The production features a falented cast of sixteen black teen actors.
On July 26-28 and August 2-3, 2024, the Alumni Theater Company (ATC) Teen Ensemble will present their 100th show, Joe Tracz’s Be More Chill, at their home theater, The Bill Nunn Black Box.
As a spectacular conclusion to her 16-year tenure with ATC, fearless founder Hallie Donner directs 16 Pittsburgh teens in this campy sci-fi adventure about how an undeniably average nerd scales the harrowing heights of high school social hierarchy.
This high school musical comedy highlights the silliness of social norms in contemporary teen culture. It demonstrates how people perceived as different often become heroes in the end. Underneath the fun musical numbers and high-energy dialogue is a complex commentary about teen depression, an important topic to bring to the stage and explore. With themes of peer pressure, social hierarchy, and staying true to oneself, this show will have audiences laughing, cringing, and questioning what they would be willing to give up to be more chill.
“The cast and I are having a ball with Be More Chill! Our goal is to create a performance that is nothing short of phenomenal,” Donner said. “As always, working with the talented young people who have become my theater family over the past 16 years is a pleasure.”
Be More Chill, the 2019 Broadway musical based on a novel by the same name, follows Jeremy Heere, a sweaty-pit, squeaky-voiced nerd whose insecurities lead him straight to an unregulated supercomputer pill called SQUIP that takes over Jeremy’s mind and claims to have the fool-proof algorithm to make Jeremy popular. As Jeremy’s coming-of-age trajectory shifts toward his desired outcome, he doesn’t notice how much of his past – and more importantly, his authenticity – he gives up.
Authenticity is at the core of ATC and its mission. Ensemble members begin training with ATC in sixth grade, learning to become stronger singers, actors, and dancers while growing as writers, directors, and content creators. Members are encouraged to grow into well-rounded artists who explore, develop, and polish their creative voices, which are then amplified to the community and beyond. The depth
of the characters they create and depict allows audiences to tap into the emotions of each performance fully.
“These actors are tackling Be More Chill with skill and charisma, telling this story with the perfect balance of humor and sincerity,” said Bridgette Perdue, ATC’s Executive Director and Musical Director.
This performance is a culmination of the work ATC’s Teen Ensemble has done for several years, individually and as a team. The cast is leaning fully into the fun-filled, hilarious, and weird pursuits of the characters they each portray with ease and – lest we forget – a bit of their own wackiness.
“ATC has helped build a foundation for becoming the performer I want to be. It also offers a support system that allows us to develop our independence safely,” said Katherine Bruce, a castmate from Homewood who has been performing with ATC for nine years.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
ATC will present Be More Chill at the Bill Nunn Black Box Theater (6601 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206). Shows are scheduled for 7 pm on July 26-28 and August 2-3, 2024. Due to the mature themes, ATC encourages only bringing youths ages 12 and up; children under eight will not be admitted.
Tickets at www.alumnitheatercompany.org/tickets
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Show Previews
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