To be or not to be a drama geek - Come strut and fret your hour upon the Hopkins stage -- or watch someone else do it

Are you the one who's known for taking center stage? Always wanted to play with cool sound equipment? Or perhaps, you're that sketchy sort of comedian ... Well, whatever your theatrical tastes, Hopkins is sure to offer just the venue for you to air your dramatic side.

With a myriad of opportunities ranging from sketch comedy to improv to mainstage musical and dramatic productions, theater at Hopkins is thriving.

As the oldest and largest student organization on campus, the JHU Barnstormers present five major productions each school year -- an Orientation show, the Freshman One Acts, a mainstage fall dramatic production, an Intersession show, as well as a major spring musical. Past performances have included Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Rumors, and The Secret Garden.

Falling under the wing of the Barnstormers, Throat Culture is a sketch comedy group devoted to improv and skit performances.

Writing all of their own material, the group presents several shows each year in the Arellano Place of Assembly.

In a similar vein, The Buttered Nibblets offer a motley of improvisational and skit productions, and are always a student favorite.

The Dunbar Hughes Theatre Company, a group that presents African-American interest productions, has garnered tremendous praise for its powerful performances.

Recent hits include an adaptation of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as well as A Raisin in the Sun.

Do you see yourself as a budding playwright? If you've been drawn to the allure of producing, directing and acting in a production of your own creation, Witness Theatre may be just the group for you.

Boasting a wide array of talent, the group accepts proposals of student-written plays for production each semester, and presents each show with student directors and actors.

For a more professional spin, Theatre Hopkins, which presents performances in the "Barn" several times a year, is a community favorite that allows students as well as professional actors to audition for roles in productions. Getting paid to act? Now we're talking!

So why theater at Hopkins? Most of the people I know never thought Hopkins was a school with a decent theater lineup. But when I attended my first show freshman year, Two for the Tango in Swirnow, to see one of my friends perform, I was astounded by the talent and enthusiasm the actors displayed on stage.

"We may look like we're all about studying, but there's definitely a vibrant presence of dramatic talent on this campus," says Tima Budica, a junior International Studies major.

Sounds good enough to me! So what are you waiting for? Whether you're interested in acting, producing, or simply coming out to watch your friends and have a good time, Hopkins theater is sure to have something to please your palette.