Touring Tartuffe joins students and community

It's fairly obvious to most Oberlin students that relations with the surrounding community are not quite what they could be. But when asked how to improve this problem, most would say something about "having dialogues," doing community service, or opening up the campus. Most would not suggest a touring production of a Moli�re play.

But hey, why not? That's exactly what's being done with Tartuffe. It goes up for two nights this weekend in Warner main, but during the week, the cast has been doing performances in local schools.

Tartuffe is a play about a religious hypocrite who poses as spiritual advisor to a rich bourgeois man concerned about securing his place in heaven. It's a funny play, too, full of physical humor and dirty puns, along with the traditional Moli�re ending wherein everything is suddenly and inexplicably fixed. A play like this on campus would usually be put up in Warner or Hall, promoted around campus, and left at that. But with this production, director and theater professor Paul Moser decided to go for something more ambitious.

"It was actually suggested to me by Diana Roose and Nancy Dye," Moser said. "Apparently there used to be a student organization here that did children's plays in the community." Moser and theater chair Jean Armitage decided they wanted to do "youth theatre" along the lines of the free Shakespeare festival they ran in the summer, but during the school year. Thus they decided to take it to the schools.

Tour manager and double-degree sophomore Laura Shepherd continued the story: "With a large amount of help from Alice Hirt Hug, the Theater and Dance Publicity and Marketing Director, I called around to various places and got information on how tours are usually set up, got a list of contacts at high schools in the area, and started making phone calls. After phone calls I sent out a letter describing the project, and then after interest was voiced, I sent out a contract type letter." Most high schools were happy to have the production, though one declined due to "objectionable material." Moser says he hopes to build up a group of schools that will have them back every year.

The Tartuffe cast and crew tour with a small set: two chairs, a rug, and the all-important table. A backdrop held up with four poles serves as a backstage where actors can rest and change costumes. No special lighting is needed, so they just use whatever the school has set up. Sound is provided by a boombox with its speakers spread to opposite sides of the stage. This limited - yet effective - setup makes touring a relatively painless process.

Audience reaction so far has been mixed. On Monday, the cast traveled to Oberlin High School, where the crowd was restless and noisy. "Somebody actually yelled, 'Why don't you slap her already!'" production manager and senior Julie Keenan said. In addition, bells and bus announcements came on near the end of the show, prompting Moser to make 10 minutes of cuts for subsequent performances.

Tuesday was a different story, but not necessarily better. For one thing, Lorain Southview High School inexplicably made the students pay to attend what was, in effect, an assembly, generating automatic resentment toward the performers. Then a teacher came on before the performance and screamed at the kids not to laugh under penalty of punishment. Consequently, the audience was not respectfully silent so much as completely silent-a horrible fate to wish on any actor in a comedy. "I preferred the rowdy kids," Moser said.

At Wednesday's performance at Lorain Admiral King High School, a large auditorium was about one quarter full, stocked with students from theatre and art classes. They were slow to respond at first, seeming somewhat confused by the language and plot, but soon warmed to well-played physical comedy, and gave an enthusiastic round of applause at the end. Today, the troupe performs in Midview High School's gym.

Five performances to small high school audiences is a small step, but could prove to be an important one. It would be easy to see the college and its students as isolated, producing and living within their own cultural bubble. But every once in a while - and perhaps more often - we need to step outside and play to the rest of the world.

Tartuffe shows Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, in Warner main space.Tickets are $2; Faculty/Staff/Alumni/Sr. Citizens: $3; General Public: $4. All seats $2 more at the door.

Keep your chin up: Sophomore Eve Udesky and junior Arthur Simon shared their acting talents by touring Lorain County high schools earlier this week before showing on campus. (photo by John Seyfried)