Theatre

In the centuries' old tradition of Jesuit education nourishing the fine arts, the Bellarmine Theatre Arts Program runs a full theatre season on its mainstage, Benson Theatre: a fall drama, winter Musical, and spring comedy. Throughout the school year, the program's resident improvisational troupe, Sanguine Humours, performs free concerts at lunchtimes, as well as at a variety of other functions, including their annual mainstage show. Approximately 40 to 50 students are involved in performing during the course of the season. Also, the program has a complete technical theatre/ stagecraft division, which gives students an opportunity to learn stage design, construction, lighting design, sound design, stage management, sales and marketing. The program also works in concert with the Bellarmine Music Program in a joint production of the annual musical where some 10-55 musicians perform.

Our program has been recognized, both by the local press and by various national theatre organizations for its professionalism, vitality, variety, non-traditional casting, and non-traditional staging. We were honored by selection to perform at the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the summer of 2003. In the past decade, we have produced full-scale productions including a four-hour version of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "Nicholas Nickleby", Steppenwolf Company's "The Grapes of Wrath", "The Elephant Man", "A Royal Hunt of the Sun", "A Few Good Men" and we were one of the first high schools in the nation to produce "The Laramie Project" and " Dead Man Walking." Our Spring comedies have included "Lend Me a Tenor," "Moon Over Buffalo," "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," "Noises Off," and specially rewritten version of Shakespeare's "A Comedy of Errors," "Twelfth Night." We were one of the first high schools to produce Steve Martin's comedy "Picasso at the Lapin Agile."

Musicals have included "Les Miserables," "The Wiz," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Will Rogers' Follies," "West Side Story," "Godspell," "A Chorus Line" and just this past March, "Grease." Next winter we will be among the first high schools in the Bay Area to produce "Urinetown: The Musical !" winner of the 2002 Tony Award. And in Spring, 2003 we produced the world premiere of "The 7 Ages of Bob" - a brand new comedy (written by directors Peter Canavese, Tom Alessandri, and student Robbie Fitzsimmons) melding scripted scenes and improvisation, which performed to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

One of our program goals is to challenge ourselves and our audiences with sometimes risk-taking, seldom-done shows. Another goal is to turn our technical theatre students into experienced, well-trained, and creative artists ready for success at a collegiate level. Many of our student technicians have earned scholarships to universities for their work in this area.

Contact Tom Alessandri at talessandri@bcp.org for more information.