Few students can claim to have co-founded a theater company or an improvisational comedy troupe by their third year of college. Steven Shepard, a third-year College student, has done both.
Spectrum Theater, which Shepard founded during his first year, opens "Lysistrata" tonight. Despite its short existence, Spectrum already has performed several pieces, including last year's "Romeo and Juliet," which incorporated race issues, and this year's "Voices of the Class," which chronicled the first-year class.
Shepard sat on the black painted risers in front of the stage in the Student Activities Building and spoke about himself and his involvement with Spectrum Theater.
"We are trying to establish ourselves as a student-run theater separate from the Drama Department," Shepard said. "We are interested in having fun and producing something that is meaningful to the student body."
Shepard worked with Asst. Dean of Admissions Amy Garrou and Orientation Director Eleanor Sparagana to produce "Voices of the Class." They said they plan to perform it again next year.
Spectrum Theater's next project is "Wrights of Spring."
"I'm very, very excited about it," Shepard said. "It will be a chance for students to write their own art. It will be a chance to show students' work at the Helms Theater."
The common thread running though the Theater's choice of pieces and presentation style is diversity.
"One of our priorities is to do shows that involve a diverse cast and that would draw diverse audiences," Shepard said.
"Lysistrata," which Shepard describes as "a colorful, sexual extravaganza," deals with the power of women, sex and war. The Theater took a modern spin on the play. It is set in the '70s during the Vietnam War.
Although the play originally was written in the Fifth Century BC, Shepard claimed, "these ideas about sex and war were relevant and meaningful in the Fifth Century and it was still relevant 30 years ago and even today."
He added that the Theater is considering "Cyrano De Bergerac and Jeffrey."
Shepard said the later play is about a homosexual man who decides to give up sex.
Another play he is considering is entitled "And Blues for Mr. Charlie." The play deals with racial hatred in the South.
This dedication is shared by other members of Spectrum Theater.
"It's the beauty of Spectrum; different backgrounds, different voices," said Kevin Neher, a third-year College student and co-founder of Spectrum Theater.
Shepard also had a hand in creating the Whethermen, the University's first improvisational comedy troupe. Shepard co-founded the group but is no longer performing.
"I'm not very good at" improvisational comedy he said.
Although he no longer works with the Whethermen, Shepard is involved with much more that just being artistic director of "Lysistrata."
Last year, Shepard worked with fourth-year Engineering student Les Williams, and B.U.C.K.S., Brothers United Celebrating Knowledge and Success, to produce "Reflection on Complexion." The production was an informal discussion on race.
Shepard said the two plan to collaborate this year on another "Reflection on Complexion" project.
Shepard also worked with Cornelius Bynum from the Office of African American Affairs on this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration Monday.
"I was fortunate to be involved in "Looking to the Future through the Eyes of the Dreamer," better known as the Martin Luther King celebration," Shepard said. "I feel terrible to miss it, but I'll be [at the Student Activities Building] acting."
Shepard plays the Commissioner of Public Safety in "Lysistrata," a character he described as "someone analogous to Nixon.
"There are issues we can bring to the fore," Shepard explained. "As in this play [Lysistrata], like gender inequality. I am most interested in using theater here as a way to engage a community in conversation about issues that matter. It's a chance to get voices heard"
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