ARTS HIGHLIGHT
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BY RAGA CHILAKAMARRI ’23
Music: BEATs Jumbos march to the beat of their own drum… and sometimes that drum is an overturned orange bucket. BEATs (as in Bangin’ Everything At Tufts) is an all-gender street percussion group, whose instruments include jugs, dish racks, pvc pipes, and collected miscellaneous junk; the bass is a large trash can. Eclectic, funky, and resourceful, their shows are often packed with students, drawn to the energizing rhythms and bouts of humor. “We’re all really passionate and come from different musical backgrounds. Mostly, we just want to create new sounds, experiment, and have fun!” shared Emily Walker ’23 who joined the group in her junior year. BEATs is only one of many student-led arts groups whose distinctive performances and communities contribute to a vibrant mosaic of creativity across campus.
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Comedy: Cheap Sox For students willing to brave the challenge of on-thespot comedy, the Cheap Sox is an audition-based improv group, and they are, you know, actually funny. Easily spotted in their signature bright pink bowling shirts, the high-energy Cheap Sox put on about four performances each semester, including collaborations with other comedy groups on campus. Their sets usually consist of shorter games that take in audience prompts and longform stories that build suddenly complex worlds by wholeheartedly inhabiting goofy, impromptu characters. The wit and adaptability displayed throughout a Cheap Sox show is consistently impressive and, as a group of only about eleven students, the Cheap Sox form a tight-knit support system for one another. Cheap Sox have also just taken on a new form: a 40-minute musical “Wicked Smaht,” featuring, fittingly, improvisational jazz music. Theater: Torn Ticket II Torn Ticket II prides itself on being Tufts’ only student-run musical theater group throughout its 50-year history, meaning that every role—from director to stage manager to cast—is filled by students. Every semester, the group votes on a major (three months of rehearsal) production hosted in Aidekman Auditorium and one minor or cabaret (one month) production. Most recently, their selection has included Falsettos, Mama Mia!, and The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. Reflecting back on her experiences in Torn
Ticket II, theatre, dance, and performance studies and French major Annika Solomone ’23 said, “my favorite memory is definitely doing Spelling Bee as a freshman. With an incredibly talented cast, an awesome set, and a show I’ve loved for years, it was the most perfect experience to start out my college theater career,” underscoring the passionate and hardworking community at the heart of the musical group. Dance: Tufts Burlesque Troupe With over 300 students participating, the Tufts Burlesque Troupe (TBT) is one of the biggest dance groups on campus. Focused on celebrating your body, the goal of this student-run community is to inspire confidence. As one of the first collegiate burlesque troupes, TBT is a unique and empowering space that strives toward building collaborative, safe, and inclusive environments at every layer: from the board of returning dancers, to co-choreographer partners, to their array of participants coming from all experience levels. They put on two shows—one each semester. If you ask students who have been involved in Tufts Burlesque Troupe, they often cite that, whether they participated for just one semester or all eight, the performance and community have emerged as one of the most transformative experiences they’ve had at Tufts. Notably, burlesque sign-ups operate on a first-come basis and the club’s evident popularity is made abundantly clear when they reach their dancer cap in mere minutes.
PHOTO BY NICHOLAS PFOSI
Amidst the ordinary cycles of a college semester—doing homework, cramming for a midterm, attending club meetings—the many student art performances bring an exciting pulse to campus. Jumbos will eagerly gather to celebrate the awe of their friends and peers’ hard work and talent, from the myriad contemporary dance shows in Cohen Auditorium to an array of a cappella groups opening at the O Show. At Tufts, word spreads fast and tickets sell out faster. Read more about some of the well-loved, student-led clubs and organizations that take to the stage with gusto.
