Despite money woes, show still goes on

From a stable stocked with a wooden horse and a bale of hay to a living room furnished with a sofa and a coffee table, the set decoration made it difficult for any audience member to realize the main source of funding for the University Players’ most recent production was cut.

The University Players lost between $1,300 and $3,500 in grant money from the IU Student Association for this particular show. IUSA’s Funding Board provides money from student fees to registered student organizations on a case-by-case basis.

Despite this cut, the show still went on.

This weekend, University Players performed “Late: A Cowboy Song” in the Studio Theatre of the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center before a small crowd, mostly consisting of friends of the student-run theater group.

The play, written by Sarah Ruhl, danced around the sensitive topic of gender identity through a couple, its baby and a lady cowboy who lives a life away from the gender oppression of modern society.

The play didn’t call for much of a set, which helped University Players get by in the production without the help of IUSA funding.

Hannah Kennedy, a senior and managing director of University Players, said the minimalist play was intentionally planned for the end of the year, especially since the IUSA funding cut has happened before.

“It’s just a matter of planning and preparing for that,” Kennedy said.

Julie Hurley, senior and artistic director, said IUSA was a significant source of funds for the organization and often, in the form of grants, provided up to 75 percent of what University Players needed.

“IUSA is so good with all of our shows, so we got lucky that this show didn’t need much,” Hurley said.

Fortunately, Hurley said the group was able to work with its “nest egg” of funds it keeps for emergencies such as this. Hurley said the extra funds came from the group working a concession booth at IU Theatre and Drama Department plays and
productions.

In addition to concession funds, Kennedy said University Players always seeks funding through various fundraisers, grants and donations from organizations and students.

Kennedy said that in the past, the student-run theater organization has received grants and funding from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Association, Department of American Studies and Union Board.

Last fall, University Players received about $10,000 in Funding Board money. Funds were dispersed between multiple productions.

Kennedy said losing resources could be a challenge at the end of the year when many other organizations are in the same boat.

“I don’t think that it was a lack of planning on IUSA’s part,” Kennedy said. “Just gathering things together at the end of the year is a challenge.”

Despite the lack of IUSA support, Megan Gray, house manager and freshman, said the quality of the show was still up to par. Gray said she had no idea University Players was even lacking a major funding source until she was told.

“I wouldn’t have guessed,” she said. “Everything was as high a quality as any other University Players show.”

Gray said the play didn’t need too many props to help the story.
Kelly Langtim, a senior who played Mary in the play, said the small ensemble of actors also helped with the financial aspect and the creation of the play.

For costumes, the University Players used clothing that the actors already owned, borrowed props from the department and borrowed items from members of the group, Langtim said.

“We did a lot of begging, borrowing and stealing,” Langtim said. “Okay, so no stealing.”
Kennedy said losing funds is simply a part of working with a theater group.
“It didn’t kill us that IUSA didn’t fund our last production because we did something that we were excited about,” Kennedy said.