FOUNDER OF THEATER SOCIETY TALKS ‘TARTUFFE’
A timeless tale of hypocrisy is coming to SCC this summer.
The 17th-century play “Tartuffe,” written by famed playwright Molière, will be put on in August by the Student Theatrical Society.
SCC student Danny Bracy, founder of the society, shared history regarding the background of his acting group and their upcoming performance.
How long have you attended SCC, and what are you studying?
I’ve been at SCC since the fall of 2015, and I’ve studied theater and film. I’m going toward an Associates in Digital Filmmaking as well as a Certificate in Proficiency in Theater.
Tell us the story of how and when the Student Theatrical Society was originally formed.
I started the Student Theatrical Society — otherwise known as the Drama Club — a little more than a year ago. I had known people from UW, and in their theater program they have a student club called the Undergraduate Theater Society where students fully produce and put on full plays.
SCC students have had the opportunity to direct short plays through the Shoreline Shorts, but never has there been a way to put on a full play. So that became my goal, and I decided that the best way to do this was to start my own club to give students an opportunity to achieve whatever they want alongside the main theater department.
In what capacity are you involved with the current production?
I am producing, directing and the lead designer for the production. This is now the third full play I’ve put on at SCC through this club.
This time we have a huge team of creatives assisting in several departments for the production. The goal with this show is expansion: I want to get as many SCC students involved as possible!
What should people expect when they come to see the performance?
A large cast of hilarious actors, an ambitious production design and a much larger scale than anything you’ve seen with student productions at SCC.
What is the plot of “Tartuffe?”
“Tartuffe” was written in the 1600s and is about a religious hypocrite (the title character) deceiving the patriarch of a home and family. The rest of the family completely sees through Tartuffe’s lies but hold no power in the household, so they unfold a plot to reveal Tartuffe’s lies. The play really tackles interesting themes regarding religion, government and power. I’m really focusing on the gender inequality presented in the show and how the women hold little to no power in the house and how it affects everyone’s ability to reason.
How did you select the play?
It was the very first play I had ever done in high school. It ignited my passion for theater and performance, and it’s been a long journey since then.
I think it’s ceremonious to end my directing journey with where it all started; it’s an incredibly funny and relevant show as well, and it’s perfect for the talented students at this school.
How does the story personally resonate with you?
I see the inequalities in society and how they are influenced by and effected by structured religion. I want to be able to shed light on topics like this through the comedic lens the show throws it in. I want the audience to watch, laugh and think.
Have there been any major highlights during the production of the play?
We just had our initial readthrough, and we begin rehearsals in about a month. The cast of 15 is absolutely hilarious. Every person fell into their role near-perfectly, and it got me so excited to start working on the production.
There are going to be some really memorable moments in this show.
What about challenges?
The challenge in this production is beginning to show (due to) its massive scale. For the first time with the Student Theatrical Society we will be presenting Tartuffe in the main theater in the 1600 Building. It has a larger stage to use and more seats to fill; both present new and intimidating challenges.
But this also presents new amazing creative opportunities. I’m very excited to tackle any challenges that come my way, because really when you get down to it, how you deal with adversity makes or breaks the show.
“Tartuffe” will be performed at the campus theater on Aug. 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m., and Aug. 11 and 18 at 3 p.m.. The Student Theatrical Society is still looking for anybody who would like to assist with the production. If you are interested, please email [email protected] for more details.
