Theater Previews

GREASE

December 4-12

Loeb Experimental Theater

Directed by Mia P. Walker ’10

Music Directed by Adam Gold

Choreographed by Beth Shields

Produced by Matthew P. Zehnder ’11

Fifties classic “Grease” gets a modern update in the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s upcoming production. With a plot centered on self-discovery, rebellion, and love, “Grease” is a perennial—albeit traditional—favorite. The adolescent drama centers on the romance between Sandy and Danny, who serendipitously find themselves attending the same high school after ending a summer fling.

This production imaginatively recreates the well-known film by exploring the grittier side of its material.

“It’s a totally re-envisioned version of ‘Grease,’” says Talisa B. Friedman ’10, who plays Sandy. “It’s much darker, in a sense that it’s getting back to the real roots of high school and what the issues we face are. We stripped away the poodle skirts and bubblegum and all of that.”

The aesthetic vision of director Mia P. Walker ’10 reflects this edginess with a combination of junkyard, diner, and car elements. “‘Grease’ has all the elements there,” she says. “It has sex, it has pregnancy, it has rock ‘n’ roll, it has rebellion, and it has insecurity. But it’s disguised in a sort of happy-go-lucky nifty fifties, toothbrush, Colgate, Coca-Cola guise. It’s the perfect show to rip apart.”

—Alex C. Nunnelly

BAT BOY

December 4-10

New College Theatre

Directed by Matthew I. Bohrer ’10

Music Directed by Alex B. Lipton ’11

Choreographed by Ricky D. Kuperman ’11

Produced by Katherine R. McNicol ’12

No need to doubt the sensationalist tabloid, “World Weekly News”; elusive sensation Bat Boy can soon be found at the New College Theatre. “Bat Boy: The Musical” follows the half-human, half-bat phenomenon as he is taken from a cave in small-town West Virginia and taught to integrate himself into society. Bat Boy must fight his natural animal instincts as he discovers family, friendship, and love amongst the townspeople.

“Bat Boy is a very bizarre musical, and I liked the idea of a show that functions on many levels,” says Walter B. Klyce ’10, who plays Bat Boy. “On the one hand, it’s almost Shakespearean in scope, with a misshapen tragic hero, a dysfunctional family, a lot of blood and guts, and general disorder in the Great Chain of Being. But at the same time, it’s very funny and self-referential, often poking fun at itself or interrupting serious moments with bits of irreverent humor.”

Laurence C. O’Keefe ’91, who wrote the original rock score for the show, specialized this production of “Bat Boy.” O’Keefe altered some of the vocal parts to fit the unique ranges of the performers and helped direct the actors to refine his original vision.

While humorous, “Bat Boy” also features its share of gory and dark moments, aided by such props as knives, syringes, and, of course, blood. “‘Bat Boy’ is already a dark comedy,” says executive producer Katherine R. McNicol ’12, “but our show is going to take that part to the extreme.”

—Renee G. Stern

SHULAMIS

December 2, 3, 5, 6

Agassiz Theater

Directed by Debra L. Caplan and Cecelia A. Raker ’11

Produced by Debra L. Caplan

The last production of the classic Yiddish operetta, “Shulamis,” was performed in the Warsaw ghetto in 1939. On Dec. 2, this opera will reopen for the first time since, revived and reinvigorated with original, modern themes. “Shulamis” is the crowning achievement of Avrum Goldfaden, the poet and playwright widely considered to be the father of Yiddish theater.

“Shulamis” tells the story of a young girl, the opera’s namesake, as she wanders lost and alone in the desert. Thirsty and desperate, Shulamis lets herself down an empty well in search of water. Trapped underground, she is saved by Avsholem, a handsome and courageous young man. Though Avsholem must continue his journey to Jerusalem with his servant Tsigitang, the young hero promises to marry Shulamis upon his return. While Avsholem disregards his vow and establishes a comfortable life in Jerusalem, Shulamis clings to the memory of her beloved and fakes madness in order to discourage suitors. The story follows Avsholem’s new life and Shulamis’ interminable yearning.

“It’s important that ‘Shulamis’ forces us to consider morality in a world where fairness isn’t always possible,” says music director Lidiya Yankovskaya.

Caplan, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Yiddish Literature, and Raker are attempting to bring this traditional play to life in a modern context. “What feels ‘modern’ about our interpretation of ‘Shulamis’ is simply that we’re not striving to reproduce a 19th century operetta as it was performed in the 1880s,” Caplan writes in an email. “We opted to bring ‘Shulamis’ into a 21st century theatrical framework.” Among other changes, Tsingitang, formerly a comic foil, has become Tsigitang (“tsig” means “goat” in Yiddish), a psychologically complex former goatherd with a story of his own. In addition, the production features a combination of new dance routines, lighting schemes, and set designs.

“Shulamis” intends to be more than a romp in the delightfully obscure; rather, it seeks to prove that a long forgotten operetta in a dead language can be made relevant for a new audience.

—Alex E. Traub