With plans of sponsoring more shows than ever before, Second Stage has quite a semester laid out before it. Started in 1973, Second Stage was the nation’s first all-student-run theatre group. Originally conceived as an experimental theater company, over the years, the program has grown into both a powerhouse of theater and a space for innovative and cutting-edge performances to be viewed by both University audiences and the larger Middletown community.
In the coming year, Second Stage will tackle building repair and renovations. They also accepted two new staff members at the end of last year, Gedney Barclay ’09 and Tori Amoscato ’08. However, the most notable addition to Second Stage is its new program to streamline and publicize the audition process for shows. This coming season Second Stage staff member Edward Bauer ’08 will be taking charge of the process, looking at new ways to notify interested actors of auditions and help directors recruit qualified actors for their shows.
“We noticed last semester that there was a large problem when almost every actor auditioned for theses and the faculty show; a couple of student productions were in danger of being cancelled simply because they didn’t have enough people audition,” Bauer said. “We want to make sure that every play gets the actors it needs, and that every actor is well-informed about all the possible auditions.”
Because Second Stage is entirely student-run, theater professors’ roles, if any, within the process is one of consultation. However, three Second Stage staff members serve as liaisons between Second Stage and the theater department to discuss the use of the space and sharing of props (all large props and costumes are housed in the CFA with the theater department and all small props are in the bottom of the ’92 Theater).
“Second Stage is reaching a new level as an organization,” said Nick Benecerraf ’08. “It is more professional and more organized than ever before, and I truly believe that Second Stage enables us all to be better at theater. This is especially true for theater majors who get to implement what they learn in class in an experimental and creatively-supported environment.”
The majority of Second Stage’s budget is generously funded by the WSA, but there are some outside supplemental funds. This year, Jess Posner ’09, is the recipient of the J. P. Adler Memorial Fund. The grant is awarded to first-time directors who are non-theater majors and helps give them some extra money to really see their visions come to fruition.
“I was both shocked and elated [when I discovered I won the fund],” Posner said. “This grant is such an honor and I was touched by the recognition…[it] allows us outstanding production values. With the opportunities thus provided, we will be able to have a multi-level set and even cook onstage!”
Second Stage currently has thirteen student staff members that aid interested directors in making their artistic visions come true. People who want to direct need to fill out an application the semester before and are given two Second Stage technicians to help them put their show together and work out all of the difficulties that inevitably follow. These technicians meet with directors at least three times and are there as a resource. However, they have no artistic jurisdiction, allowing directors to be true to their own vision. Freshmen are encouraged to start getting involved now and can apply to direct a show as early as their second semester at Wesleyan.
While most shows are performed in the Patricelli ’92 Theater, there is the chance for directors to put on a Second Stage production in any suitable alternative spot on campus.
“I don’t know what space hasn’t been used for a Second Stage show,” said Miriam Krent ’09. “I think that when directors really think about which space on campus makes the most sense for their shows, the outcome is very good. Although the ’92 is the most like a professional theater, sometimes shows can be more successful in venues that better complement their aesthetic.”
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