Clubs on Campus: Spotlight on the Marquis Players

The members of the Marquis Players are a quadruple threat. Not only do they act, sing and dance, but also focus heavily on helping others. Currently, however, their main efforts are put towards perfecting their performance skills. 

At least three rehearsals per week are dedicated to improving these skills, as the members prepare for the spring performance of Curtains, a musical murder mystery. 

“A general rehearsal will start with an acting warm-up, dance warm-up or voice warm-up, depending on the nature of the night,” said the Marquis Players Business Chair Alyson Shumeyko ‘14. 

As they draw closer to Curtains’ April 12 opening night, some members of the Marquis Players will rehearse almost every day for two to three hours, said Marquis Players president Julia Harris ‘13. However, “rehearsals really vary depending on the part you get in the show,” Harris said. “But we love every second of it!”

The Marquis Players members are excited for the opening of Curtains. “We are definitely looking forward to our show which will be great. The script is hysterical,” said Harris. 

“My hope is that [Curtains] is the best show the Marquis Players have ever put on. Everyone involved is working so hard to make this show phenomenal,” said Director Rich Albertini ‘13. 

Vice President Chelsea Brill ‘13 looks forward to tech week every year, which is when the Marquis Players rehearse constantly a week before opening night. “With the sleep deprivation factor, everyone is delirious so we have some really funny moments together … it’s a really great bonding experience,” Brill said. 

Offstage, the Marquis Players are equally active. “We’re also organizing fundraisers around campus to help us donate money to local charities,” said Shumeyko. 

The club will be singing this Saturday at Literacy Day and teen conference, the Landis Community Outreach Center-sponsored event. “We tend to sing some Disney songs and other songs the kids will know,” said Harris. Most recently, the club sold flowers and balloons for Valentine’s Day.

The Marquis Players donate the proceeds from the show and their philanthropy events to charities in Easton. “[It] makes the experience all the more fulfilling,” said Albertini. 

“We’re looking forward to raising as much money as possible for the local charities which we donate to,” said Shumeyko. 

These charities include the Third Street Alliance, Safe Harbor, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Habitat for Humanity.

 “We also donate to the Dan O’Neill Memorial Fund, a scholarship fund here at Lafayette that funds honors theses in engineering for students involved in the arts,” said Albertini. 

“Marquis Players has been a huge part of my experience here at Lafayette and has brought me close to some of my best friends,” said Harris.  Other members agree. “We’re practically a family!” said Shumeyko.  

 “The Marquis Players takes everyone that wants to be involved and finds something for them to do,” said Harris. Albertini has a similar goal in mind. “My primary role is to… hopefully, help people discover how wonderful being in a show can be.”