The Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club--or "HRDC" to those grooving to the bongo beat of thespian bohemia--are a talented, largely self-appreciative society of entertainers. Much like your humble narrators at FM, these players pander to the cultured, frolick-loving Harvard masses with affordably priced, all-you-can-eat entertainment.
Sketchy sketches in that black shoebox they call the Loeb Experimental Theatre? We're all about that. Overdirected, psychological manipulation? Spun wheels and poked emotional buttons? Spontaneous activation of our arid tear ducts? Precisely our kettle of tea! Not to mention the kicklines of beautiful storm troopers. We're so there. Already.
M. Butterfly
"Mr. Bouriscot was accused of passing information to China after he fell in love with Mr. Shi, whom he believed for 20 years to be a woman." The Asian American Association is putting on this Tony Award-winning play by David Henry Hwang at Leverett Library, April 15-17, 22-24 at 8 p.m.
Reason to see: It's about race and gender and culture and society and all sorts of politicized issues relevant to sensitive, educated people. But who are we kidding? Actually, we hear Joseph Salonga will present us his full frontal (male) nudity. Ai ya.
Of Thee I Sing
The Gilbert & Sullivan players are putting this baby on at the Agassiz. Forget the music by the Gershwin brothers, it's all about John Wintergreen's "scandalous presidency, love, betrayal and attempts at impeachment," from April 15-17 at 8 p.m. and April 17 at 2 p.m.
Reason to see: The Prez's mistress is considerably cuter than M. Lewinsky; the president's name sounds like chewing gum (Wintergreen), which we find inherently funny at some third-grade level; and the script won a Pulitzer and since when did they give out Pulitzers for musicals? Plus, it's ironic. Not funny, but timely.
Perpetual Motion: An Evening of Dance
The dance community has put together this eclectic mix of ballet, tap, ballroom and modern dance. Ravel's "Bolero" is juxtaposed with Bernstein's "West Side Story." Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" with Pugni's "Pas de Quatre." And Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." Show goes from April 15-17 at 8 p.m. and April 17 at 2 p.m.
Reason to see: Well, we're curious: How exactly does one The Hong Kong
Freshman visionaries have spearheaded this radically salacious dramatic opus. The kiddos scripted and composed the music all by themselves. Imagine that! Mom and dad will show up for "a slew of dirty secrets, six self-indulgent students and one seedy night at a Chinese restaurant-rank with sweet-and-sour excess." Get a scorpion bowl's worth of intrigue, debauchery and political incorrectness at the Agassiz, April 22-24, 8 p.m. and Apr. 22 at 2 p.m.
Reason to see: FOPmates.
