The lights begin to dim, and a hush falls over the audience surrounding you. The curtains open slowly, a ray of light revealing a few actors on the stage. A story begins to unfold between the actors and, being a part of the audience, you become a part of that story. But you wonder, what would it feel like to be up on that stage with those performers? To have that ray of light shining on you? By becoming a member of the University Players, your shining light fantasy can become a reality!
The University Players is a club that brings theater and drama back to UMPI. Darci Faye, the creator of the club, said, “There wasn’t a lot of theater up here, so I wanted to bring it up here.” Faye took part in the National Student Exchange program and spent two years at Einhorn School of Performing Arts with the group Primary Stages. After learning as much as she could, Faye returned to UMPI to finish her degree in Criminal Justice. She began to miss theater and decided to throw the idea of starting a drama club around. It received a good response. The group was made official in February 2015. The first show, “The Big Meal,” was on April 15, 2015. “I like the people involved, and I like theater,” Faye smiled. “The members are reliable, and I’ve made good friendships.”
Dr. Lea Allen, the adviser of the University Players, said, “The club adds cultural richness to the campus and more exciting activities for students.”
“It pushes me. I’m learning so much from Darci and this club,” Lossene Dorleh, a member of the University Players, said. “You get to meet people who are passionate about the art form.”
Lassana Dorleh, another member of the University Players, said, “I love the aspect of theater. It helps outward to interact with people, and inward to help myself.”
When asked about the importance of the University Players, Faye said, “Theater opens your eyes to others’ lives. It isn’t just one thing.”
Members of the University Players not only perform in their plays: they also put together everything that they need for sound, lights and more. “This stuff doesn’t get done without us,” Allen said. The club isn’t only looking for actors: it would love to have a few extra stagehands for performances.
The University Players tries to organize meetings that work best with every member’s schedule. It has at least one whole group rehearsal before an event, such as the upcoming Saturday Night Live Improv event. When it gets to be about two months before a performance, members try to meet every day leading up to it. If you would like to join the University Players for its next meeting, shoot an email to umpiplayers@gmail.com. You can also check out the Facebook page “University Players at UMPI” for more information.
