Marina Nebro: Arts and Culture

BEAUTOPIA

I must apologize for my lack of content this semester so far. It is surprising how something that comes so naturally can turn out to be so difficult once a break is taken. I do best when I go to an event and come right back home to blog about it. When I lack time and resources to do so, I end up procrastinating – my least favorite thing to do in the whole entire world! This is what has happened to me recently. As my avid readers know, my last post was about a convention I attended in Philadelphia. Having stayed up late every single night, I had no time to write daily about my experiences as I had wanted to. For this reason, it isn’t until now that I have come to write about the Mask and Wig Club’s Beautopia: A Face Odyssey.

The Mask and Wig Club is one of the University of Pennsylvania’s most prestigious theatre troupes. Founded in 1889 by Clayton Fotterall McMichael, a student at the university, the troupe’s main goal is to explore the realm of comedy and humor. Back in the 19th century, only males were admitted to school so the group resorted to putting on all-male shows – even when it came to casting female roles. This tradition has lasted up until this day, where men play both male and female parts. The Mask and Wig Club is located at 310 South Quince Street in Center City Philadelphia. The building was the quaintest thing I’ve seen in a while. The lower level bar, called the Grille Room, is covered from floor to ceiling in caricatures of past and present club members, painted by Maxfield Parrish. Current members have their likenesses painted along the walls of the Ned Rogers Theatre upstairs. Along with the cartoons, each member also has a drinking mug, hung up on a nail next to their name. The theatre is quite small, with a tall stage and folding chairs for seats. I, unfortunately, ended up sitting in the back with a pretty strained view. That being said, because of the non-permanent seating, the club is able to rent out space and create a cabaret atmosphere as well.

ON TO THE SHOW!

All of the Mask and Wig productions are originals. The club writes the script, the music, the lyrics, and everything else. Very often, the titles of the plays and songs are spoofs in and of themselves: A Reptile Dysfunction, Oil, Vey!, and Phalus in Wonderland just to name a few! In Beautopia, each line was jam-packed with double-entendre, puns, and non-stop comic relief.

Welcome to the year 2513. The world is absolutely lovely and beautiful because it is ruled by the most beautiful man of all – Dictator Ralph (Zach Tomasovic). Today is a special day, and you’re all invited! It’s PRESENT DAY, the day that everyone in Beautopia gives Ralph a present for his third twenty-first birthday (I may be wrong in saying it’s his 21st, it may have been 25th). Ralph has put into place a system in which he ranks everyone based on their beauty. Anyone that is ranked a 5 or higher is allowed to reside in Beautopia, but anyone Under-5 is exiled to Pittsburgh. The people of Pittsburgh are completely content with their lives. Though they live on the streets, the ground is tempurpedic! How bad can that be?

Everything changes when James arrives on the scene. James (Chirag Pathre) is from the past – from 2013. He was on his way to deliver a special package to Antarctica to cure the world of all its problems, but failed and ended up frozen in a block of ice. One of Ralph’s presents was this beautiful block of ice, the last block of ice from what used to be called Antarctica. James bursts through, and is immediately sent off to Pittsburgh for being different. It is in Pittsburgh that he aims to change the world – he may have lost his first chance to make the world a better place, but he won’t let the opportunity slip away another time. It comes to his attention that Ralph is using the Under-5s as the main ingredient in his soylent cream – a cream that keeps him looking young and beautiful. With the help of Pantso (Danny Rodriguez), a mysterious Spanish vigilante that seeks revenge by pantsing his opponents, and Albert (Will Seife), a scientist, James is able to ultimately take down Ralph by revealing his inner ugliness.

After the show, the M&Ws greeted the audience downstairs in the Grille Room to put on a floor show. Because the audience mainly consisted of the KOACH group, they put on a Jewish themed performance. They made fun of the UPenn population, and how they pay for their education, to the tune of Tradition – TUITION! Of course, yet again, I had no view as I was blocked by everyone in front of me, but just hearing the song was funny enough!

If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, I would highly recommend getting tickets to any Mask and Wig production!

Beautopia: A Face Odyssey
Mask and Wig Club
Saturday, February 16, 2013

Marina B. Nebro