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FASS 2003: The Stall Guys (Rob LeGood and Stephen Stewart) entertain the audience between skits.

FASS 2009 - Imprint review

This review appeared in the January 30, 2009, issue of Imprint.

The show must go on

Dihn Nguyen, Assistant Editor-In-Chief

Bust out your wit, sexuendos, and most hysterical laughter, it's that time of the year again. With rehearsals now in session, the annual Faculty, Alumni, Staff and Students (FASS) musical comedy is about to begin.

Since 1962, each year FASS invites the UW community to attend their hilarious amateur theatrical production, which is performed and written by members of the community-at-large, (and as their names suggests) UW faculty, alumni, staff and students.

Fans of Joss Whedon's mini series Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog need to see this year's production, titled, FASS 2009: Live FASS, Die Tomorrow, a superhero-world-based parody of university orientation weeks.

"It is a play about spies villains and henchmen with a lot of death, violence, and sexual innuendos," said FASS chief script writer, Stephen. S. Skrzydto.

Though it may seem the current FASS is inspired by Dr. Horrible, according to Skrzydto the idea of doing superhero-based training academies was talked about amongst the script writers way before the internet mini series was released.

"There were a couple of things that I really liked [from Dr. Horrible].What we took away from it is that bad guys are nice and good guys are jerks... [We also took] one of the dramatic effects from the song where there's a duet with a third person singing," said Skrzydto, referring to a song in part one of the series: "A man's gotta do what's a man's gotta do."

Other elements from Dr. Horrible include a song about OSAP, sung to the "Bad Horse" theme, and a nod to the Doctor himself through a character named Dr. Terrifically Unpleasant.

Among production contributors is Brian "Latrell" Fox, a UW math alumnus and long-time FASS member who has been involved with the production since 2002. In the FASS community, Fox is known as Latrell, a name that stuck during a previous production where he played a character with the same name.

Five years ago, Fox was the chief script writer of The Brothers FASS: Princes and Dragons and Wolves, Oh My! Since then, he has taken on the role of play director. But that's not the only thing that has changed. Two years ago, FASS revisited their recruitment strategy and became more active during Clubs Day. This year they were successful in recruiting a larger tech crew. Also, nearly half of their cast are first-timers.

"I think it's going to be awesome. It's a lot of fun thus far, and I think it's going to be even more fun once we get on stage. But I might be biased," said CS grad and FASS first-timer Chris Hutten-Czapski.

Another change introduced this year was applied to rehearsal times. "We used to have final rehearsal on Wednesday [before the show] but the university decided to take that away." Because the Humanities theatre is booked every Tuesday and Wednesday this year, FASS will try to schedule a rehearsals on Sunday and Monday, and on Wednesday they will go through songs and problem lines.

As per tradition, FASS will be putting on shows on the first Thursday to Saturday of February. There will be an 8 p.m. show on February 5 and 7, and a 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. show on February 6. And as per usual the last show on Friday will be an audience interaction special, a show where the audience may heckle and make comments, and the cast can in turn react. Tickets are on sale at the Humanities Theatre, $10 for general admission and $7 for the Thursday special.

Preview of the script

Libby: Ms. Kittens.
Mr. SueHer: looks up in slight shock I think I mis-heard you, did you mean to say Pussy Galore or something?
Libby: You heard me, Ms. Kittens.
Mr. SueHer: Well that's definitely unique, I certainly would have remembered someone using that name. Why would you be called that?
Libby: You don't want to know.
Mr. SueHer: bristling I'll have you know young madam that I am the official notary for all such matters.
Chairman Meow: Weapon of choice?
Libby: Kittens, obviously.
Chairman Meow: Let me say this differently... how will you strike fear into the hearts of your enemies?
Libby: Well, first they'll hear my name and be confused.
Mr. SueHer: Undoubtedly.
Libby: Then I'll pull out a kitten and they'll be transfixed by its inherent cuteness.
Chairman Meow: Indubitably.
Libby: Then... I'll launch the specially bred cuddwy fwuffy little kitten, and it will proceed to scratch their eyes out.