Adams Pool Reopens

The Adams House pool reopened yesterday, but you won't find too many people swimming there.

Instead of bathing suits and towels, and possibly the wildest parties of recent College lore, the site will be host to Harvard's newest arena for dramatic expression: "The Pool Theatre At Adams House."

The theater will offer both student and professional shows. The American Repertory Theater Institute for Contemporary Theater Training will stage three or four performances this year, according to Art Shettle, resident tutor in dramatic arts at Adams House.

The first student production will be "La Cage Aux Folles," which will open Halloween weekend, Shettle said. David L. McMahon '94, who is directing the play, said a cast has been chosen and practices in the theater have already begun.

"I think it will become one of the most active theaters on campus," McMahon said.

The swimming pool which originally occupied the site was built about a hundred years ago, according to Shettle. In spring 1990 the pool closed because of a leak, according to McMahon.

At the time, however, many said the pool wasclosed because the administration felt thatparties held there were getting too difficult tocontrol.

The swimming pool "would have cost more than$100,000 to fix," said Shettle. "And the plumbingis so old, it wasn't worth it."

Neither Adams House Superintendent Bill B. Longnor Shettle would comment on the cost of thetheater, which seats 78 people, but canaccommodate nearly 100 with standing room.

Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely describedthe theater as "fantastic."

"I'm enormously pleased with it," he said.

Kiely said he believes that the theater will be"a huge boon" to Adams House, and hopes studentswill come together to watch the shows

At the time, however, many said the pool wasclosed because the administration felt thatparties held there were getting too difficult tocontrol.

The swimming pool "would have cost more than$100,000 to fix," said Shettle. "And the plumbingis so old, it wasn't worth it."

Neither Adams House Superintendent Bill B. Longnor Shettle would comment on the cost of thetheater, which seats 78 people, but canaccommodate nearly 100 with standing room.

Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely describedthe theater as "fantastic."

"I'm enormously pleased with it," he said.

Kiely said he believes that the theater will be"a huge boon" to Adams House, and hopes studentswill come together to watch the shows