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Theatre of the Relatively Talentless

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The Theatre of the Relatively Talentless (T.O.R.T.) is a theatrical company that puts on musicals and other performances written, produced, directed and performed by students of the University of Minnesota Law School.[1] T.O.R.T. is a registered, non-profit, campus life student organization through the University of Minnesota Student Activities Office and operates under the purview of the Law School. Formed in 2002, its goal is to "provid[e] law students and faculty with a desperately needed creative outlet."[2]

Membership

Membership in T.O.R.T. is traditionally open to "all law students without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, creed, marital status, public assistance status, sexual orientation, class standing, political preferences, bluebooking skill, or ability to use the term "a fortiori" in a sentence."[3] T.O.R.T. is governed year-round by a 10-member Executive Board consisting of two producers, a director, a music director, a technical director, a head writer, a treasurer, a VIP liaison, a head costumer, and a choreographer.[4] As T.O.R.T. has become more established, the cast has grown to more than 100 members. Participants are known as the TORTfeasors.

Musical

Scene from T.O.R.T.'s 2004 production of Law Wars.

Traditionally acted, written, directed, produced, and run entirely by students, the musical is an annual event held in late February or early March of each year. The event draws over a thousand audience members each year and features cameos by law school professors, deans, staff, alumni and other distinguished members of the Minnesota legal community.

The theme is chosen shortly after the last year's show, and a draft of the script is completed over the summer. Auditions are held during the fall semester, and rehearsals begin at the start of spring semester.

Cast members may be assigned as leads, featured singers, featured dancers, or members of the chorus. Chorus members may also have speaking lines, and often impersonate law school professors, staff, or administrators. T.O.R.T. has its own pit orchestra, also composed entirely of law students, which provides musical accompanyment for the show.

Executive Board members for the following year are elected on the night of each final performance.

Past Shows

Cameos

Walter Mondale at the introduction of the "Fighting Mondales" following the 2004 production of Law Wars.

2003

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Professor Ann Burkhart
  • Professor Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor Jim Chen
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger

2004

VIP

Law School

The international students, Frankenlaw, and Igor in the 2007 production of Frankenlaw. Photo by Emily Melvin.

2005

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Associate Dean of Students Erin Keyes
  • Associate Dean Jim Chen
  • Professor Bradley Clary
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Maury Landsman
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Collins Byrd, then-Director of Admissions
  • Susan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steve Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Linda Lokensgard, Director, Building & Events

2006

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Associate Dean of Students Erin Keyes
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Jim Chen
  • Susan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor in the Career & Professional Development Center
Mob scene from the 2007 production of Frankenlaw. Photo by Jessica Johnson.

2007

VIP

Law School

  • Co-Dean Fred Morrison
  • Co-Dean Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Ruth Okediji
  • Professor Stephen Befort
  • Professor Bradley Clary
  • Professor Maury Landsman
  • Professor Prentiss Cox
  • Susan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steven Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development Center

2008

VIP

Law School

  • Co-Dean Fred Morrison
  • Co-Dean Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Claire Hill
  • Professor Richard Frase
  • Professor Stephen Befort
  • Professor Heidi Kitrosser
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Prentiss Cox
  • Susan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steven Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development Center

TORT Alumni

  • Kirby Petersen ('07)
  • Trevor Helmers ('07)

Alumni

Past TORTfeasors have formed an alumni group called T.O.R.T Alumni Relationship Taskforce (T.A.R.T.).[26][27] This group is responsible for organizing the alumni afterparty for the Saturday night performance of each year's musical. It also hosts alumni events over the course of the year, and maintains alumni contact information, in order to help the T.O.R.T. Executive Board with recruiting VIPs, selling tickets, and generating sponsors.

References

  1. ^ http://www.law.umn.edu/tort/index.html
  2. ^ http://www.law.umn.edu/tort/about-us.html
  3. ^ http://www.law.umn.edu/tort/about-us.html
  4. ^ http://www.law.umn.edu/tort/executive-board.html
  5. ^ Emily Ayshford, Musical pokes fun at life in the Law School, Minnesota Daily, March 8, 2004.
  6. ^ *Bobak Ha'Eri, "Walter Wonka" Rocks the Casbah, Law Alumni News, Spring 2005 (page 53).
  7. ^ Naomi Scott, U law students put spin on 'Wonka', Minnesota Daily, March 4, 2005.
  8. ^ Cass Erickson, Playtime for Law School students, UMN News, March 2, 2005.
  9. ^ Anna Pia Nicolas, TORT Show Sings and Dances to Sell-Out, Perspectives, Spring 2006 (page 63).
  10. ^ Megan Kadrmas, A famous play the Law School way, Minnesota Daily, March 2, 2006.
  11. ^ Elizabeth Cook, Law students perform parody of Frankenstein, Minnesota Daily, March 2, 2007.
  12. ^ Danny LaChance, About Campus: Stage Fright, Minnesota Magazine, May 5, 2007.
  13. ^ The Merry Band of TORT Heroes, Perspectives, Spring 2008.
  14. ^ TORT Squad Brings Ditherer to Her Senses, University of Minnesota Law School (MARCH 19, 2009).
  15. ^ Courtney Mault, Breaking Legs in Mondale Hall, Minnesota Law & Politics
  16. ^ TORT Tames Eternal Struggle in "Midsemester Night's Dream", e-Perspectives, Spring 2010.
  17. ^ Harry Torter Conquers Injustice in TORT Production, e-Perspectives, Spring 2011.
  18. ^ Performance viewable online: Google "Alawddin"
  19. ^ TORT Discloses Hidden Talent for Tenth Year, e-Perspectives, Spring 2012.
  20. ^ U of M Theatre of the Relatively Talentless Presents 'Alawddin', KSTP-Hennepin County, Monday, February 27th, 2012.
  21. ^ Performance viewable online: Google "Back to the Future Interest"
  22. ^ TORT Travels Back to the Future Mondale Hall, e-Perspectives, Spring 2013.
  23. ^ http://umntort.org/clue-a-murder-mystery-in-mondale-2014/
  24. ^ http://umntort.org/walt-mondales-froze-in-2015/
  25. ^ http://umntort.org/minnesota-jones-2016-full-color-playbill/
  26. ^ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Theater-of-the-Relatively-Talentless-TORT-Alumni/222086921212025
  27. ^ https://twitter.com/tortalumni
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