Theatre showcases queer love

Only a few know some of the hardships that LGBT+ members have had to go through throughout history. Many also don’t want or care to know the history as it doesn’t apply to them. 

Harry Hay, a communist, and Rudi Gernreich, a Viennese refugee and designer, helped found the Mattachine Society in the 1950s. The two fell in love while building the Mattachine Society. 

The Mattachine Society originated in 1950 as a covert organization in Los Angeles and became one of the numerous notable groups organizing during the Homophile Movement, a time of LGBT+ activism that saw chapters spring up around the country. 

Because of their activism, Jon Marans wrote a play titled “The Temperamentals.” “Temperamentals” is a term sometimes used to refer to homosexuals at the time. 

MSU is in the works on its rendition of the play, and Eric Parrish is directing. He said he chose to do this play as a way for students to have fun and learn some history they might not have known. 

“I think with the kind of conversation that’s happening with so much of our transgender friends and family members right now. This story is really powerful in how those first activists when being gay was still illegal,” said Parrish. “How they fought that and overcame that and needed to work together as a community in order to do so, and I think we need to hear that again. We really need to draw attention to those who need our advocacy and those who have been advocates in the past.” 

The preparation for this play began in the spring when school was still in session. Parrish and the production staff met during the summer in preparation for this and had auditions Monday. 

Freshman Zach McGeary auditioned with a one-minute dramatic monologue. He said the audition process for him was stressful, but one he enjoyed. 

“I used Nick Nelson’s ‘I don’t want to break up monologue’ from the show, ‘Heartstopper.’ I had to memorize a lot of my monologues for all of the auditions I did within a day,” McGeary said. “I’d say that I did pretty adequate at it with the fact that I only had a day but I felt if I had more time, I could have probably gotten into more character and had a bit more fun with what I was doing.” 

Another critical topic throughout history is the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s. The musical “RENT” addresses this and highlights other struggles many in the LGBT+ community dealt with. 

In the story of “RENT,” friends in Manhattan’s East Village fight to build the life of their aspirations in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Poverty, drug misuse, HIV/AIDS, social conflict and political turmoil, among other things, put physical and emotional strain on the group. Faced with obstacles, they develop personal self-discoveries and discover what truly counts in life. 

MSU started “RENT” auditions for RENT last spring to get a wider variety of actors. This was a change from the past. Usually, auditions take place the first day of classes.

“We tried to reach out a little bit more and tried to engage a larger student population than we usually would have,” said Director, Vladimir Rovinsky. “We have a majority of our theater and dance students audition. By doing this, we captured quite a few people who maybe would not have auditioned otherwise. We auditioned them and then after the break, there was this process called callbacks, kind of bringing back people trying them in different combinations and giving them different songs to try.” 

Faith Peterson, who played Maria in “The Sound of Music” in 2022, auditioned for the ensemble. She said she has loved this musical since she started in musical theater. 

“The message that it tries to give is very powerful and inspiring, and I want to be involved with it in any way that I can. So I auditioned in April, and I got a callback for the ensemble and I’m really grateful to be here,” said Peterson. “I’m very full force determined to go somewhere with this and I just love music.” 

The ensemble is an important part of a musical. It can make or break a show. By executing elaborate dance sections, contributing voices to full-company musical numbers and acting out background parts, the ensemble helps bring the world of musicals and operas to life.

“I think the ensemble is just like such an integral part of rent. Nothing can happen in that show without just like this big chorus part in it. It moves the show along,” said Finnola Coughlin, who auditioned for the ensemble. 

Students can hear the sounds of the 1980s and 1990s from Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 5-8 in the Ted Paul Theatre. 

Students can see the true story of Hay and Gernreich and the Mattachine Society Sept. 20-23 in the Andreas Theatre. 

For more information on how to get tickets, go to the theatre arts page on the MSU website. 

Only a few know some of the hardships that LGBT+ members have had to go through throughout history. Many also don’t want or care to know the history as it doesn’t apply to them. 

Harry Hay, a communist, and Rudi Gernreich, a Viennese refugee and designer, helped found the Mattachine Society in the 1950s. The two fell in love while building the Mattachine Society. 

The Mattachine Society originated in 1950 as a covert organization in Los Angeles and became one of the numerous notable groups organizing during the Homophile Movement, a time of LGBT+ activism that saw chapters spring up around the country. 

Because of their activism, Jon Marans wrote a play titled “The Temperamentals.” “Temperamentals” is a term sometimes used to refer to homosexuals at the time. 

MSU is in the works on its rendition of the play, and Eric Parrish is directing. He said he chose to do this play as a way for students to have fun and learn some history they might not have known. 

“I think with the kind of conversation that’s happening with so much of our transgender friends and family members right now. This story is really powerful in how those first activists when being gay was still illegal,” said Parrish. “How they fought that and overcame that and needed to work together as a community in order to do so, and I think we need to hear that again. We really need to draw attention to those who need our advocacy and those who have been advocates in the past.” 

The preparation for this play began in the spring when school was still in session. Parrish and the production staff met during the summer in preparation for this and had auditions Monday. 

Freshman Zach McGeary auditioned with a one-minute dramatic monologue. He said the audition process for him was stressful, but one he enjoyed. 

“I used Nick Nelson’s ‘I don’t want to break up monologue’ from the show, ‘Heartstopper.’ I had to memorize a lot of my monologues for all of the auditions I did within a day,” McGeary said. “I’d say that I did pretty adequate at it with the fact that I only had a day but I felt if I had more time, I could have probably gotten into more character and had a bit more fun with what I was doing.” 

Another critical topic throughout history is the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s. The musical “RENT” addresses this and highlights other struggles many in the LGBT+ community dealt with. 

In the story of “RENT,” friends in Manhattan’s East Village fight to build the life of their aspirations in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Poverty, drug misuse, HIV/AIDS, social conflict and political turmoil, among other things, put physical and emotional strain on the group. Faced with obstacles, they develop personal self-discoveries and discover what truly counts in life. 

MSU started “RENT” auditions for RENT last spring to get a wider variety of actors. This was a change from the past. Usually, auditions take place the first day of classes.

“We tried to reach out a little bit more and tried to engage a larger student population than we usually would have,” said Director, Vladimir Rovinsky. “We have a majority of our theater and dance students audition. By doing this, we captured quite a few people who maybe would not have auditioned otherwise. We auditioned them and then after the break, there was this process called callbacks, kind of bringing back people trying them in different combinations and giving them different songs to try.” 

Faith Peterson, who played Maria in “The Sound of Music” in 2022, auditioned for the ensemble. She said she has loved this musical since she started in musical theater. 

“The message that it tries to give is very powerful and inspiring, and I want to be involved with it in any way that I can. So I auditioned in April, and I got a callback for the ensemble and I’m really grateful to be here,” said Peterson. “I’m very full force determined to go somewhere with this and I just love music.” 

The ensemble is an important part of a musical. It can make or break a show. By executing elaborate dance sections, contributing voices to full-company musical numbers and acting out background parts, the ensemble helps bring the world of musicals and operas to life.

“I think the ensemble is just like such an integral part of rent. Nothing can happen in that show without just like this big chorus part in it. It moves the show along,” said Finnola Coughlin, who auditioned for the ensemble. 

Students can hear the sounds of the 1980s and 1990s from Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 5-8 in the Ted Paul Theatre. 

Students can see the true story of Hay and Gernreich and the Mattachine Society Sept. 20-23 in the Andreas Theatre. 

For more information on how to get tickets, go to the theatre arts page on the MSU website. 

Write to Lauren Viska at lauren.viska@mnsu.edu

Header Photo: The Ted Paul Theatre, pictured above, is home to Minnesota State’s many main stage productions. It features a stage with complete fly capabilities, hydraulic stage pit, computerized light board and well-equipped adjacent scene and costume shops. (Lilly Anderson/The Reporter)