‘Bare’ sings troubles of high school students

Sarah Rebell Staff Writer

A name such as Future Waitstaff of America (FWA) might suggest low ambitions, but its members are setting the bar high with their production of “Bare” this semester. A musical reminiscent of “Rent” and “Spring Awakening,” “Bare” will be performed Thursday, April 17 through Saturday, April 19 in Sanders Classroom.

A fairly new theater group, FWA is dedicated to bringing more musical theater and musical theater awareness to Vassar. The organization produces one major musical per semester, as well as a dessert cabaret, and holds open auditions for each play. All current and former plays’ casts and crews are members of the organization. In the past three years, FWA has become a thriving new part of the Vassar theater scene.

The founding members are proud of the irony in their organization’s name. At the same time, they are realistic about the future of those who want to pursue musical theater.

“It takes drive to do what we love doing even though we know it’s going to be hard,” said group member Jeannine Frumess ’09. “And it’s funny,” she added.

“Bare” chronicles a year in the life of 17 high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school as they struggle with sexuality, self image and faith, explained FWA Musical Director Jon Fuller ’11.

“Everyone can connect to ‘Bare,’” said Director Amanda Giglio ’11. “Students coming to watch this play will either say, ‘I’ve been through that,’ ‘I’m going through that,’ or ‘I know someone who’s going through that.’”

“There’s a lot of personal resonance for me with this show,” said Jonathan Bannigan ’09, who plays Peter, a gay teenager at the Catholic school. “I grew up Catholic and gay and had to reconcile faith and sexuality. Peter and I have a lot of similarities.” “Bare” marks Bannigan’s first musical at Vassar, and the experience has been so positive that he is enthusiastic to participate in more musicals here in the future.

Not everyone had an easy time connecting to their characters, however. Rachel Marquez ’09 plays Peter’s mother, a character that has a hard time coming to terms with her son’s homosexuality.

“It’s hard to get into the character’s mindset and be unaccepting of my son,” said Marquez. In order to try to understand where her character was coming from, Marquez spoke with adults in her hometown who remembered growing up in a less open-minded time. They helped her conceptualize her character’s point of view, even though she disagrees with it.

Frumess, who plays a seemingly superficial, popular girl at school, was also challenged by her character. “Playing Ivy is the biggest stretch I’ve ever had as an actor,” Frumess said. “It’s really demanding. The character herself is so far from my own personality.” She used small details in the text, such as Ivy’s hobby of sketching, to gain insight into her character and to make her seem deeper.

Frumess also co-choreographed the show, along with Natalie Chomet ’09. “This is the most dance-heavy show FWA has ever done,” said Frumess. “Because &lsquoBare’ is more of a pop opera, the choreography is pop-style choreography, which gives us a lot more freedom.” Choreographing for a musical is different than choreographing a typical dance piece. As Chomet pointed out, “You have to keep in mind that people are singing while they dance.”

But “Bare” is not a stereotypical, cheesy song and dance musical, said FWA members. Despite the use of music and choreography, the show tells a serious story. It raises issues about the mindset of our society and exposes politically relevant struggles, such as the conflict between religion and homosexuality.

“‘Bare’ is not about who’s right or who’s wrong,” said Robertino Lim ’08, who plays Jason, a secretly gay teenager who unintentionally attracts Ivy’s attention. “It’s about these people’s lives and experiences. That’s what I hope people get out of this show.”

Giglio and Fuller have gotten more than they ever expected out of working on this show. While they both acknowledge the hard work that is required to put on a musical, especially through a budding organization such as FWA, they are both sincerely grateful and appreciative for the opportunity they have had this past semester.

“I have no idea how we got so lucky,” said Giglio. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.”