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In its 23rd year, First

Year Players presents: “RENT!”

For some, having a staff grow by 33 percent might be a little daunting. For First Year Players, it’s just Fall 2013.

FYP is growing, there’s no doubt about it. We’re growing in size, strength, diversity, productivity and presence in the community. We could not have picked a more perfect year to do a show like “RENT” that opens up so many conversations with people from different backgrounds and ways of thinking.

We are thrilled with the growth FYP has made this semester and even more excited for what’s ahead in the Spring. We are anticipating a larger audition pool than usual and more audience members than ever before. While a little bit intimidating, we are fully confident FYP is ready for what’s ahead. The amount of talent, creativity and boldness our staff has is inspiring, and there’s no telling how amazing our future cast, crew and pit members will be.

We are proud of each and every one of our staff members. We’ve had an incredible Fall so far, and here’s to an even more incredible Spring!

Elizabeth and Allie ’13-’14 Producers

Read on to see what we’ve been up to this Fall, and stay tuned for the Spring!

Mark your calendars!“RENT”

April 10, 11 and 12Goldstein Auditorium

We’ve only just begun...

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Our fearless E-Board has been working hard all semester and can’t wait to meet the casties!

From Sept. 28-29, we had our annual Staff Retreat at Camp Casowsasco. It was filled with flash dances of “Don’t Drop That Thun Thun,” FYSports, a talent show, true ghost stories, a certain song about jellyfish and a toothless game yelling out kinds of vegetables. While it is always one of the silliest weekends of the year, it also ends up being one of the most meaningful. We ended the retreat this year holding hands around the campfire, sharing personal secrets and hardships, and asking each other for their continued love and support. More than ever, this weekend we felt thankful for the loving bond that is only evident in a family.

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• This semester, we added four new positions in order to grow our team but also make it more organized: scenic paint charge, props designer, props carpenter and sound designer.• Doing a show like “RENT” is challenging because it is so widely known and recognized for the similar way it is presented. The whole team has been working toward a goal of moving “RENT” away from what has been conventionally done. Designs are done, reviewed and in the planning process.• The technical side of the team is also getting ready for next semester with technical draftings of set pieces and a plan for how to paint the scene. Everyone has been working hard and we’re excited to see it come together!

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FYP participated in Habitat for Humanity’s annual Shack-a-Thon again, in which organizations build, decorate and live in a community of shacks on the Quad for a weekend, raising money and awareness for the nonprofit organization. This year, the event included a series of mini-competitions, such as a scavenger hunt, lego competition and date auction, to see which organization could raise the most awareness. We came in 2nd place!

• A new position was added, making five members in total (one Assistant Director, two Acting Coaches and a Dramaturge), and we have worked to create clear job descriptions for each role so the team can be more efficient.• Because “RENT” is an operetta, much collaboration is needed, and all of the creative teams are working together to come up with a rehearsal schedule that includes joint rehearsals. The presentation by the Dramaturge at one staff meeting helped get everyone thinking on the same page. We’ve discussed song selections for callbacks with the Music Team, what we would all like to see visually from the show with the Art Team and how dance will be used throughout the show with the Choreography Team.• Our first workshop was a great success, with eager, prospective new members showcasing their talents through improvisation games and scene work. The second workshop, we helped them prepare monologues for January auditions.

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• During the staff retreat, we taught the lovely staff a snippet of “RENT” to perform in the Schine Atrium, working with the PR Team to announce our show and promote the workshops and general interest meetings. They rocked it!• After the first choreo workshop, we were excited to have a good turnout for a dance to “Momma Who Bore Me,” and we met even more prospective cast members at the second one.• We are continuing to develop the new position of technique coach that was created last year.• Already planning some joint rehearsals for next semester, we are currently working with the Directing Team to fully understand and develop the meaning behind each song we will choreograph in “RENT.”CH

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• We looked long and hard for an accompanist and finally afreshman architecture student reached out to us to play. He will be a great fit to our team.• As a whole, we have begun preparing for next semester’s auditions and rehearsals. We have met internally to organize how we will teach the music next semester, but we have also met with the Acting Team. We want to emphasize what emotions need to come out in the songs and have begun planning how they will be staged.• For our first workshop of the semester, we taught 30 FYPotentials “Seasons of Love.” Everyone sounded great and had a blast, and we’re getting excited for auditions!

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• Our team’s goal this year is to embrace “Find Your Place” as our mission statement. We want all students (both cast and staff) to feel as if they have a purpose on campus and in the community.• To kickoff this semester’s workshops and general interest meetings, we performed a dance to “RENT” in the Schine Atrium. In the past, this has been a flash mob, but this year we openly promoted the performance through social media.• Since “RENT” is such a high profile show, we are working on rebranding it and marketing it in new ways. We are re-imagining the logo and poster design, and we have lined up a “RENT”-themed dinner in all campus dining halls on April 3. The dining halls will be decorated like 1993 downtown New York City, and the food will consist of the items listed in “La Vie Boheim.”

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• One goal this year is to better the stage crew experience and integrate the stage crew into the FYPhamily, as well as increase FYP’s numbers. We are planning activities for them for next semester, beginning at the same time as cast rehearsals.• We have been hosting stage crew general interest meetings separate from cast general interest meetings to increase interest from potentials.• Internally, we are thinking ahead to the show weekend and planning as much as we can now. The Props Team is working with the Art Team to move the design of props over to their team, while continuing to help manage the props list. Also, the house managers are currently designing an artistic “RENT”-themed lobby and audience space for the show weekend, and we are hoping to include tabling from other campus organizations that have visions related to the themes of the show.

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• This year, we divided our Social Team into three groups: Mentor/Mentee, Freshmen Bonding and FYAbroad. We expanded the castie mentor/mentee program to include new staff members as well.• Because the show deals with people who suffer from AIDS, we are striving to spread AIDS awareness. This year’s cabaret included performances by members of the staff but also groups on campus. Proceeds earned went to support our philanthropy of the year, Friends of Dorothy, a local organization that helps care for people dealing with AIDS, predominantly in hospice care. Furthermore, we showed an AIDS awareness documentary to educate the staff about issues we will be dealing with in the show.• Of course, we are still doing community service activities, such as cleaning up Clarendon once a month for Adopt-a-Street, and annual staff outings, like apple picking at Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards.A

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• For the fourth year in a row, our show is fully funded! Plus, this year mark’s FYP’s largest budget ever, totaling more than $25,000!• We’re still dedicating time and energy to fundraise. We have been working with many local restaurants to develop lasting relationships for fundraising opportunities, including Yogurt Land, Insomnia Cookies and Varsity Pizza. Just before finals, we finished another year of Candy Cane Wars to see which cast could raise the most money selling candy canes. Congrats “Spelling Bee” cast!• Looking forward to the Spring semester, we are trying to incorporate cast-crew-staff bonding into future fundraising efforts, like our annual Valentine’s Day Singing Grams.

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61. After casties in last year’s “The Wedding Singer” performed at a freshmen orientation event in Armory Square, we hung out with Chancellor Nancy Cantor.2. “Spelling Bee” casties repped cast shirts for the 1st staff meeting.3. In true FYStyle, we kicklined down SU’s homecoming parade.4. Four FYFemales took 2nd place in Theta’s wing-it competition, eating 28 wings in 57 seconds.5. Lots of our staff members are studying abroad this semester. Here are six of them in London!6. We banned together when one member’s mother found out she had breast cancer, and we proudly participated in a breast cancer awareness walk in her honor.

VOGUEFrom campus publications to class projects, the photogenic faces of FYP are everywhere!