Theatre Is Ready to Make Up For Lost Time

The 2021-22 season lineup includes productions that are sure to mark Marist Theatre’s triumphant return to the stage. Source: Emma Dumitru '25

The Nelly Goletti Theatre is once again alive with theatrical magic, as Marist College’s oldest campus organization celebrated its annual Kickoff Day on Sept. 12. The event, which saw a larger attendance than usual in comparison to past years, allowed general members to become familiar with all the ways they can participate with Marist’s dramatic productions and highlighted this year’s anticipated shows. 

When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill in March 2020, it caused performing arts venues across the country to postpone or alter their in-person programming. Last year, Marist Theatre was only able to produce two plays: a virtual livestream of Marist Monologues and an outdoor staging of the Playwrights’ Festival. But now that Broadway has officially reopened, theatre is back and better than ever, including on campus. “One of the things we’re trying to do is make our shows big and exciting,” said Harper Anne Finch ‘22, the President of Marist Theatre.

The 2021-22 season lineup includes productions that are sure to mark Marist Theatre’s triumphant return to the stage. First up is the Mainstage production of The Heidi Chronicles, a Pulitzer Prize-winning feminist play set in the 20th century. Next is Alice @ Wonderland, a modern retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, and in the spring comes the experimental theatre production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), a comical and fast-paced look at the famous playwright's works. The ever-popular Mainstage musical has yet to be announced.

Finch has a big task ahead of her. How do you revitalize a club that has been absent for the better part of a year? For her, it’s all about maintaining those personal connections that theatre harnesses. “I think the most important thing to me this year is making people feel as though they have a place to be actively involved and be at Marist,” said Finch. 

That’s exactly how David Terzuoli ‘25 feels. He has been an actor all throughout high school and is excited to make it his artistic and social outlet at Marist. “Generally, I’m looking more forward towards making new friends and having a greater experience in college,” he said. As Willow Waltemire ‘22, Chairperson of Stage Management and Properties, said, “Marist Theatre very much is once you get in and you get cozy, you fall in love with the people around you. You’re stuck, you’re here.”

While many new members expressed a main interest in acting, the focus of this year’s Kickoff Day was on how students could work on productions behind the scenes. “I recommend in general, if you are more into acting, at one point kind of dabble in a crew because it adds so much understanding to a show,” said Ashley Marcinek ‘22, Chairperson of Costumes, Hair and Makeup. 

The club offers a wide range of leadership roles. For instance, students can become a dramaturg and serve as a production’s research advisor, or they can be a house manager and help out with scanning tickets and seating theatre patrons. “We’ve lost a year in theatre because of COVID and we are very excited to kind of get people into positions...and have these opportunities that are so important,” said Marcinek.

As students toured the “Nelly G”, they worked their way through the stations of the Marist Theatre Fair, meeting executive board members and learning about the club’s different departments, from costume and props design to publicity and marketing. In addition, students were given a sneak peek of the technical theatre shop and the control booth. Students were able to paint their own set pieces and try their hand at operating the theatre lights. 

“I thought the kickoff event was super fun and informative. I learned a ton about how the different performances come together and what each department focuses on,” said Skyler Ebersole ‘25.

Marist Theatre is more than ready to return from its intermission and welcome audiences back to their seats, something Finch knows all too well. “Theatre is an essential part to Marist College and the entire Hudson Valley community. What we do here impacts everyone,” said Finch.

Students paint wooden set pieces in the theatre's "tech shop." Source: Emma Dumitru '25