The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 05, 1995, Page 5, Image 5
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LUCY ARNOLD Features Editor
"Wacky, silly, kooky, out there, spastic,
groovy, neato, cool, swell and more fun than
brushing your teeth with wire gauze any
day."
That's the second most appropriate
description of the Puppet Regime's new show,
"Mandatory Picnic," written by Jayce T.
Tromsness, Charles R. Harper and George
S. Mount. The best way to describe it can be
summed up in two words: you can't.
"It's a really hard one to describe," said
sophomore Nate Whitworth, one of the actors.
"It's basically Saturday Night Live-kind of
stuff. Some of it is really wild, off-the-wall
stuff."
"Mandatory Picnic" is not exactly your
basic cohesive one-main-plot kind of play.
"It's about 15 different scenes varying
from a talk show host turned angel of death
to three people talking in a car called 'Stream
of Consciousness,'" said junior Patrick Holland,
director of "Mandatory Picnic."
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Show date: December 6,1995
Location- Hall, Located
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The Gan
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Graduate student Sarah Schnadig {
elaborated on her role as the transformed i
talk show host. 1
"I'm doing a 20-minute monologue that i
was written for me," she said. "It's about a {
woman who's a host for a kid's show. She's 1
basically losing it."
"Mandatory Picnic" is being run by the 1
student organization Puppet Regime. c
"We produce, direct and run the entire i
show ourselves," Whitworth said. "The
university helps by giving us the space. It's t
open to anybody, not just theater majors." I
This particular production has been full 1
of opportunities for undergraduates. Seven r
out of the nine cast members, as well as the
director, are undergraduates.
"Fm the first undergraduate to direct at c
the Puppet Regime in three years," Holland i
said. "With this show, my intent was to get c
a lot of undergraduates involved." J
Students involved with "Mandatory Picnic" ?
are gaming experience as tney worK witn t
more other actors in a sort of "mentoring"
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jrogram. The more experienced people act
is supports and information bases for the
ess experienced performers. Holland in
^articular has enjoyed the benefits of this
jrogram as he ventures into his first fullength
play as director.
"A lot of times they'll point out something
' wouldn't have noticed," he said. "It's good
m both ends having a graduate student or
i more experienced actor around."
The cast of "Mandatory Picnic" includes
ranie Haddad, Matt Engle, Sarah Schnadig,
^ate Whitworth, Patrick Baxeley, Tawnya
Pamplin, Amy Dietz, Ali Freeman and Christa
IVyford.
The show opens today at 8 p.m. at Benson
rheatre. Benson Theatre is located on the
?mer of South Bull Street and Whaley Street,
icross from the Bates House on the USC
ampus. "Mandatory Picnic" will run through
Sunday and all performances will begin at
5 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for
he general public. First-come, first-seated.
"It's just craziness," Holland said.
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At top: Matt Engle finds himself being seduced
Haddad). Above: Nate Whitworth, Patrick Baxeley,
are all twisted up in some wild positions. It's a "Ma
sponsored by: MAS
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production! A
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re call Carolina Productions at 777-7130.
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PUPPET REGIME
by yet another Tina (Janie
All Freeman and Amy Dietz
ndatory Picnic " thing.
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ouegiate talent searTh
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