On Wednesday, October 7th, for the first time in many years, SU’s Mask and Wig put on a Miscast Cabaret. Featuring ten acts and boasting a small but passionate crowd, the event featured members of the club performing songs as “miscast” roles, that is, in roles opposite to their gender identities. The event was in many ways a success, and helped shine a “spotlight” on one of SU’s oldest student organizations: Mask and Wig.

Around the academic mall since 1954, when it was originally established as a chapter of the National Collegiate Players, Mask and Wig is SU’s low-stakes, inclusive theatre arts club. “We want a space where people can just do theatre, super low stakes, you know?” said M&W co-president and third year Ansh Tripathi. Co-president and fourth year Mason Mitchell added, “[It is] very encouraged if you’re not affiliated with the theatre department to still join. Anyone can join, anyone can be an officer… just if you’re interested in theatre.” In meetings, you can expect to play acting games, do stagewriting activities, and plan events like the Miscast Cabaret. As secretary and fourth year Isabella Fernandez said, “we do a bunch of improv games, writing activities as well. We have a bunch of events that are very much student-led, which is very exciting.”

Speaking of said events, the recent Miscast Cabaret is a prime example. Elaborating more on what Miscast is all about, Tripathi explained that it is what happens “if you were to make a cabaret performance comprised of many singers, and if you were… made to perform a song that, in a role that you would never be cast as.” He used the hypothetical example of himself performing “Defying Gravity” from Wicked in a Miscast Cabaret, commenting on how he would never be cast as Elphaba in real life, but that Miscast would give him the chance to perform as her anyways.

Mask and Wig’s cabaret lineup was full of creative and talented acts, from mascot and fourth year Sara Bell channeling her inner Jack Wolfe in her electrifying performance of “I’m Alive” from Next to Normal, to first years Oliver Morgan and Kanik Wilton-Green doing a humorous rendition of “Hey, Little Songbird” from Hadestown, to fourth year Mia Perez’s gut-wrenching rendition of “If I Didn’t Believe in You” from the Last Five Years. Of additional note were first year Carolina Riddel singing about her “unfortunate erection”, first year Eleanor Rhodes crooning to Bobby Darin, and third years Rosa Roedner and Ashley Fritzsching exuding princely aura on “Agony” to close the night. 

Mask and Wig’s next major event is their annual Murder Mystery, which will be held this year on October 30th at 6:30 PM on the library decks. As Mitchell remarked, “It is a fully student-led, student-written, student-produced production… that’s fully interactive.” He explained that it will feature improv performances from actors and audience members interacting with said actors to try and solve a murder. “The theme is Great Gatsby/20’s,” Fernandez added, “which is exciting because this has been a theme that almost everyone has been wanting to do.”

When asked about the future of Mask and Wig, Fernandez expressed a hope for doing similar events to Miscast, but expanding on the idea. “More cabarets,” she explained, “not just like miscast but dream role cabarets, which would be pretty fun.” Mitchell agreed, adding, “Generally, I think more than just murder mysteries as the big event for Mask and Wig. Definitely, getting more people to know Mask and Wig exists.” Finally, Tripathi added, “Definitely the end goal is being able to have a full-fledged production. That would be amazing. Completely written by students, completely performed by students, completely ‘teched’ by students, like costumes, lights, sound, and everything.”

If you are interested in joining this troupe of thespians, Mask and Wig meets every other Wednesday at 6:30 PM in Heather Hall. Fear not: to have a role in this group of young artists is not to be “miscast”.

If you’re a student organization leader or member interested in a spotlight piece on your org, please reach out to megaphone@southwestern.edu, papasana@southwestern.edu (Augustus Papasan, Editor in Chief), or moore23@southwestern.edu (Archer Moore, Assistant Editor in Chief).