USC's oldest student-run theatre company, Brand New Theatre, turns 20 this year! The company, which was founded in 1996, serves the student theatre community by presenting student playwrights with the opportunity to see their work brought to life on stage. All BNT shows are written, produced, and designed by students, with student actors playing the parts. I sat down with president and executive producer Savannah Harrow to talk about BNT's past, present, and future.
How did BNT get its start?
BNT did its first show on November 15th, in 1996. It was founded by Joe Douglas, who felt that there was a lack of student written theatre on campus, so he created BNT primarily to just give an outlet to writers. The first thing they ever did was a series of short skits, like they weren't even full plays, and there was about 15 of them, and they performed in the Annenberg Theatre. They just, you know, did their thing.
Why is BNT important for the student theatre community?
BNT is important for the student theatre community because it gives everyone an outlet. It's for writers, for directors, if you want to be a producer, or if you want to be an actor, it really gives everyone an opportunity to have their hand in theatre because we're all student run. Everything is by the students, for the students. We really love to follow our motto, which is "Dream it. Write it. See it," so just following every single step of that process, from the writing phase, to casting, and finding directors, and then to the final performance.
The School of Dramatic Arts has seen many student-created theatre companies come and go. What is it about BNT that has granted it such longevity?
I think that the reason BNT has stuck around for 20 years is simply because of its unique factor that we are all student written theatre, and writers don't really get to express themselves in SDA. There's no, unless you're a graduate student, we really don't do any kind of writing program, or any student written shows for SDA, so it gives students an opportunity if they really want to be a writer. Or, if they want to try out writing, it gives them an outlet, and it gives people from like, the cinema school, or those in Annenberg, or all over campus, a chance to come and write plays, even if that's not what their main focus is.
How has BNT changed over the past 20 years?
(Laughs) BNT has changed a lot over the past 20 years! So, we started by just doing small skits that were about five minutes long, we were almost like a sketch group I guess, when we first started. It's evolved, and we eventually started doing One-Acts, and then just recently, within the past five years or so, we started doing full-length productions, which we generally now do in the spring. Some of our shows have gone to the Fringe Festival, or been produced professionally, so that's really important for us. We've changed a lot, going from sketches, you know, five-minute sketches, to a two-hour long show! I think that that's a huge change for 20 years.
What does a regular season look like?
Generally in November we will produce anywhere from like three to six One-Acts, generally in the Massman Theatre. We'll begin advertising for those over the summer, we'll get writers, we pick shows around September, and then people audition. We normally go up the first or second week of November with those One-Acts. Then in the spring, we do our full-length production, which is normally in late February or early March, and that has sort of the same process.
What do you look for in your submissions?
We look for creative ideas, something new, something interesting, something that has a plot with good character development. Really anything that makes a good story, makes a good show, makes a good play.
What has been your favorite BNT experience?
Oddly enough one of my favorite BNT experiences is just staying up really late with my friends, finishing up a set or rehearsing that final scene for the show, and stepping in and filling in all different types of shoes: learning how to do different design aspects, and helping actors and directors who maybe this is their first time doing a play. Working together, that generally happens in the wee hours of the night. Just that kind of experience and that bond that theatre people have, even if it's their first time doing a show, it kind of just automatically clicks.
What's next for BNT?
We are producing four One-Acts this November, November 10th through the 12th. Come see the show! Our four One-Acts are 'Internship From Hell,' by Sophia Pesetti, 'Philippe's Baguette,' by Miles Bryant, 'The Hamilton Family Christmas Card,' by Logan Austin, and 'Please Stay,' by Ashley Busenlener.
What would you like people to know about BNT?
We're accepting. We love people who try new things, so if it's your first time being a part of a play, or writing, or directing, or anything like that, we're here to help you through it, and that's what the BNTeam is for. We are students helping other students learn and grow and create a love for theatre.
Brand New Theatre is run, along with Savannah, by the BNTeam: Hayley Charas (Vice President), Ali Appelbaum (Marketing Director), Bansini Doshi (Assistant Marketing Director), Julia Stier (Literary Director), Sabrina Sonner (Assistant Literary Director), Edina Hiser (Director of Design), Rachael McNamara, Miranda Drolet, Ricky Hvisch, and Maria Eliades (members at large).
Be sure to catch the Brand New Theatre One-Act Plays, which will be playing the Massman Theatre Nov. 10-12.
Brand New Theatre One-Acts, Nov. 10-12. There is a recommended $5 donation at the door. For updates on tickets and shows, visit www.brandnewtheatreusc.com
Annenberg Media