HREC Wants to Entertain You -- and For You to Entertain

Two budding undergraduate impresarios are raising the curtain on a new performing arts club designed to provide "all sorts of entertainment for all sorts of people."

The Harvard-Radcliffe Entertainment Company (HREC), founded by David L. Seltzer '86 and John N. Axelrod '88, plans to produce concerts, films, plays, seminars, and even a record album--all featuring Harvard students.

The purpose of the 25-member HREC is to provide an opportunity for student performers to display their talents, as well as to provide entertainment "for everyone at Harvard," says Seltzer, the club's president.

Because the club will deal with all of the performing arts, Seltzer says that the HREC will fill a void in the current set of undergraduate entertainment organizations. "We're going to try combinations and permutations that have never been tried here before," he says.

HRDC "Not Popular"

Seltzer also feels that current entertainment clubs, such as the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC), provide entertainment that is "not popular."

He adds, "It is geared to the creators, not the community."

The HREC, on the other hand, will work "both toward creators and toward the audience," Seltzer says. "We're an anti-elitist club."

Nevertheless, Seltzer anticipates "possible collaboration" with existing organizations such as the HRDC, the Student Production Agency, and Cookin', the Cabot House nightclub.

Although the HREC is still "pending approval" by University officials, it has already planned "about 20 tentative events." These include classical and popular music concerts, a series of musicals (including "West Side Story" and a musical written by Axelrod), staged readings, film festivals of work by Visual and Environmental Studies majors and other students, performing arts speakers and seminars, and dance parties.

Seltzer would also like the club to bring nationally known films, speakers, and musicians to Harvard.

The HREC even has plans to record an album, ideally using the musical talents of the Harvard/Radcliffe Orchestra and Harvard rock groups, and the vocal talents of the Glee Club and a capella groups. The record would be sold on campus, at alumni functions, and at Harvard's 350th Anniversary celebration next fall, club members say, with the album's proceeds being donated to a charity.

"The HREC has sort of an entrepreneurial flavor," Seltzer says, "although it's a non-profit organization and none of us are getting paid."

The HREC hopes to obtain the money needed to produce all these activities from admission to events and from grants, the officers say. Potential sponsors include the Undergraduate Council, the Office for the Arts, and the Harvard Foundation.

"We're determined to provide entertainment," Seltzer says, "even if I have to get up on stage myself and sing."

The club's inaugural event will be a concert next week called "Dancin' in the Streets." It will feature vocalists Fiona V. Anderson '88 and Andrea M. Burke '86, who will be backed by Harvard rock band Robespierre.

Seltzer says he considers Anderson and Burke possibly Harvard's best vocalists: Anderson has performed by herself and with the Opportunes, while Burke has performed in Boston musical theater productions and has recorded professionally.

Seltzer expects to sell out the 125-odd seats available for both performances. "We may have to go standing room only," he says.

Club officials say they plan to hold open auditions for its events and to "survey freshman talent."

The HREC is open to anyone who would like to join. "We want to involve people who have never or have not recently done anything in entertainment," Seltzer says. "We're open to suggestions."