FOUR THEATRE PRODUCTIONS SHOWCASE THE TALENTS OF ALL-STUDENT PRODUCTION TEAMS AND CASTS

By Victoria Velasquez

This semester, theatre enthusiasts can anticipate student-run productions put on by the Pasquerilla East Musical Company (PEMCo); Film, Television, and Theatre’s ND Theatre NOW; the Student Players; and the Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company.

PEMCo unites student producers, directors, designers, publicists, choreographers, actors, singers, dancers, accompanists, and instrumentalists to produce two musicals and a musical revue every year. PEMCo productions have often been large-scale and high quality, thanks to the talent and effort exhibited by each show’s student production team.

Since the Film, Television and Theatre (FTT) department began producing its own musical every other fall semester in 2013, PEMCo has collaborated with the department, and many of the student participants of PEMCo also participate in the FTT musical.

PEMCo hit the ground running the first week of classes with this semester’s musical, Ordinary Days, by Adam Gwon. The all-student production team took on the challenge of a three-week rehearsal period in order to work around the rehearsal and performance schedule for FTT’s Little Shop of Horrors, which opens in November.

The Rover spoke to senior FTT and American Studies major Lesley Stevenson, one of the four producers working on Ordinary Days, about the joys and challenges of a student-run production.

“Being a student-run company is the best and worst thing about PEMCo,” Stevenson said. “It’s absolutely the best because you know that people are doing it not because they’re being paid, or they have to do it for class, or their moms are making them—they’re doing it because they love it.”

She continued, “It’s the worst, though, because students always have schedule limitations; even us producers can’t make perfect commitments. It’s beautiful, really, to see the passion and dedication people give to the company when they’re under no obligation to give anything at all.”

Senior FTT major Jacob Schrimpf, one of the four actors in Ordinary Days, expressed to the Rover what he hopes will resonate with Notre Dame students:

“The overarching question in the show is, ‘What is your life story, what’s your big picture and how are you going to get it?’ I think that’s something that college students always have on our minds: what are our dreams and what can we do to make them happen.”

Ordinary Days runs from September 10-12 in the Washington Hall Lab Theatre.

…

Read the full article on the Irish Rover’s website.