(Images via @umassd_theatreco / Instagram and @20centfiction / Instagram)

Staff Writer: Brian Galindo

Email: bgalindo@umassd.edu

UMass Dartmouth is a unique school in many ways, and our theatre is no different. 

We have two theatre companies: UMass Dartmouth Theatre Company (or “TCo”), which does more traditional plays and musicals, and 20 Cent Fiction, which does more off-beat, non-traditional shows. 

Spring of 2024 has three shows on display – two from 20 Cent and one from TCo – and here’s a quick preview of each!

First off is the original horror short film The Dells, written and directed by UMass Dartmouth student Hunter Shields and produced by 20 Cent Fiction.

It will premiere in CVPA 153 on February 17th at 8 PM and February 18th at 3 PM and 8 PM.

The Dells takes place on our campus, in the Cedar Dells (hence the title). The plot follows a student named Samantha as she and her friends learn about the events of a murder within the Cedar Dells and seek to find the killer.

Courtney Sullivan, who plays the role of Kelly in the film, described it as “a fun slasher flick” in an interview, with scenes that “move quickly” and characters that “are very animated and alive.” She further commended her fellow actors, saying, “All of the performances are good.”

“I love my character,” Sullivan finished. “I just got to infuse so much personality in her…and made sure it got to feel like one of those movies I liked.”

Tickets for The Dells are just $2 for all, and it is rumored that they may be giving out stickers. Along with checking out an original film by a student, there are so many reasons to find your way over to CVPA on the 17th and 18th.

Next on the list is another 20 Cent Fiction production: Ride the Cyclone!

It will be performed in the Angus A. Bailey Auditorium on the weekend of April 5th.

Ride the Cyclone follows a group of six choir kids from Saskatchewan, Canada, who ride a rollercoaster (the titular Cyclone) and die in a horrific accident. The majority of the show takes place in a strange afterlife sequence, where a Zoltar-esque robot has the power to bring one of them back to life, and they must compete through song.

I interviewed Jess Desrosiers, the show’s assistant director, who described the show as both funny and sad in its portrayal of the deaths of these teenage characters.

“It’s kind of a roller coaster of emotions,” she said quite aptly.

“The cast is so talented. They just impress me every rehearsal,” Desrosiers added, singing the actors’ praises. She also noted that her favorite song in the show was “The Ballad of Jane Doe.”

Though it has gained some fame through social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, Ride the Cyclone is still a show that isn’t too well-known. With such a wild premise and hook, the auditorium should be packed the weekend of April 5th with people trying to figure out who will return.

Finishing up our list is TCo’s production of Heathers: The Musical.

Performing in the Angus A. Bailey Auditorium on the weekend of April 12th, Heathers will be the week directly after Ride the Cyclone, meaning one can (and should) see both without the need for competition.

Heathers follows a high school girl named Veronica as she gets in with the school’s popular clique (the eponymous Heathers) and begins dating a guy named J.D.. Slowly, though, things grow dark as J.D. will do anything to stay with Veronica.

“Everyone was laughing the whole time,” Emerson DiSalle said. 

DiSalle plays Heather McNamara, the shyest of the Heather trio. In an interview about the show, she described it as “pretty fun” and the rehearsals as a “super good work environment.”

She finished by describing how the show was very different from the 1988 film it was based on.

“The individual songs really show the vulnerability of every character,” she explained. “Heather Chandler’s insecurities…Heather Duke’s self-confidence issues…and so much more.”

Being based on a film, it’s no surprise that Heathers is a very popular musical. That said, TCo’s rendition seems very interesting and will be a delight to watch.

Three shows in one semester just goes to show how important theatre is to the students on this campus. 

If you’re interested in keeping up with campus theatre, you can find both companies on Instagram at @20centfiction and @umassd_theatreco.