“The show must go on” is often heard backstage. For UTSA’s Rowdy Theatrical Association (RTA), no dedicated stage exists, yet the show still goes on.
Gearing up for their production of“Twelve Angry Men,” the cast and directors inhabited a lecture hall for an evening, one of many impromptu rehearsal studios across campus. With a limited drama program and no plan degree offered, UTSA’s main access to theater comes from RTA. While this presents logistical challenges, like little faculty involvement and no assigned space nor funding, RTA’s scrappy members continually rise to the occasion.
“I mean, right now, [the crew] all went to grab wood and stuff from the Richard Liu [auditorium] to bring here. We store a lot of stuff back there, but it’s not really our space,” John Pelayo, director of “Twelve Angry Men,” said.
“We have to make all our own money,” assistant director Aidan Mills said. “I don’t believe we get any outside money from the school at all, and that leads to a lot more budget constraints than we would like.”
While a shared common interest in theater brings its members together, RTA’s limited resources keep them connected.
“So far, I’ve had a great time with RTA. Honestly, my college life here would not be the same without RTA,” Samantha Fitzgerald, who works on crew, said. “I’ve just made so many friends. I’ve had a lot of fun doing what we do.”
“I love having this creative outlet for myself. I’m always looking forward to rehearsals,” Amanda Hopfe, who plays Juror Number 6, said. “I just love the community. I love being around these people, and I just have a great time when I’m here.”
While the intimate setting of RTA has built a strong community, many of its members envision a future where RTA plays a larger role at UTSA.
“I would love for us to have a bigger budget [and] be able to do more,” Fitzgerald said.
“It’s very difficult not having our own space to put everything into and not having a budget at all,” Hopfe said. “I know that there’s quite a few people who dream of doing a musical, but the rights to a musical cost a lot of money. Maybe someday we’ll be able to do a musical.”
According to Pelayo, this future is not too far ahead.
“Paul Arduin, who [oversees] the film program, came to the general meeting last week talking about how they’re starting a theater [major],” Pelayo said, “And I know they’re gonna be doing their own productions at the downtown theater. So, I mean, they’re ramping up.”
“He wants to do more stuff with the club, which does have huge implications, we could maybe end up downtown,” Mills said.
“At the start, you talked about how we don’t have like someone overseeing us, like a teacher or something. I would guess that that is the step towards the solution for that,” Pelayo said. “Someone like Paul or someone in the UTSA staff who really cares about the theater arts is eventually going to become an overseer for this club. That’s what I would hope. That’s what I would assume.”
Support RTA’s growth by seeing their production of “Twelve Angry Men” at the Richard Liu Auditorium in room 201.02 of the Business Building. Opening night is Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. More showings are available on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Admission will be $7 at the door.
