Drama Center Holds Open House

At the Loeb Drama Center on Saturday about 30 English voices were apologizing politely.

“Sorry. Late. Traffic jam.”

A host of Southern drawls agreed. “My goodness gracious, the traffic was as thick as hot asphalt under the Georgia sun.”

The Fargo voices concurred.

“Oh, criminy! There were a few cars on the road today.”

No. It wasn’t the next World War. It was “Dialects Made Easy,” a workshop for the Cambridge community at the Loeb Drama Center Open House.

In an effort to draw more local residents to professional and udergraduate shows in the Loeb’s theatres, the center opened its doors, stages and classrooms for an afternoon of performances, workshops, lectures and music.

“We’re trying to give the public a glimpse into the three organizations that occupy the center...unlike the other institutes here [at Harvard], our work requires a public to attend it,” said Robert J. Orchard, the managing director of the American Repertory Theatre (ART). “This is the most public building at Harvard.”

Renee Farster, director of audience development at ART, said that the push for publicity is part of the new Artistic Director Robert E. Woodruff’s vision.

“With our new artistic director, it’s a season of change. We’re going to be bringing in new blood. The main thing is to get people to the theatre,” Farster said.

Costumes were on display throughout the building—corseted dresses, armor with ornate battle helmets and formal Victorian ensembles.

David Curry, a local musician, accompanied himself on an ethereal composition, switching from bass to violin to trumpet over a background of electronic samples.

There was also a dramatic reading of Anton Chekhov’s “The Bear.”

“With Chekhov, you always expect it to be kind of staunch, but it was very intelligent and funny,” said Amanda Brasher, a senior at the Boston Conservatory. “It was very accessible. That’s what will bring the public in to see these shows.”

Several student directors putting on plays with the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club gave a panel discussion about their work.

Jeremy Walker ’04, the director of the club’s production of Pippin in the Loeb Experimental Theater, said he was optimistic about the interest the open house would generate for undergraduate shows.

“As an advertising tool, it’s amazing. It was really great to have people who came to talk to ART people also show an interest in student shows,” Walker said.

Meanwhile, the workshops delighted and educated visitors.

In addition to the dialect workshop, there were lessons provided in singing and stage movement.

Kate Cubeta, a native of Arlington and subscriber to the ART, brought her sons Nate, 13, and Charlie, 11, to the day-long event.

“I really liked the dialect thing. I didn’t think it would be so easy to change from one accent to another,” Nate said.