowing our lines, not having costumes, and not even having sketches! Needless to say we've worked hard to be where we are today." 

“People should come see it because RNL has now been around for fourteen seasons, and Seinfeld only lasted 9 seasons, so we must be doing something right.”

— Kim Bollard (Theatre and Journalism, Senior)

We've got some real redeeming qualities in this show, one of which is that the cast has a great bond and has had  a wonderful experience working together and creating art. Paige said, "The most rewarding part of RNL this semester was being able to cowrite my first sketch with my cast mate Chris. I've never written a sketch before so it was really exciting seeing it come to life."

Let's be real for a hot second though. Since 2017 started, there is SO MUCH material for this troupe to use. like SO MUCH. and RNL uses literally ALL OF IT. I LAUGHED SO HARD YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND - please see this show if you like smiling and laughing in real life. No regrets will be made in the watching of this production.

COME GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

“Everyone with a functioning bladder should take caution in coming to this show. 95.62% spectators have reported theirs busted after the show. Viewer discretion advised. Omg jk ilysm come see it we’re kewl.”

— Dan Robertson (Theatre BA, Sophomore)

A Weekend of Special Events: Again!

I felt like some people were missing my terrible photoshop jobs and blurry show pics, so I tried extra special on this post. 

WE BACK, Y'ALL! Just like Jim Carrey turned into NPH, this year's weekend of special events features a whole new cast. Between genderbent song selections and the inner workings of several distressed humans, you've got 2 jam-packed days of immense talent and artistry. Here we go!

“Cabaret really demonstrates the entire scope of theatre, from sketch comedy to main stage musicals to original play festivals. Hell, the day after this irreverent genderbent concert is a completely different production that poignantly tackles the topic of panic attacks in a really tangible, arresting way. And both of these productions are valid, and necessary, and amazing.”

— Ajit J. Mathews (Accounting, Junior)

Role of a Lifetime: A Miscast Concert 

This Friday, January 27, a cast of 10 hilarious individuals join together *FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY* to put on an insightful concert style event called Role of a Lifetime: A Miscast Concert. Those funny songs you know and love from famous musicals across the spectrum will be performed by the opposite gender in this attention-grabbing performance. To preserve the secrecy of the set list, I've hidden all of the song titles and character names. LEEYYGGOOOO

From an actor's perspective, it might be a challenge to accurately portray the message of each song without the traditional gender to back it up. That wasn't an issue for these folks, at least according to the ever-present Benji Sills (Communication, Senior). "For each character I did some research to figure out how they might move and sound based on previous performances and interpretations! I think [traditionally female character name!] has some things in common with other characters, but her voice and body are different in other ways, some of which are dictated by the frustration she feels at her situation." Hint - he's feeling a little *under the weather* ;) ;) ;) ;)

“Come see the gender bent concert here at Cabaret Theatre because what is gender amirite?”

— Shayna Carney

Rachel Horner, fresh from a semester abroad in Spain, was super excited to be back in the states (obvi bc i live here), and jumped right into rehearsals at Cab for this show, and talked to me more about the challenges of gender swap aspect. "It was definitely a challenge to find an appropriate key for each song, because the songs had to fit each of our voices while still maintaining the integrity of the original song. We also had to make sure that we conveyed the characters of each song without relying on its melodic features or its typical sound. It's hard to try to portray masculinity while singing in a female's range, but it was an exciting challenge as a performer, and I'm glad to have had an opportunity like this!"

From the audience's perspective, this cast isn't having any issue with conveying the proper messages - the songs are all funny and so are these performers. Here's a live conversation between me and Shayna: 

Me: you're funny. how do you work on being funny? i need to know. for science.

Shayna: I'm not funny. It's an illusion. If anything I do during the show makes you laugh, it's not me. It's the song. Or Ajit's direction. But definitely not me.

Fun fact: this is a lie. 

Later, I asked Tyler Conroy the same question. He said "Haha so I mean, if there's one thing I've learned it's that if you're trying to be funny on stage, you're not going to be. You've gotta just go out there and have fun, and make sure that you're prepared. Humor comes from the writing, so as an actor, you've gotta just understand what it is that your character is trying to get, and find the humor in that. I guess maybe I'm a little funny too."

Paolo Arceo dazzles the stage with his vocals and original choreography, which was a brand new experience for him, which *spoiler alert* may include some "low key" "sexy" things. This was a pretty uncomfortable thing for me to type on this sort of a platform and probably was weird to have to read in your head, but trust that the dancing is better than the way I described it. 

Not only does our Miscast cast and pro staff have a blast flip flopping the conventional gender roles in this concert, they're diffusing society's gender norms at the same time. 

“ People are people, regardless of gender, so it shouldn’t be too hard to make that switch. It’s important though to have an understanding of gender before you go being offensive. Lastly, Maya has really done a great job adjusting these songs, while keeping the sound almost entirely the same. ”

— Tyler Conroy (Journalism and Media Studies with Sports Specialization, Senior)

Ajit J. Mathews, our talented associate producer, is the mastermind behind this concert and has done a wonderful job of breaking down these barriers. "Two main things inspired me to create this Miscast concert. First off, I love the idea of 'nontraditional' casting, because I think it’s unfortunate that things like gender or race or hair color can actually prevent a talented person from playing a role that they’re otherwise perfect for. I think that all the individuals in this show are terrific at the songs they sing throughout the concert, from the way they portray the character to the way they interpret the text and the music, and for something as trivial as gender to prevent them from singing these songs is silly to me. This concert lets us break down those boundaries. The second reason is that I think it’s funny to have a girl sing about her erection."

^That was a spoiler without an alert! Throwing you some curve balls to get you to come see this show - which again, is ONE NIGHT ONLY. 

“I decided to audition for this show because how often do you get to full out perform opposite gendered songs to audiences? Most of my dream roles are female anyway so I am LIVING. ”

— Paolo Arceo (Psychology and Theatre, Junior)

The music in this concert was hand picked by Ajit, who worked really closely with Maya Mitterhoff (Music Education - Voice, Sophomore) to work on getting the keys correct as well as fitting the correct voices into the roles. On the song selection, Ajit said, "What makes this concert funny and interesting is that every song was originally written as very “ladylike” or “feminine” or as very “manly” or “masculine.” Having the “wrong” gender sing these songs lets us reveal and poke fun at how gendered some of our favorite show tunes are, sometimes in ways we’d never really consciously thought about before. Show tunes about men sexualizing themselves are few and far between, but the sheer number of songs written for women that put them in this same situation is almost... comical." As a girl who spent the last 2 years singing the bass part in an all female a cappella group, I feel dis. 

Bottom line, if you are a person who loves theatre, loves laughing, and wants to see a bunch of college kids sing songs that definitely weren't written for their voices, this is the show for you. Reserve your tickets here! 

“People should come see the show because it reinforces an important topic which is that gender doesn’t exist. Our performance showcases that anyone (however you identify as) can perform these songs by still staying true to the meaning—just in a different key! All they are are songs with messages that ANYONE can connect to!”

— Paolo Arceo (Still Psychology and Theatre, Still a Junior)

The Panic Attack Play 

On the very next night, Cab is opening their doors once again for the public to witness yet another work of art called The Panic Attack Play, directed by Celine Dirkes and Sarah Ferreira, both of whom also perform in the cast! A production that was written by its talented cast, The Panic Attack Play hopes to "[increase] empathy for those who suffer panic attacks, as well as sharing information about what causes them and coping tactics." <--I stole this from the facebook event description because I definitely couldn't have said this any better. 

“I proposed this show because panic attacks have affected many of the people I care about the most. I believe very firmly in the power of sharing narratives and resources to build a community of empathy and information, and I hoped that this show could do that and make the world just a little safer for those of us who experience panic attacks.”

— Celine Dirkes (Theatre and English with a Creative Writing Certificate, Junior)

This show reaches the audience from a variety of different platforms - from it's speech, to carefully thought out movements, and even a musical number, any audience member, no matter their experience, will be able to come out of this show having made some sort of connection. 

Celine Dirkes, Cabaret's own General Board Representative, first proposed the show and talked to me a little about how the rehearsal process worked. To my surprise, being the director of a show you're also performing in wasn't as difficult for her as I would have thought. "The experience of co-directing a show while being in it at the same time didn't feel very different for me than it feels to direct. My major philosophy of directing is that we are a team, not a hierarchy, one single ensemble working towards making the best possible show. I feel like that extends logically into the devising process with just a shift in responsibility. Now the roles we all perform in making the show work are less defined, but we still shared the same goal."

As for writing the actual script, the cast worked together to create a show that reflected their experiences with panic attacks, as well as provide the audience with an opening for understanding and empathizing, which all stemmed from a strong foundation of trust in self-expression that Celine and Sarah fostered from the very beginning. "At the beginning of the process Sarah and I taught several movement and improv based exercises that encouraged people to access their bodies and become comfortable sharing personally created narratives. As the process continued we brainstormed concepts as a group and used improv to explore potential directions before coming to a consensus and finalizing a script. In some ways our script still isn't "finished" because we have passages where cast members "riff" like a jazz musician would. The exact wording is not our priority, but rather communicating the essence of the skit."

Jillian Hanna is no stranger to Cabaret, but she was telling me how The Panic Attack Play really helped her get back to her acting roots. Since the rehearsal process only spanned several of really long, intense days after the end of winter break, this cast of 6 really had to get the ball rolling right from the beginning. "For me, the biggest takeaway is understanding that it is indeed possible to create something out of essentially nothing. all we started with was the seed text. we literally came together over winter break and created a show in just days, which is pretty impressive to me. All you really need to perform something is an idea and the will to get it done."

They've got lights, they've got choreo, they've got some dope seed text stuff going on, all put together into an incredible show that Cabaret is holding for literally one night - EVER. Don't miss out, reserve your tickets now! 

“This show is super vital in understanding mental illness from the perspectives of all different people. not everyone experiences it the same way. and not everyone has the resources necessary to deal with it. I hope someone in the audience comes to our performance and says “holy shit — it’s not just me,” and is able to either come to terms with their own struggles or get the support and help they need to begin to deal with it.”

— Jillian Hanna (Theatre and Psychology, Senior)

If you've made it to the bottom of yet another one of my lengthy blog posts on this thing, then you DEFINITELY don't have any better plans this weekend. And let's face it, even if you did, these would still be way cooler. Buy your tickets before it's too late! 

Hold Still and Focus on Purchasing Your Tickets for 35MM This Weekend!

The coolest collaboration of photography and music is coming to Cabaret Theatre for one weekend only! 35 MM: A Musical Exhibition is our first mainstage musical of the year. With songs inspired by a series of original photographs taken by our very own Paolo Arceo, this 90-minute production gives each photo a story, a life, a song. Director Ajit J. Mathews and his incredibly talented cast of 5 takes us through a new groundbreaking theatrical concept in 35 MM: A Musical Exhibition.

“Cabaret Theatre’s 35MM is new and exciting and like nothing you’ve ever seen. At the crossroads of photography and music, this song cycle delves into so many different dense, rich stories as it brings to life and sets into motion the frozen moment of a photograph.”

— Ajit J. Mathews, Director

The Photography

In my opinion, the collaboration between the photographer and the director is what's most intriguing about this show, because otherwise there wouldn't really be a show. Paolo Arceo (Psychology and Theatre, Junior) worked with Ajit over the summer to get on the same page in terms of vision and the breakdown of each song, regarding the individual message and interpretation that Ajit wanted to convey. "Ajit wanted me as the photographer for quite some time now. This kinda had me scared because all I had was an expensive camera I didn't know how to use and a 99 cent iPhone editing app with no experience of real photography. This PUSHED me to know what I was doing and eventually create the photos I did today. So you can say I thank Ajit for my photography transformation in less than a year." Cabaret Theatre: Where Dreams Come True TBH.

“Picking a favorite song or photo from the show is so tough and really changes every day. The artistry of the actors and Paolo’s photography really gives me a new reason to fall in love with each song and photo each day.”

— Ajit J. Mathews, Director

It's one thing to have a vision, but it's another thing to be able to communicate it accurately to another person with the intention of collaborating with one another. On working with Ajit, Paolo said, "We kept good communication and exchanged thoughts, but I think that the looseness was important so I could incorporate my own style and creative freedom still having him as an aid. He's one of the smartest people I've EVER met in my life (intellectually and artistically), so it was good to have someone as genius as him there to help me out."

If we're talking about the actual process of taking the photographs, he had a system. "What I would do is just listen to the songs over and over, study the lyrics, and read Ajit's vision and perspective of each song. I would then narrow the message of the song to three adjectives and try to find a scene/object that embodies it. " I can't reveal any pictures specifically here, partly because I know I'm not supposed to but mostly because you should come see the show and look at them with your own eyes, fam. Seriously, it's so worth it. 

“Photography is such a big part of our lives today with apps like Snapchat and Instagram where people are taking pictures every single day and sometimes we start to forget how much meaning and life a picture can hold. This production demonstrates that precisely and really brings truthfulness to the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.””

— Andres Moledo, Voice 3

The Music 

numbah 1 stunnahzzzz

As a listener, 35MM is probably the most challenging score I've heard performed in Rutgers Student Theatre. As a musician, even more so. I get to study with some amazing and talented people, and 35's co-music directors are two of them. Andrew Moore (Music Education [Voice], Senior) and Thomas Silkowski (Music Education [Saxophone], Senior) are the dynamic duo of music directors this season, which is only emphasized by the vocal quality of their musical numbers. 

When you come see the show (which I know you'll definitely do because why else did you click this link besides wanting to see what typos I made this time), you'll notice that each cast member is i n c r e d i b l e. Not just as people, but as vocalists. The ranges are just insane. This isn't without a poop ton of work from both the performers and the music directors. As a future music educator and good friend of Andrew and Thomas, I wanted to know what the cast members thought.

Brandon Conti, who plays Voice 4 said, "Music rehearsals with Tom and Andrew have honestly made me a stronger performer and every critique they give is to help me develop my skills and be the best that I can be every time. They are fantastic people, who have been an amazing influence on me throughout the process."

Voice 3 is played by Andres Moledo, who said "Rehearsals were intense vocally because this particular show is loaded with obscure harmonies and strong belty parts so I really had to step out of my comfort zone and push myself to reach the level that the show demanded. The music directors really helped me to reach that level and I thank them both very much for their guidance."

Maya Mitterhoff, Voice 1, spent a lot of time working on her different characters, which Tom and Andrew really helped out with. "Our music rehearsals involved a lot of focus on story telling as well as technique. Tom and Andrew are so good at helping us get all the notes and rhythms down while at the same time teaching us technique and helping us properly emote through the songs. It's an intense process, and it's almost like we each had two private coaches throughout the rehearsals. We could not have done it without them."

They even had some great words from the director. "I could not imagine this show without Tom and Andrew as the music directors. This is by far the hardest vocals in a show that I've worked on, and the masterful hand with which Tom and Andrew led their music rehearsals was absolutely integral to the success of the show. The two of them pushed the actors to rise to the occasion and really gave them the tools to succeed with this score."

Ryan Scott Oliver thinks they're OK. that's it, though.

Before Tech Week, Cabaret Theatre did this awesome thing where they invited Ryan Scott Oliver, 35 mm's composer and lyricist, to the Brunz for a masterclass with this cast of 5. Sitting in the audience and hearing him announce, "These are some of the tightest harmonies I've ever heard a group do with this show" only further emphasized what a special place Cabaret Theatre is, and how lucky Rutgers is to have quality student theatre on their on campus.

“This show is unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of. It allows the five of us to tell a different story for every song, but the themes of photography and film ring throughout. They pose questions like, “Will I always be with the person that I love, or will I only have this photograph as a reminder of what once was?” We are exploring whether or not photography/film are the only permanent ways of capturing moments; of capturing a lifetime. And that is pretty damn fascinating. ”

— Jillian Hanna, Voice 2

The Voices

I got some dope sentiments from a few of the cast members and honestly they're so cool, here are the words so you can read them for yourself.

this is the box song, clearly.

Andres Moledo (Theatre, Freshman) is a noob to Cabaret, and we are so glad to have him! Playing Voice 3, he has a lot of different characters to play and a lot of singing to do. I know that as a freshman, I wouldn't have had the you-know-whats (guts, duh) to audition for a show in general. He didn't throw away his shot, though. "I originally auditioned for this show because I wanted to take a chance. The audition info called for strong singers which intimidated me and I couldn't find much info on what the show was about, but I really wanted to get involved in the theatre programs here at Rutgers so I decided why not give it a shot?"

From watching him perform, or watching any of these ungodly humans perform really, you'd never guess that he had any issues doing the thing. However, he found that the most difficult part of his role was being able to convey emotions without sacrificing his singing. "The cast is required to play many different characters throughout the show, so to jump into that character for this song has always been a struggle for me, but I eventually found a way to make the emotional transition work." Guys, real talk here, he literally sings a song where he's sitting in a chair holding a cardboard box and I felt feelings. 

Voice 2, aka Jillian Hanna (Theatre and Psychology, Senior) absolutely slays the game in this show. Definitely no stranger to Cabaret or Rutgers theatre in general, Jill takes the stage as one of two strong and amazing women who belt notes that I only accidentally produce when I trip and fall in public, and that's not even considered singing. Her favorite photo in the set is "Hemming and Hawing, which is a collage of one of Paolo's friends taken at different angles. He's wearing makeup that makes him appear completely lethargic, bruised, broken. It seems like a symbol for the trials and tribulations of love - and not just romantic love, any kind of love. To me, it also shows how stress and hardships can take a physical form." Jill's investment and dedication to the story of each photo and song is so evident in her performance.

Voice 1 is played by Maya Mitterhoff (Music Education [Voice], Sophomore). I swear, every time I see this girl onstage I melt. She's got SO much talent and you've all gotta experience it. I asked her about her favorite parts of the show. "I am a sucker for a love story, and this song [The Seraph] is so beautifully romantic. It also has a lot of references to religion, and no matter what your beliefs are, everyone can relate to that heavenly feeling of being in love. My favorite song to perform is Leave Luanne. It's a thrilling story that has an ending I think we all can get behind. My favorite photo is Cut You A Piece because it's so cinematic and really a part of the world created by the song. It's an important part of the story telling. "

Brandon Conti (Communication PR Specialization, Senior) plays Voice 4, which *hint hint* might end up wearing a cape and pretending to be a vampire for a hot second (!!!). With high tenor vocals, Brandon tears up the stage (and backstage) with his dulcet tones and groovy dance movements. No surprise here since they had such a great conversation about crafting, but Brandon's favorite part of the rehearsal process was the masterclass! "The best moment in the rehearsal process was the Master Class with Ryan Scott Oliver himself! To listen to and learn from the man himself who created this work of art was very surreal. I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I first met him, but as I sat there and learned more about his life and his influences, it generated this new drive to try and make my performance better every time I go on stage."

The Director

it's this guy. he's the director.

Ajit J. Mathews (Accounting, Junior) is lajitimately one of the dopest dudes I've met at Cabaret, as well as one of the most talented people, on and off stage. With his fancy socks and long-sleeve shirt no matter how hot it is in the space, Ajit has transformed a black box and 5 singers into an unbelievably stimulating production in a few mere months. 

If you're still on the fence about seeing this show, get ready to be inspired and intrigued. 

"I think my biggest challenge as a director for this show was trying to make each song as distinct as a unique photograph. Paolo provided a set of beautiful and particular photos, and this show demands the same of each musical number, which is something I'd never faced as intensely with any of the other shows I've worked on. Unlike a musical, there are no constant characters or plot or themes that tie it all together, so I had no real safety net or handicap when creating each song's vision. I'd say the two keys to overcoming this were: the lyrics and Mary Berko. By picking apart the content of the song, I could find its heart and really craft a story and a setting inspired by the core of the music. And having Mary Berko as a collaborator in building the landscape of this song cycle was a huge blessing and her artistry and talent undoubtedly lifted this show to new heights."

“The whole theme of taking pictures, photography, stopping time, focusing, holding still... it reminds me of square, angular, sharper shapes, so I think that’s what the choreography mimics. ”

— Mary Berko (Journalism and Media Studies, Senior), Choreographer and Assistant Director

35MM: A Musical Exhibition is the must-see event of this 2 week season before you drown in finals, so what are you still doing staring at this thing? BUY YOUR TICKETS. The photography is dope (way better than mine, tbh), the singing is fantabulous, and the dancing is fire. Don't miss out.