Viking_Yearbook_90

Menger Actor talks about founding Loose Screws Michael Menger has been a major talent in the PSU Theater Arts department, as well as being a very entertaining individual. He acts, he writes, he works backstage for music, dance, and opera productions. Besides all of that, he is the founder of an improvisa– tional theater group called Loose Screws. He also consented to do an interview with us. Question: So tell me about this Loose Screws busi– ness. Michael's Answer: Okay, well, Loose Screws is an improvisational group that I formed, in the fall of 1988, and we've performed in places such as the studio theater here at PSU, and in Smith Center, and at the Bridgeport Pub. And we performed in the state pen, which was quite a show, quite an experience. There are 14 of us in the group right now, but it fluctuates,.and we have auditions once a year. We're trying something experimental by putting on a show with the Judy Patton Dance Company. And that's one thing I do. Q: Goes over well, does it? Michael: It goes over really well. People eat it up. Our first show was really well publicized, and it packed the theater, we had not only people sitting in the aisles, but also people standing against the walls. Tons of people, we must of had like 150 in there and I think it only seats about 85, which was really cool. Q: What did you do in the fall? Michael: Around town I was doing a thing called Murder For Sale, which is also improvisational thea– ter, and basically what that involves is that people throw a party and they have a murder, like for 150 people and they're walking around and then the characters come in and play out the murder and fight and stuff, so that was a lot of fun. Q: Tell me about playing Puck in the show Mid– summer Night's Dream here at PSU. Michael: First of all, this is the first Shakespeare I've done on stage, so it's a big thing for me. I always wanted to do this part, but never thought I could because I was too tall. But Glen Gauer, the director, thought I was physical enough. He wanted a Puck that could be really small and then whoosh, really 1 0 big. So that's been a lot of fun. What I've done with this production is look for the animal qualities in Puck, and try to make him less human. It's a physical part, which I really enjoy. I'm taking a lot of those dance classes now. Q: You're majoring in Theater? Michael: I think so. Every once in a while you get scared and think, okay, um,um, I'm going to major in English now because what can you do with a Theater degree anyway. I tJUnk a lot about it, I think you worry about it more than with other careers because you wonder where the money is going to come from, and what am I going to do? But if I'm really going to make it I think I would go for movies, as far as money, but I don't think that's where my forte lies, I think my forte lies on the stage, because I really thrive on the response you get from the audience. You get a high from that. That's really what I love. I really would love to direct. -Allison Howard.