The landmark 12 Holyoke Street theatre that has housed the Hasty Pudding Theatricals since 1888 is now undergoing major renovation, which will began in April 2005. Over one hundred years since its conception, renovations to the historic playhouse will replace almost two-thirds of the existing structure, and restore and preserve the front façade and first third of the building. During the renovations, the Theatricals will move to a different theatre in Harvard Sq.

2005's production, HPT 157: Terms of Frontierment , was the last one to grace this historic stage, and the show on March 20 th was the last one ever in the theatre.

In a college press release, Harvard College Dean Benedict H. Gross commented on the New College Theatre that will essentially replace the old structure and likely be completed in two years. “We have a strong arts heritage here at Harvard,” Gross said. “The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is in the forefront of that heritage, having been a fixture here since the late 1700s. We are very happy that we will be able to give them, and several other student performance groups at Harvard a wonderful new home so that old traditions may continue, and new ones may begin.”

Co-Producers of the Theatricals Romina Garber '06 and Charles Worthington ‘06 described the impact of the move on the Pudding. “After 117 years of performances in this building, it certainly feels like the end of an era,” Garber said. “While we are sad to leave the historic Pudding building, we are also excited about what the new facility can offer to us, and more generally to the arts at Harvard.”

“The New College Theatre will serve as a much-needed center of undergraduate theater at Harvard University ,” Worthington said. “The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is excited to be the heart of this new center. The 12 Holyoke renovations will allow HPT to continue to produce high-quality performances for many decades to come.”

The Pudding is the oldest theatrical company of any college campus in the United States (its conception dating back to 1795), and its playhouse is an integral part of the organization's history. 2006 is the first time that the Pudding show has been performed outside of its playhouse during the Cambridge leg of its run (the show tours in New York and Bermuda ). It will also be the first time the world-famous Man and Woman of the Year events are held somewhere other than 12 Holyoke Street .

 

Tickets

To purchase tickets to the last production in the current Hasty Pudding theatre on 12 Holyoke St. , contact the HPT box office at 617-495-5205 or buy them online at www.hastypudding.org .

The show opened with the Man of the Year show, February 17, 2005, and ran until March 20, 2005 in Cambridge , performing Tuesday – Thursday at 8pm, Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

HPT 157: Terms of Frontierment then traveled to New York to perform at Hunter College's Kaye Theater March 25 and 26 at 8pm, and then at Hamilton City Hall in Bermuda, March 30 – April 2 at 8pm.

Contact Info

For more information about the renovations or HPT in general, please contact Hasty Pudding Theatricals Press Manager Claire Friedman. She can be reached by phone at 917-364-9565 or e-mail at cfriedm@fas.harvard.edu.