Vassar Summer Drama

There is never a dull moment of summer at Vassar – genius SIG kids scurrying through the college center, Ford Scholars, URSI breakthroughs, Reunion, construction work. And Vassar & New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Theater. From singeingly convincing recreations of the Salem witch trials to magnificent musicals, the Powerhouse Theater has thrilled audiences for 28 seasons. And  this summer, it is officially poised to do so again in its 29^th season.

Since its inception in 1985, this VC-NYSF collaboration has been dedicated to assisting both emerging and established artists in the development and production of new works for theater and film. Having served thousands of artists and tens of thousands of audience members, this open-to-all opportunity continues to provide an exceptional chance to experience stunning premier works at unmatched rates.

Past seasons have supported the works of stars like the incomparable Meryl Streep ‘83 and the award-winning Chloe Sevigny. And this season, promising to live up to its reputation of world class, star-studded entertainment, it will feature works from the multiple-award-winning Steve Martin and legendary creator of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda. From June 21 to July 28, you will be treated to a spectrum of genres of theatrical delights you definitely do not want to miss.

Go here for more information on the 2013 Powerhouse Theater season, and here for more on VC during the summer.

And wherever you are, until we find each other again in the fall, have a fantastic summer! 🙂

Legally History-onic

Exhibit A: What happens when students camp out in the College Center in wait of tickets to what Acting President Joan Chenette has called “one Elle of a show.”

The ovation-worthy directorial debut of Doug Greer ’14, with Jessie Lanza ’15 as the bending-and-snapping Elle Woods, FWA’s Legally Blond: The Musical has got Vassar legally wound around its blonde-lock-twirling little finger.

But Vassar’s obsession with commitment to theater has very old roots reaching far into the mid-1800s to what were termed the Hall Plays – so named after their venue, Society Hall.

In the time of the Hall Plays, Vassar had at least a play a week! The Philaletheis Society, Vassar’s sole dramatic club, with its huge budget produced three Hall Plays and two ‘Minor Halls.’ Each House put on its own ‘one-acters.’ Each department of language staged at least one play, while English classes chose scenes from Shakespeare and classes in Dramatic Production acted at least three plays a year. By the 1950s, students dissatisfied with Philaletheis and the rigidity of Hall Play selection (#dramaworlddrama) ignited the rise of alternative organizations, spawning the birth of today’s Unbound, Idlewild, The Woodshed Theatre Ensemble, and FWA, among others. And today, surviving the Hall Plays, their frequent productions have a new venue in the Susan Shiva Stein Theater.

So this Founder’s Day weekend come appropriately accessorized to experience the fabulous fantastic-ness of a wonderful production featuring an altogether scintillating cast and production team, an impossibly perfect Paulette, an infinitely adorable Bruiser, and of course, an endlessly explosive Elle that thoroughly thrills.