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FASS 2005: The company of FASS 2005.

FASS 2003 - Imprint review

This review appeared in the February 7, 2003, issue of Imprint.

Ninjas, pirates and chickens: campus theatre at it again

Daniel Saunders, Imprint Staff

A guy walks by in a chicken suit, then comes a pirate in gold - then a clown wearing suspenders, two young women in spacesuits and Darth Vader. It's that time of the year again. The smell of sawdust fills the air. Wacky costumes are the norm as FASS (the Faculty, Alumni, Staff and Students) theatre group get ready for their first run-through of this year's all-original comedy-musical extravaganza.

The show, written primarily by students, many of whom also act in the play, takes the form of a loosely structured revue with lots of room for jokes and songs - this time incorporating, according to producer Heather MacDonald, "ninjas, pirates and pyrotechnics." "We have a month to get a hundred people singing and dancing, complete with costumes and sets," said MacDonald.

The theme of this year's production, entitled The New FASS Show, is a tribute to The Muppet Show, complete with excitable, put-upon master of ceremonies, piggy diva and Swedish chef. The plot itself has a self-referential twist: it's about the chaos that ensues onstage and backstage while trying to put together The Best FASS Show Ever in the face of "a techie revolt, a phantom, and hecklers in the balcony!" The show is written in the fall and auditions are held in the first week of January. "Our audition policy is, if you audition, we want you," said MacDonald, "If you don't have time to come to rehearsals we'll cast you as a tree." Founded in 1962, FASS is a Waterloo institution. This year marks one cast member's 15th show.

Members can expect copious amounts of silliness, UW in-jokes, song parodies, bad puns and tomfoolery, not to mention spirited choreography. As the FASSers will sing on opening night, "This is what we call the New FASS Shoooow!" The show started Thursday and plays at the Humanities Theatre in Hagey Hall Friday, February 7 at 7 and 10 p.m. and Saturday, February 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the Hagey Hall box office for $8. There are also cheaper group rates.