Front Row Theatre Company is the student-run social impact theatre group at the University of Pennsylvania.
Up Next
Audition for FTC’s:
We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884–1915
A group of actors gather to tell the little-known story of the first genocide of the 20th century. We Are Proud to Present… takes place largely in a rehearsal room that descends from the collaborative to absurd as a group of idealistic actors — three black and three white — attempt to recreate the extinction of the Herero tribe at the hands of their German colonizers. Along the way, they test the limits of empathy as their own stories, subjectivities, assumptions, and prejudices catalyze their theatrical process. Eventually the full force of a horrific past crashes into the good intentions of the present, and what seemed a faraway place and time comes all too close to home.
Written by Jackie Sibblies Drury
Directed by Ciara Brown
Produced by Hannah Paquet and Siani Woods
Auditions Jan. 26 and Jan. 27, 2020!
Check our Facebook Page for the most recent info!
About FTC
Front Row Theatre Company (FTC) is a student-organized theatre company at the University of Pennsylvania that calls attention to cultural, political, and societal issues important to its membership and its greater communities. As such, FTC is dedicated to connecting its membership to community involvement and service opportunities in conjunction with each production.
As a member of the Theatre Arts Council (TAC-e), the Executive Board and members work within a vibrant community of artists and performers committed to putting on high quality shows with a purpose.
We produce four student-directed shows each academic year: NSO, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Directors and shows are chosen by our Executive Board.
Since 2003, Front Row has been Harrison College House‘s in-house theatre company. We stage two of our annual performances in the Harrison Rooftop Lounge, an incredibly intimate space that gives FTC the freedom to explore different types of theatre experiences. We also help run a residential program that lets FTC members live in Harrison, creating a true community.
Who are we?
Front Row’s Executive Board is at the heart of every company production, choosing each season’s shows and directors, assembling the entire production staff, and more. Each board member assumes a set of responsibilities to help run the company and works on all Front Row productions during their tenure.
Anyone who acts in an FTC show or works on the production can become a member. Members are eligible to run for Board and vote in board elections each spring.
Hannah Paquet, Tech Director
Eduardo Ortuño, Co-Digital Director
Get Involved
Acting
Interested in acting in one of our productions? We offer performance opportunities for both musical theatre and straight plays, comedies and tragedies, and everything in between! Auditions are generally held in September, November, and February for our Fall, Winter, and Spring productions, respectively.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details!
Tech
Calling all techies! For each production, we need lighting, sound, props, costumes, make-up, protections, graphics, and a set — and a lot of creative people to make them all happen. We’re always looking for people interested in production design, gaffing, carpentry, and stage-management! No experience is necessary; we’re happy to teach you!
Tech interviews are typically held the week after auditions. Check out our blog and Facebook page for updates!
Directing
FTC is dedicated to performing socially relevant student-directed theatre in intimate settings, fulfilling our unwavering desire to have fun, and bringing high-quality production values to everything we do. We accept director proposals and hold director interviews for our entire season at the end of each academic year. If you’re interested, look out for our call for proposals in the spring!
Membership
For Front Row, the show community doesn’t end when we strike the set. After every production, everyone on the production staff is invited to become a member of the company. Members are eligible to run for and vote on the executive board each year, and they receive invitations to regular social and community service events. Members are also eligible to live in Harrison with Front Row’s residential program. The only requirement to remain an active member is working on at least one Front Row show each academic year!
