"MUSE" — it's the entity that has inspired great poets of the past like Homer and Virgil. It's also the name of a student group that displays inspired artists, including some of the best actors, singers, and dancers on campus.
MUSE was founded in the spring of 2000 by now-seniors Amanda Brandes and Liriel S. Higa. Higa herself is a rhythmic gymnast and she knew that there were others like her on campus who had a talent that didn't necessarily fit neatly into existing campus performing groups.
Brandes' and Higa's distress was that, while dancing groups like diSiac and Expressions do display many talented dancers, there were other forms of dancing that needed a forum in which to exhibit their abilities.
Desiring to create a new outlet for these previously-untapped talents, they created MUSE. "It's for those who don't find a place within the established theater scene," says Higa. MUSE provides the stage for that unique talent to be presented in front of an audience.
In order to accomplish this, MUSE puts up a cabaret each year. The acts range from Indian dance to musical performances to stand up comedy to original sketches. Its membership draws from both undergraduate students and graduate students, making MUSE one of the few clubs that invites members of the graduate community to collaborate artistically with undergrads.
MUSE benefits from low production costs since their shows are centered on the abilities of the performers and the quality of the material rather than an elaborate set. In the past, their financial needs have been met through the Trustees' Alcohol Initiative.
MUSE performers present innovative acts that won't be seen anywhere else on campus. One performance is of iaido, which is a Japanese sword ship demonstration. Another is a production of "The Sound of Music" that spans only five minutes. Other acts include original songs performed on the guitar or piano.Graduate student Peter Wicks will be the emcee for the MUSE Cabaret. In the past, Wick has performed as a stand-up comedian for MUSE productions. He will also show his short film, which he is calling an "MTV guide to Princeton."
Elizabeth Gott '05 will display her talents by singing, playing the Irish tin whistle and playing an Irish drum called the bodhran. She says, "Irish dance! I love Irish step dancing but I had never met anyone who actually does it." That is, not until she came across MUSE.
Upon getting involved with the group, she was thrilled to learn that there was already an established forum for Irish dance where she could perform what she loved.
In addition to the singing, dancing and comedy sketches in the show, Jessica Kirkland '03 has adapted a short story she wrote in her writing class last semester into a short play about five mentally disturbed people. This is her first time her work has been performed in a theater.
The overall production is pretty self-sufficient. With each act, the artist himor herself is in charge of full production. The whole cast has only to convene for dress rehearsal.
Higa says, "People practice on their own time and it somehow all comes together at the last moment."
In their third year, the club faces one of its greatest difficulties this weekend — running two shows in one week: The Senior Talent Show and the MUSE Cabaret.
"Basically [both] shows [are] performing arts cabarets — a bunch of different acts. So there is no one storyline," explains Higa.
The Senior Talent Show (co-sponsored by the class of 2002) allows one last and final opportunity for seniors to display their talents on a Princeton stage. Done with their theses, the seniors showcase the culmination of the the artistic talents they have developed in their time at Princeton.
With the incoming class of 2006 bringing an influx of creative talent, clubs like MUSE are crucial in sustaining the University's diverse artistic talents on stage.
MUSE is having an impact on campus theater in general. Recently there was a performance of "Romeo and Juliet." And as if Shakespearean productions weren't difficult enough on their own, this production was done with an all-female cast.
The concept came from an assignment in a drama class last semester which was to perform a scene by switching the genders. The short scenes turned out so well the class decided to do a full production of the Shakespearean classic, but were unable to find a space to perform. With MUSE's sponsorship and support, the production became a reality.
If you choose to attend The Senior Talent Show and "MUSE: A Performing Arts Cabaret," the inspired will inspire you.
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