By Cinara Marquis
Amid the hustle and bustle of academia, a group of students find camaraderie in their creativity. Lighting up the stage is the College Theatre Association, a Student Association club that aims to provide the community with an open form of student theater productions.
The CTA hosts multiple general, theater, or music-related events each month. It hosts an annual variety show that highlights the talents of their club members, too.
“Anyone can join,” CTA President Ben Cepulo said. “We provide events for all students across campus.”
Additionally, the CTA offers resume-building workshops in production, artistry and academics. Most recently, it held a Jeopardy-style game night in the Cardinal Lounge Feb. 20. The game covered various theatrical topics, from Shakespeare to superstitions. Students worked together in small teams and answered tricky questions.
Earlier in the month, on Feb. 7, the CTA held a Welcome Back karaoke night that allowed students to meet the CTA board, learn about upcoming events, mingle and sing their hearts out.
“This semester we are doing a production: ‘The Mad Ones,’” Cepulo said.
The musical follows 18-year-old Samantha Brown and her decisions about following her mother’s wishes or charting her own unimaginable path. After the death of her best friend, Kelly, who was everything that Samantha wasn’t, she loses track of her own sense of bravery.
The four-person musical will be held April 19 and 20 in the evening at Krinovitz Hall.
To CTA treasurer Tori Donovan, the club is about “bringing the joy of theater to everyone on campus.”
“It’s a way to get yourself out there and get out of your shell,” Donovan explained. “It’s helped me grow into myself.”
Donovan cited this introspection as the reason she loves being a part of the theater community on campus.
“It’s a very non-judgmental hobby where you can really just be yourself,” Donovan said.
CTA Production Manager Riley McQuade reflected on why she enjoys theater, too.
“You’re taking something that is just paper and ink and you’re turning it into this live production with actors, and crew, and lights, sound, and set,” McQuade said.
McQuade especially loves the different interpretations that people can come up with about characters and plots.
“It’s a really beautiful thing to watch. You get to tell other people’s stories, which is such an honor,” McQuade said.
Upcoming CTA events include a show proposal and directing workshop March 1 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Myers 112 and an “Into the Woods” viewing and analysis night on March 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Cardinal Lounge.
Learn more about the College Theatre Association by contacting the club at ctaplatts@gmail.com.
Find the group and a list of future events on Cardinal Link at https://campusgroups.plattsburgh.edu/feeds?type=club&type_id=35490&tab=home.
Follow CTA on Instagram at @plattsburghcta.
