Nick Bonadies
Spectrum Editor
Readers are likely familiar with the No Shame Variety Show, which regularly packs the Shafer Street Playhouse every other weekend with students from all over VCU. (“Because,” says No Shame’s Facebook page, “let’s face it, we know you don’ t have enough money to do anything else.”) Performers, given up to ten minutes of stage time, are invited to “sing a song, present a monologue, do a skit, standup or, really, anything.”
No Shame acts involving “really anything” typically become the stuff of local legend. (The next No Shame, set for the 25th of this month, promises no less.)
Shows like No Shame, as well as a host of other free-admission student theatre productions at the three-story Playhouse behind Shafer Court Dining Center, are made possible by the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre – SALT – a student-run, S.G.A.-sanctioned organization.
SALT, which according to its website shaferalliancelabtheatre.webs.com “facilitates, encourages, and promotes the public performance of student theatre,” held a meeting this Sunday to announce its upcoming Fall 2010 play schedule. The town hall-style gathering took place in the Playhouse’s Richard Newdick Theatre, the 150-seat blackbox where SALT stages its independent student productions.
“SALT is taking a large leap into the future,” announced Lucian Restivo, SALT board member, to a crowd of supporters, volunteers, and student directors. “We’re revising ourselves. … We’re taking what’s in the passive voice and putting it in the active voice.”
Among other changes and initiatives in the group, it was announced that SALT volunteership is now no longer restricted to Theatre majors. After an outpouring of interest at the recent SOVO fair, any and all students are now welcome to put their effort towards bringing student theatre to the VCU community.
SALT’s upcoming season includes Endgame, Samuel Beckett’s 1957 play widely considered as haunting and innovatory as his Waiting for Godot; Godspell, a musical based on the gospel according to St. Matthew; and Animal Farm, an adaptation of George Orwell’s novel. Admission to all shows will be free. Check out SALT’s full calendar of shows at Shafer Street Playhouse below.
Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre “champions the cause of collaborative student theatre that reflects the overall diversity of the student body and the vast spectrum of theatrical possibility.” Check out their website, shaferalliancelabtheatre.webs.com, or email at vcu.salt.org@gmail.com for more information.
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Schedule courtesy of shaferalliancelabtheatre.webs.com. All shows and dates are subject to change.
SHAFER ALLIACE LABORATORY THEATRE
FALL 2010 SEASON
September 9-12, 2010
Sailor’s Song by John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Ted Carter
September 17-19, 2010
Endgame by Samuel Beckett
Directed by Phil Vollmer
October 7-10, 2010
Godspell by Stephen Schwartz & John-Michael Tebelak
Directed by Walid Chaya
October 28-31, 2010
Apartment 3A by Jeff Daniels
Directed by Anna Kurtz
November 4-7, 2010
Animal Farm adapted by Peter Hall
Directed by Josh Chenard
November 18-21, 2010
All Hail Hurricane Gordo by Carly Mensch
Directed by Tommy Callan
December 2-5, 2010
dark play or stories for boys by Carlos Murillo
Directed by Lucian Restivo
December 9-12, 2010
Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindell
Directed by Eryn Snyder
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