Performing Arts to Serve Others (PATSO) is a brand new organization on campus for any student interested in performing but lacking the time or energy to perform in Capital’s major theater programs.
Daniel Robey, a member of the PATSO executive board, said that the organization is a “stepping stone for people who want to stay involved [in performing arts] but can’t, or for those people who feel like they don’t have the talent to do a whole show, or a huge dance or, like, make their own recital.”
Robey said that PATSO is an organization with the goal of getting students more comfortable performing so that they can eventually be a part of projects such as the Crusader Dance Team or the Cabaret Theater.
“We’re a generic performing arts group trying to get a bunch of eclectic talents together,” Robey said. “[The performances] are just, like, ten-minute little plays, and you’re one character, and you get specific one-on-one attention with the director, and you feel so good about what you’re doing.”
Robey said that the most important thing that the organization does is give people a chance. PATSO provides a positive and supportive environment for students who are looking to gain confidence, or even just become more involved in the performing arts scene at Capital.
After the current set of one-act plays, PATSO will be part of the Capital University Prince and Princess Party, where students will be singing and dressed up, while also getting some local children involved.
Another developing idea that Robey talked about was Jukebox Heroes.
“It’s going to be taking pop songs that are story-based – think Sara Bareilles’ King of Anything, there’s obviously a story behind that song, but we may never get the whole thing,” Robey said. “So we were thinking about writing a small 5-minute scene before or after it to give some context to a song.”
The organization also has a couple of dancers who are looking to choreograph and do some end-of-the-semester de-stress movement and activities.
“None of us are professional dancers, but you know that doesn’t stop us from having fun and making fools of ourselves,” Robey said. “Learning how to twerk and stuff, you know?”
Robey said that PATSO currently has 61 members for their first semester ever. Of those 61 members, half of them are currently in the one-acts that will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 and at both 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21 in room 202 of Ruff Learning Center, right across from the Bridge of Learning.
Because they are an organization whose purpose is to serve others through performance, admission is granted to the one-act shows only if you come with a canned good. All proceeds will go to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, and there will also be a box for anything else that you wish to donate to the same cause.
The executive board put together the current project, but Robey said that they are currently looking for other prospective talent and are preparing a member survey as a way to gauge the talent within the group.
“If someone’s a clown out there let’s put some pies in faces!” Robey said.
For more information on joining PATSO, students can email Daniel Robey at drobey@capital.edu or Emma English at eenglish@capital.edu.
