Top 50 Series: 20- Go See The Guerilla Theatre At Least Once

Guerilla Theatre draws crowds


By Hannah Marcum
Share this article Published: Monday, August 31, 2009

On a stage painted with vibrant, rainbow-bright swirls, the first Guerrilla Theatre of the 2009-10 school year began with a bang.
Guerrilla Theatre is a student production of 10 acts throughout a two-hour show that occurs periodically during the year. The content includes monologues, singing, dancing, poetry and comedy acts. Most acts are student-developed and geared towards the college-aged crowd.
Glenn Halcomb, a junior majoring in theatre, is president of Alpha Psi Omega, which organizes Guerilla. He said while Guerilla was a unique entity on campus, it shared similarities to an open-mic night
“It is a great opportunity for artists to really work and showcase their abilities,” Halcomb said. “Guerrilla is one of the most exciting events on campus because it is a place where different people can come together and enjoy a universal commonality: art.” Holcomb said.
He said Guerrilla’s turnout was impressive, with more people showing up than could possibly fit into the sweltering Allen-Bales Theatre for the show.
“The line had wrapped around the building well before 10:30,” Halcomb said. “Unfortunately, we had to turn people away, which I hate to do, but we cannot fit everybody into the space.”
The audience found seats on the floor and along the aisles.
Before the show began, the audience and players were invited to the stage to dance to a variety of music ranging from The Jackson Five’s “ABC” to Flo-Rida’s “Low.” The students seemed to be having the time of their lives, and it’s difficult to restrain yourself from joining the fun.
Actors like Dianna Duffy, a veteran to Guerrilla, exude such a carefree attitude you would think they were dancing alone in their room with a hairbrush held to their mouth as a microphone.
The participants in Guerrilla Theatre all seem to have a close bond, sharing inside-jokes with the unassuming crowd throughout the production. It was a laid-back show that conjures up deeper feelings, laughter and insight then most professionally done plays.
Although Saturday night’s program only included eight acts, each performance squeezed some form of emotion from the audience. The opening act included a “gay-off” which ended with the winner having two mothers, one of whom was Madonna and the other Cher.
The final act included one man, a guitar and a harmonica. Lawson Hangartener, a junior majoring in musical theatre, performed singles by Ryan Adams and Ray LaMontagne, along with a self-written song
Hangartener seemed to capture everyone’s thoughts by stopping during a song and proclaiming, “Sorry I’m so sweaty and nasty, it’s hot in here and I’m a little drunk.”
The next Guerrilla Theatre will be October 3rd at 11p.m. To support your favorite Guerrilla Theatre actors in musicals, dramas and dance, log on to as.ua.edu/theatre for this season’s lineup.

So that's 20. Go See The Guerilla Theatre At Least Once