Pudding Undergoes Housing Changes

The renovation of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ building at 12 Holyoke St. was pushed back again this year because of Harvard’s inability to find a donor to fund the overhaul, meaning that the building will not be opened to other student groups until at least spring 2007.

The College acquired the dilapidated three-story Holyoke Street building in April 2000 when the Theatricals’ graduate board, The Institute of 1770, could no longer afford the rent.

Soon after purchasing the building, College officials announced plans for major renovations in hopes of opening the building to other student groups.

But of the four student groups under the purview of the Institute of 1770—HPT, the Hasty Pudding Social Club, the Harvard Krokodiloes and the Radcliffe Pitches—the building still houses three.

The Social Club has since relocated to a “clubhouse” at 2 Garden St.

Though initial talks had construction slated to begin in May 2002, the date was pushed back to spring 2005 in February.

Renovations should wrap up in spring 2007, Associate Dean of the College Judith H. Kidd wrote in an e-mail. While the building has just undergone minor repairs clocking in at around $100,000—with reupholstered seats, a more modern fire curtain and overhauled electric and drainage systems—major renovations, estimated to cost $25 million, have been postponed until the College finds a donor to finance the project.

The Pudding, whose flamboyant annual productions and “roasts” of its men and women of the year have put it on the map, has garnered some unique privileges over its more than 200 years at Harvard.

Its use of the building is a privilege some members of other arts groups question.

“I think there is a good diversity of high-quality student groups at Harvard and unfortunately a great lack of practice space,” said Jorian P. Schutz ’05, a member of the Din and Tonics.

“The fact that the Pudding is available to only certain student groups is just kind of sad,” he said, adding that at one point, a student group in which he participated was “literally reduced to wandering the streets of Cambridge.”

“I think students should have equal access to space,” he said.

When renovated, the 116-year-old building will be opened to a variety of other groups yet to be chosen, Kidd said.

Pudding members say this won’t be a problem.

“We’ve had to share lots of different space within the building, and we’ve always worked it out fine,” said Romina Garber ’06, the co-producer of next year’s Pudding production who is also a Crimson editor.

For now, the theater remains almost exactly as it was before Harvard gained control, with three of the four student groups still under its auspices.

But Technical Director and Adviser for College Theatre Programs Alan P. Symonds ’69 said previous agreements have kept it this way.

“Harvard has a contractual obligation to provide [the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the Kroks, and the Pitches] with office space,” he said.

As for the available theater space, the Theatricals are better equipped than most student groups to handle the existing space, he said.

“The theater space isn’t usable without equipment,” and with the budget that the Theatricals work with, they “can afford to have professionals come in with lighting,” he said.

“Another group would find the operating costs and organizational requirements prohibitive,” he added. “The Hasty Pudding can amortize the costs and staff over a 40-performance run. I can’t think of another performance organization that has that many high-priced performances of one production.”

The College has not yet determined which student organizations will use the revamped space.

“The actual program for the use of the renovated Hasty Pudding building has not yet been finalized and no decision has been made concerning practice and performance space,” Kidd said.

While the Pudding, the Harvard Krokodilioes and the Radcliffe Pitches have already been “grandfathered” for office space, they will not be the only groups to “use the building for practice space, rehearsals and performances,” she said.

In anticipation of the expected restoration, the Pudding has begun exploring other potential venues.

“The search for a space that is compatible with our particular needs is ongoing, until we are further along in the process I can’t really comment on the specifics,” Charles E. Worthington ’06, the co-producer for next year’s production, wrote in an e-mail.   Once renovations are complete, he wrote, HPT expects to return to the 12 Holyoke St. building.

“I expect managing rehearsal/performance time with other groups will work similarly to how it works in Harvard’s other performance spaces like the Mainstage and the Ex, with each show getting a specific amount of time in the space for load-in, rehearsal and performances,” Worthington wrote.

And some say that they expect the available space would be used frequently.

“It would certainly be greatly appreciated and never under-used, I think,” said Jeremy R. Funke ’05, vice president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Drama Club. “This would sort of be a good intermediate first step...I don’t know anybody in the theater community who would not be grateful for a more consistently available space.”

—Staff writer Margaret W. Ho can be reached at mwho@fas.harvard.edu.