<p>I’m starting a new thread on this because the old threads didn’t seem to quite fit.</p>
<p>UAs College of Eng’g has its own amateur acting troupe, called “CDA” (CoE Does Amateurradicaltheatre - don’t know how to underline text here, sorry!). These are students (not necessarily eng’g majors) who may or may not have prior acting experience, but are willing to come have fun learning and performing live theater with a group of like-minded students, outside of the theater-major. My S is the current leader of the group, and he wanted me to pass along info about it, in order that more students can become involved. PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>CDA usually does 2 productions each year - 1 per semester, and they lean towards comedy and improvisation. Their Fall 2013 production was “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind”, which was a mix of stock TMLMTBGB skits + new material written by the group members, and relevant to UA and current events on campus.</p>
<p>The next CDA info meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan 21, at Rm 126, HMComer, at 6.30 pm. The Spring 2014 production planned is “Rumors” by Neil Simon.</p>
<p>CDA attends Get On Board Day to provide info to new students, but they are always welcoming new members throughout the year. The fee to join is $10/semester or $15 for the year. They won’t make you pay until you’ve come and seen what they’re all about, tho, so just come have fun for a couple of weeks and see if CDA is for you! ;)</p>
<p>I would like to put in a plug for this group! My son joined as a freshman this past fall. He had a blast. It was small enough that pulling the fall play together was collaborative and fun. The Tuesday meetings and the occasional improv were highlights of his week. </p>
<p>Our family went to the fall production. No fancy sets/costume/lighting - just some great acting. Watching the comedic interactions among the characters in the skits was entertaining. It’s also the first time in his acting “career” that there were more guys than girls in the troupe!</p>
<p>Ok, more info to provide you. You can go onto YouTube and search for their more recent productions - search ‘COE does ART presents’ for a look-see. Also, they have a Facebook page, and if you want to be on the mailing list, send email to coedoesart.ua@********** and they’ll add you. As with most amateur theatre…hmmm, it is best to be the one involved rather than a spectator! ;)</p>
<p>You must be so excited for your son. Are you going to the performance? Do they record the performances? </p>
<p>I will tell my D about the play. She attended one back in 2011 and was asked to play the Ophelia role from the audience. The play was Reduced Shakespeare, I think.</p>
<p>I am not going (sadly), this being so close to move-out. CDA has recorded in the past. In fact, their Fall 2013 production of “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind” is on youtube somewhere. Search “COE does ART presents”. Very poor quality videos - performing in the Ferg this week will be so much better!</p>
<p>CDA kicks off its 2014 season very early this year, w/ its production of “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind”, on Wednesday Sept 10 and Friday Sept 12. Both shows are at Ferguson Center Theater, starting at 8 pm; cost is $5. Come pack the joint!</p>
<p>“Too Much Light” is part improv, part script, where the audience determines the order in which 30 different skits are performed, so you never know what is going to happen. It’s basically a collection of funny shorts, similar to SNL. The skits are both stock (used year after year) and original (written by CDA members this past summer), relevant to UA and current events. </p>
<p>Started originally in the Engineering Department, CDA presents 2-3 productions each school year. (Dean Whitaker is CDA’s faculty adviser/sponsor.) CDA is a group of students (not necessarily eng’g majors) who may or may not have prior acting experience, but are willing to come have fun learning and performing live theater with a group of like-minded students, outside of the theater-major. My S is the current leader of the group, and he wanted me to pass along info about it, in order that more students can become involved. PM me if you want more info. </p>
<p>It’s a fun, high-energy show. Everybody can enjoy it. Spread the word.</p>
It’s not too early to plug this event and this group, I hope: COE does ART presents “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” on April 3 and 4 in the Ferg Center Ballroom Theatre. Do go if you have the chance. If you want more info about joining this group, I can put you in contact with their mailing list, so PM me.
Bumping! Play “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” is TONIGHT (Fri Apr 3rd) and TOMORROW (Sat Apr 4th) in the real-deal Ferg Theatre. It’s not a musical, btw…just a comedy murder mystery similar to the board game “Clue”. Please pass this along to your students…or anyone wanting some fun entertainment tonight for cheap! Help keep live amateur theatre alive by showing your support! ^ ProudBamaMama, I will look for you…I’m here, too!
Not sure if the CDA group had a table at Get On Board Day, but if you missed them…
…be sure to check out their 2nd annual production of “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind”, with some new skits and some old favorites, next Tues and Fri nights, Sept 8 & 11, 2015, in the Ferguson Theater starting @ 7 pm. TMLMTBGB is a fast-paced hilarious show, where the cast performs 30 skits in just 60 minutes, in an order chosen randomly by the audience. Pieces of paper numbered 1 thru 30 are strung up across the stage - the audience yells out whatever number skit they want to see performed (the titles are printed in a program, but some are pure mystery)…so you never know what’s coming next! Come out and support live amateur theatre!
Read previous posts above for more info on CDA, or PM me for contact info of students. Hope to see some of you at the show!
Yes, this production appears early, but some of the kids have been working early on new skits and stuff. They were only 1 week later last year at this time with the same production.
Ok, so I have a bit more info via my son. The CDA will do another production later in the semester, two one-act plays, Black Comedy and If This Stage Could Talk.
I don’t like to use the term ‘nerd’ because it sometimes has as much stigma as the ‘R’ word. But suffice it to say that all of those people who were curious/concerned about being able to find a different ‘tribe’ at UA (there were a couple of threads on this recently), this show will appeal to a lot of those same people. These are smart, funny, witty, super-creative students - every last one of them. For new-comers: come see how they perform next Tues/Fri, and then if you’re interested in joining, contact one of the main people after the show!
If you want more info about joining this group, I can put you in contact with their mailing list, so PM me.