Several actors said that at times the processcould be overwhelming since it demands so much oftheir own emotion. Frances C. Chang '00, who playsthe Duchess of York, says she couldn't help cryingthe first time she tried "dropping in."

"It's very intense," says Benjamin L. Kornell'02, who plays Lord Stanley, the Earl of Derby."It works very well for Shakespeare becauseShakespeare is as much about the words themselvesas about acting."

The intense learning experience these actorshave had with the VDP highlights what they say isa gap in Harvard's curriculum. With no theaterdepartment or concentration, Harvardundergraduates mainly rely on each other forguidance. The VDP is one of the few opportunitiesfor Harvard undergraduates to work with moreexperienced theatrical veterans or professionals.

"There are not enough chances forundergraduates to actually do a show withprofessionals," says VDP Coordinator Jessica K.Jackson '99, who has been working on the 1999project for two years.

Although Harvard offers students a plethora ofperformance opportunities, the lack of instructionis a "trade-off." Chang says the VDP has been arefreshing change from her normal theatreinvolvement.

"With student directors, no matter how goodthey are, you tend to second-guess them a bit,"she says.

Students involved in "Richard III" say theproduction has taught them the value of training,a value they will bring to their futurestudent-run endeavors.

"The more professional training we can get, themore Harvard is going to benefit from the actorsand artists that have their training here," saysMarisa N. Echeverria '00, who plays King Richard."I really respect the VDP."

On the Scene

"Richard III" has demanded longer hours fromits cast and crew than most Harvard productions.The students say the show has become their life,overwhelming their academic and social lives.

"The long hours started much earlier than theydo for normal plays," says cast member AhanaKalappa '01, who plays the Marquis of Dorset.

The first read-through was in the first week ofMarch, and rehearsals began the week before springbreak. During the past two weeks, they have beenat rehearsal, on-call from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. everynight.

Thandi O. Parris '02, who plays Henry, Earl ofRichmond and the Second Murderer, says her socialrelationships are either nonexistent or rapidlydeteriorating because she doesn't see other peoplebesides the Richard cast. But she accepts thisbecause she "loves the cast and the theaterexperience."

"You deal with it," she says. "Everyone wantsthis production to be really good...we want to seethe results."

Some of the actors say the play is more of apriority than their academics. Most say they cancatch up on their classes after the curtain hasclosed for the last time.