Although Fordham College at Rose Hill is not home to a theater major, there are still plenty of ways for students to engage in and pursue their interests and passions in the subject. Rose Hill is home to three theatrical performance groups: Mimes and Mummers, Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP) and Fordham Experimental Theater (FET).
Clare O’Connell, FCRH ’25, is the president of Mimes and Mummers, Fordham’s “main stage” theater club. They are a student-run group that produces one musical and one play performance each semester.
“None of us are theater majors. We do this because we love it, and we want to have fun,” said O’Connell.
One thing that sets the Mimes and Mummers apart is they hire professional directors and music directors, providing “a new perspective from someone who currently works in the industry” for each show.
Students are also involved in the technical aspects of each production, including sound and lightboard operators, spotlight operators, stagehands and production team members.
“There are many ways to join! You can audition for the show, or if you prefer crew, you can fill out our tech interest form that we send out for each show. The best way to get information is to join our email list ([email protected]) or follow us on social media (@themimesandmummers),” said O’Connell. “Our goal as a club is to offer opportunities to both students who want to pursue theater and those who do this just for fun… We hope that every person who works on our shows walks away with something new, whether that be a new friend, a new skill or just a new experience!”
FET puts on four full-length slot shows a year, along with two playwrights festivals showcasing shorter, 15-30 minute performances. FET also consists of four umbrella groups: Allergy Friendly Stand-up, Black Sheep Performance Poetry, Free Pizza Sketch Comedy and Stranded in Pittsburgh Improv.
FET President Mo Kranwinkle, FCRH ’25, commented, “With FET, the E is key, and the E stands for experimental. The shows we put on in the black box allow writers and actors to push theater to its limits and challenge the norms of what happens on the stage. In one of our latest shows, we had wrestling matches happen live on stage during the course of the show.”
Kranwinkle continued, “Going forward, we are looking to have more open events for people to dip their toes in the water and have the opportunity to hang out, like a cabaret and a trivia night with prizes.”
To get involved, the latest information on auditions and other happenings by following the club’s Instagram, @fet_blackbox. The umbrella groups have auditions at the beginning of each semester, and the slot shows and playwrights have auditions periodically throughout.
The third and final group is TOP. TOP is a student-run theater organization that produces four plays each year and one “One Acts Festival” performance consisting of a handful of 5-30 minute long plays compiled together.
Chloe Pitard, FCRH ’25, president of TOP, mentioned, “Outreach makes TOP unique! For each performance, our club members take the show and its message into the community. For our most recent show, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ we are working with a middle school and an after-school program to perform scenes from the show and participate in theater workshops. These visits are some of our club members’ favorite events!”
To become a TOP member, visit the group’s Instagram (@top_fordham) to join their email list and find information on club meetings and events.
Pitard continued, “This year, we hope to offer more opportunities for outreach on and off campus. This semester, TOP is holding our annual One Acts Showcase in addition to two full-length productions!”
Shows such as these for each theater group are advertised around campus by club members. A great way to find out if a group is a good fit for a student is to seek out viewing opportunities such as these and see what each group produces. FET and TOP productions are free to attend.
“I am more than excited to see the hard work and dedication our club members are putting into these shows!” said Pitard.
