ALYSSA BUMP
Editor in Chief
“The Wild Party,” “Pipeline” and “Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play” are just a few of the shows hosted by Fredonia’s department of theatre and dance (TADA) that hit the ground running this past academic year.
Luckily, TADA has no plans of slowing down its thrilling and invigorating mainstage performances during the fall 2022 semester.
Czerton Lim, TADA associate professor and the managing producer of TADA productions, confirmed “Into the Woods” and “Radium Girls” are set to hit the stage during the upcoming semester.
Lim said, “We will be opening with James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’ as our fall musical at the Marvel Theatre with School of Music (Paula Holcomb) providing the pit orchestra. The beloved musical is a mishmosh of several well known Brother’s Grimm fairy tales and how their stories intertwine to tell a bigger tale about happy endings and what usually can come after those endings wished for come to pass.”
He continued, “Then we will open D.W. Gregory’s ‘Radium Girls’ in the Bartlett Theatre. This intimate play is a dramatization of real events that took place in the 1920s in New Jersey about female factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning, and their lonely fight to take the company to the courts and the effects this event has in their lives.”
“Into the Woods” opening night is on Oct. 21 and plays Oct. 22, 23, 27, 28 and 29. “Radium Girls” opens Dec. 1 and plays Dec. 2, 3 and 4.
Lim has served as a managing producer since fall 2021. He explained the position was split between four faculty members last year, but this year, the role is being reverted back to one faculty member. He said, “Officially, this is going to be my first year in the position.”
Photograph by Derek Raymond.
So far, Lim has been “fascinated with the planning involved in getting the current season going and the next one implemented. I’ve always enjoyed playing Tetris, and creating the schedule and the budget are very similar to that … it is never just one production you are working on, it is usually juggling one in process, one in production and one coming up.”
According to Lim, TADA prides itself on having its productions run mainly by students. In fact, “90% of what goes on stage is solely by student involvement.” Faculty supervises students during the process of creating set pieces, costumes, scenery, lighting and sound shops.
“On average, anywhere between 70 to 100 students, faculty and staff can be involved in any one production,” said Lim.
Any SUNY Fredonia student interested in auditioning or being involved in an upcoming production is allowed to do so. Lim said, “Auditions for the shows usually take place at the beginning of fall semester, and those audition calls are open to the campus … The most important quality we seek out is a willingness to learn and a willingness to try out new things.”
The department also offers introductory classes that normally fill Fredonia Foundation requirements. These classes offer training and experience in areas that are useful for campus productions.
A massive amount of prep work goes into these productions. Lim said, “Usually anywhere between four to six months is dedicated just to the planning/implementation from the start of the process, which is when the director presents their concept to the production team, to the design, to the casting, to the rehearsal and build, all leading up to the technical rehearsals where all the elements are put together and worked on stage, and then ultimately to opening [night].”
For those that have not yet seen a TADA production, Lim wants prospective viewers to know “a lot of student talent goes into the producing and performing of these shows, so other than great storytelling that goes behind the scenes and ultimately on the stage, audiences should also expect these students’ artistic and technical prowess… and the hard work of the students undertaking those challenging roles both in front of and behind the curtain. The production, when it opens, is a celebration of the work and dedication of the students, faculty, and staff that is shared with the audience.”
Lim confesses that he is excited for all the shows this year. “This year’s season offers a diverse take, whether in the approach to storytelling, design or points of views from the selection of playwrights. The fact that we are once again back to live theatre with an audience coming to see these works in person is really very exciting.”
For more updates regarding the upcoming TADA productions, follow @tadafredonia on Instagram and @fredoniatada on Facebook.