ArtsBoston is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the arts.
The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is the oldest theatrical company in the United States, dating back to 1795. Annually, it produces a nationally recognized production and lauds two internationally renowned celebrities as its Man and Woman of the year, including last year’s stars Renee Zellweger and James Franco. Many iconic Americans have passed through its ranks, from Theodore Roosevelt and J.P Morgan to Alan Jay Lerner and Jack Lemmon. ? With its national media attention, the Theatricals annual productions have evolved into spectacles beyond anything ever envisioned by the founders of the original secret society. Undergraduates now receive guidance from theatrical veterans in all aspects of the production, and its sets and costumes rival Broadway shows. The group also donates thousands of dollars each year to the arts programs of Cambridge Public Schools, maintaining its presence in the community. Still, the show remains at its essence a no-holds-barred student-written musical comedy, with its all-male cast playing both the male and female roles. Women are involved in all other aspects of the show, from technical staff, to the band, to authoring and producing the show. Thus, the Pudding remains at heart an organization driven by the enthusiasm and exuberance of its undergraduates. Our 162nd season continues in this long and illustrious tradition that can only be described as uniquely Pudding.
