Studio 301 Productions

Just saw their rendition of Bat Boy… great job! I’ve seen this show twice in NY and must admit I did not have very high expectations for a student group in Davis, CA. However, they did not disappoint!

Totally impressed that this theater group is run entirely by students. They put on plays as well as musicals complete with a band. Not only are all the actors students, but the artistic staff are also comprised of students and recent alumni.
I have seen their productions of the play ‘Spring Awakening’ as well as the rock opera musical ‘Rent’. I was impressed by the caliber of acting talent in ‘Spring Awakening’ — their performance evoked a lot of emotion in a very challenging play. Before seeing ‘Rent’ I was dubious that a student group would be able to pull off an intense rock musical, but they did a great job.
The theater itself is very unique — Wyatt Pavillion used to be a barn — so the director has to be particularly creative with the space. The front half of the stage is surrounded by the audience, and there is a tall platform that actors can access from backstage or by employing a ladder. The blocking (staging, in actor speak) was well-​done, especially in ‘Rent’, which demands several different spaces for all the stories going on in the show at once. The student group takes on the challenges of each show and owns them. Mad props! They will all be fantastic when they move beyond college theater into the world of professional theater.
TIP: Good theater always makes for an awesome date night.