MU Players at the end of opening night.
KAREN FLORES / THE QUADRANGLE
Karen Flores, Senior Writer
Laughter rang through Thomas Hall on Friday as audience members watched Manhattan University’s Players most recent production: How to Pull an All-Nighter and Live to Tell the Tale.
The production was written by one of MU’s own students, Robert Nolan. Nolan is a senior computer engineering major and has been part of MU Players for a large part of his college career.
Nolan shared with The Quadrangle that the idea for this production was to summarize some of his own experiences while in college.
“During my junior year, I’m pretty sure I counted that during one semester I pulled about 53 all-nighters, and that really takes its toll on you,” Nolan said. “I always really wanted to get something finished in full, and I started doing that. I wrote a few things all the way through … and I realized that I like theater a lot. There’s this opportunity, the student slot, where you can possibly write your own script and direct it.”
Prior to directing his first production, Nolan decided to try to gain as much experience directing shows for the MU Players as possible, in order to learn the ins and outs of how a production works both on and off stage.
“I spent a lot of last year working on Players to get myself prepared to possibly direct the student slot and the fall cabaret,” Nolan said. “I spent a lot of time writing it, too, and eventually it was ready. By the time we had to pitch our plays, I’d gone through a bunch of drafts and I submitted it, and it got chosen this year, and I’m extremely grateful. It’s a little surreal seeing something you made be put in front of you for the first time. It’s really incredible to see.”
Matthew Regalado, a senior biochemistry major, played the role of Chris, the protagonist, who’s a college student trying to manage his academic and social life after pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam.
Regalado said that this production marks his first time acting on stage. He shared his thoughts on reading the script for the first time and reflected on the process of preparing for the role.
“It’s my first time acting and it was a really rewarding experience. Not because of the audience, but it was just something new that I really wanted to do before I lost my chance to in college,” Regalado said. “I read the script the day the cast list came out. I read it in one sitting and I thought ‘this thing is so funny, I can’t wait to start.’ I had to wait until after winter break, but I was ready to hit the ground running.”
James Cullen, a junior marketing major, played the role of Gary, the protagonist’s best friend. Throughout the show, Gary worries about his friend’s wellbeing but is also not afraid to have fun.
Cullen shared that he and Nolan have been friends since childhood and expressed feeling grateful for being able to play a part in bringing his creation to life.
“Rob and I, we both write, so he sent me the script to see what I thought about it before he turned it in,” Cullen said. “I don’t think my word carried that much weight, because he wrote it for three years. But watching my friend direct his own show, who I’ve known forever, and seeing how he’s going about it, what his thought process is, and to act alongside it, I think it’s a really good way to understand how you want to portray your creation. He put so much into this. I wanted to help him put on a show that he could be satisfied with, and to learn from him as he does it. It was a great experience.”
Regalado expressed similar sentiments and said that Nolan was a great director to work with as he fosters a space for creativity.
“Rob is the type of director that fosters and encourages a lot of ideas during rehearsal,” Regalado said. “During rehearsal we would all try new things or we would say ‘Oh, what if I do this? What if I try it in a new way? Or what if I say it with a prop in my hand?’ So having him encourage this and hear our ideas out made it so fun to just be at rehearsal with a lot of my friends and put the show together in a way that was fun for everybody.”
Ian Pruiksma, a junior nuclear medicine major, shared that this was her first time acting and said she enjoyed being part of the group.
“I liked watching the show and my role develop, especially when I threw the gum packets at Chris because it wasn’t added until a week before opening date and that was fun,” Pruiksma said. “That’s my favorite part as well as seeing everyone’s reaction. When I read the script I thought it was so funny so I was excited to be in it.”
Nolan hopes that students not only enjoy the show but also leave with something to think about. He shares some advice as a senior to all those who are struggling with college at the moment.
“You’re gonna hear a lot of people saying a lot of different things to you and one day, you’re just gonna have to sit down and ask yourself what you want and be really serious about it,” Nolan said. “Really, the main thing is, don’t let it hurt you long term. Even in the play, I say all-nighters are going to happen no matter what when you have a big workload. But don’t let the bitterness the all-nighters and workload bring steep into your life.”