James C. Augustine '01 performed in last year'sshow and was cast in this year's production asDonatello My wife. But after concluding that he wasnot learning enough dramatic skills in the show,Augustine says he decided not to accept his rolein "Campaign."

He also says that what he felt were misogynicand homophobic references in the scriptcontributed to his decision. He says it bothershim that there are no women in the cast.

"When I questioned people about it, theirreasoning seemed to be circular," Augustine says."There were things being said like, "Women are notas funny as men."

Behind the Scene

Women who work for the organization have statedtheir satisfaction with the opportunities at thePudding. Women participate in the band, productionand technical aspects of the show; it's just thestage that's taboo.

"Women make significant contributions to everyPudding production," wrote 15 female Puddingmembers and alumnae in a December 11 letter to theeditor. "We are involved in running theorganization, building the sets and playing theinstruments not because these are the onlypositions available to women, but because they areareas of interest and expertise."

And Theatricals President Daniel M. Ring '99says all members of the company--men andwomen--enjoy the Pudding for the chance to workwith talented people on a show for whichundergraduates serve as the major creative force.

Johnson's editorial, Ring says, helped prompt acompany-wide meeting held in early January todiscuss the issues of women in the cast and thecontent of the script.

"It was great to be open and express differentideas," says Colleen A. McGuinness '99, pressmanager for the Pudding. "There were a variety ofopinions."

Young K. Lee '99, who plays Katya Redhanded inthe show, does not approve of a co-ed cast. Leenotes that other single-sex organizations oncampus, like the Radcliffe Choral Society, are notasked to alter their make-up because "they producea specific art form that would be fundamentallyaltered by changing the people involved."

"I can tell you right now that it woulddefinitely change the nature of the show, and Idon't think it would be for the better," Leewrites in an email message. "We produce a uniqueart form, and I don't think that anyone has anyright to mandate how we produce it. I sure may notlike Robert Mapplethorpe's 'Piss Christ,' but Isure as hell will defend his right to make it;such should be the case with the Pudding."

While Ring says the company discussed thepossibility of admitting women to the cast at theJanuary meeting, no changes were made. But isthere a chance for gender parity in the Pudding inthe future?

"Several years from now, but it should be madefrom an artistic standpoint, not because I thinkit is sexist," says co-producer Cassidy. "Ipersonally like the show the way it is. I find itfunny to see men in drag."

Ring says it would require strong opposition toenforce change to century-and-a-half-oldtradition, but if many members insisted on it, atransformation would be likely to happen.

"If our company wants to have women in thecast, there is nothing we can do about it," Ringsays.