Scotch'n'Soda

Scotch'n'Soda is a student run theatre organization that resides on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University. Its initial dedication was the creation and production of original musicals, but due to declining student interest in writing musicals over the past decade, it has been performing professionally published plays and musicals. Students are welcome to write, compose, design, direct, perform in, and otherwise become involved with every aspect of each production. The organization is open to all Carnegie Mellon students from all backgrounds who are interested, and all performances are public with varying ticket prices.

History

Origins

Scotch'n'Soda finds its roots in The White Friars Club of the Carnegie Institute of Technology (which would later become Carnegie Mellon University) in the fall of 1907. By the following spring it engaged in its first original musical comedy, "All in a Dormitory" an examination of student life on campus. However, in 1913, as World War I took a greater presence in the United States, interest in student theatre declined and went on hiatus. However, by 1932, the organization arose again -- this time called the Bacchanalians. It was founded in order to produce a musical for Carnegie Mellon's Spring Carnival. It was not until 1938 that the organization took its current name. Supposedly, this name was selected based on a vote of all the members in the organization; however, the vote's legitimacy is still of some debate. As World War II began, Scotch'n'Soda took another hiatus from the years 1942-1947. Since 1947, Scotch'n'Soda has performed a musical every year at Carnegie Mellon's Spring Carnival. Though the organization was formed by three drama majors, Scotch'n'Soda opens its doors to all members of the university.

Expansion

Though Scotch'n'Soda was founded for the presentation of an annual musical, the organization does more than that today. Since 1990, Scotch'n'Soda has been performing a season of approximately five shows, including the musical at Spring Carnival, on a minimal budget.

Performance venues

Originally, Scotch'n'Soda presented all its performances in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Music Hall, located less than one mile from the school's campus. Eventually, due to rental fees and time commitments, Scotch'n'Soda had to leave the large performance hall and was transplanted into the Carnegie Mellon gym. This was soon followed by a move into a specially constructed stage in Skibo Ballroom, part of the Skibo University Center on Carnegie Mellon's campus. In the summer of 1994, this building was torn down to make room for the school's current University Center. During the two years of construction, Scotch'n'Soda was completely homeless and performed in various lecture halls, the drill deck of the old student center and off campus at Temple Rodef Shalom.

Upon the completion of CMU's University Center, Scotch'n'Soda has been alternating performance spaces throughout the building including: The Connan Room, The Peter/Wright/McKenna Room, Rangos Ballroom, and McConomy Auditorium. This has proven difficult for the organization to this day, as access to the performance spaces is very limited, and in most cases they can only use each performance space for a maximum of seven consecutive days (Spring Carnival performances in 1997-1999 were able to reserve Rangos hall for two weeks). This limited amount of time includes load-in, rehearsals, performances and strike.

Some other venues have been used in recent years, including Porter Hall 100, Porter Hall 125C and the Helen Wayne Rauh Studio Theatre (in the Purnell Center).

Board of directors

Because there is no administrative authority over Scotch'n'Soda it is governed by a board of nine directors. Each position of the board is elected annually by the general membership. These positions include: President, Vice-President, Artistic Director, Managing Director, Technical Coordinator, Secretary, Public Relations Coordinator, General Membership Coordinator, and Rights And Reservations Representative. These nine students work to contribute and act as executive producers to each production. They also hold weekly meetings to discuss all issues related to the organization and hold responsibility for selecting material for production. They are assisted by a half dozen or so auxiliary board members who are easily named and dismissed but wield less power over the organization.

election of material

Scotch'n'Soda welcomes scripts presented from any student on Carnegie Mellon's campus, though it does not have to be student-written. Playwrights who are not Carnegie Mellon students may submit their own material as long as it is submitted through a current CMU student. All scripts must be approved by the board, who examine each script and approve those which are appealing to the community and the Scotch'n'Soda membership, and which are technically feasible. After scripts are approved, all Carnegie Mellon students are welcome to submit a Director's Proposal to the Scotch'n'Soda board. In a publicly held meeting, directors present their proposals to the board. The meeting is then closed to the public as the board selects a specific show for production. Several weeks into production, a Board Preview performance is held which includes an open rehearsal for the show, as well as reports from all members of the technical staff on the production. It is at this Board Preview that final approval must be given to a show before it may begin performances.

Funding

Scotch'n'Soda is funded by a specific allocation of a student activities fee paid by all students and distributed by Carnegie Mellon's Joint Funding Committee. Scotch'n'Soda does not profit from its productions, nor does any member receive payment for services.

Troupes

The No Parking Players

Founded in 1996, The No Parking Players is Scotch'n'Soda's improvisational theatre troupe. Running workshops twice a week, the Artistic Director of the group (elected annually by the troupe's membership) examines improvisation theory and technique in order to prepare for performances held every other week.

The Playwright Troupe

In order to encourage the submission of more student written works and help beginning playwrights, Scotch'n'Soda founded the Scotch'n'Soda Playwright Troupe in 2001. Twice a semester, this group of playwrights, actors and interested spectators meet to hold readings of student written plays and musicals. The material is then discussed in a formal objective manner with all those who attended the reading.

In 2007, due to a lack of interest in leadership, the Playwright Troupe was absorbed into the larger troupe: TheatreCraft.

TheatreCraft Troupe

In an attempt to hone the crafts of its members and teach new skills to interested members of the campus community, Scotch'n'Soda formed its TheatreCraft Troupe in the fall of 2007. Every other week, or perhaps more often, TheatreCraft holds a workshop to enrich a theatrical skill whether it is artistic or technical.

Though currently listed as a Board Project, it is expected that TheatreCraft will become a troupe at the end of Spring 2008.

Alumni Clan

Scotch'n'Soda is currently developing an Alumni Clan, which is devoted to keeping all past members of the organization in touch and organizing reunion events. It also presents the Buzz Blair Award for the Performing Arts, named after founding member Leonard 'Buzz' Blair, and given annually during Carnegie Mellon's homecoming festivities.

Notable alumni

*Frank Gorshin -- Actor/comedian
*Herb Gardner -- Artist/playwright
*Alex Segal
*Javier Grillo-Marxuach -- Emmy-winning TV writer & producer
*Barbara Feldon -- Actress/model
*Jerry Adler
*Bob Finkel -- Producer/director
*Franklin Heller
*Lawrence Carra
*Iris Rainer Dart -- Novelist
*Stephen Schwartz -- Composer/lyricist
*Michael Patrick Walker -- Composer/lyricist

ee also

*Carnegie Mellon
*Pippin (musical)

External links

* [http://snstheatre.andrew.cmu.edu Scotch 'n' Soda Theatre Website]
* [http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~sns/npp/ The No Parking Players]
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University]