Theatre of the Relatively Talentless

The Theatre of the Relatively Talentless (TORT) is a student theatrical company that puts on musicals and other performances written, produced, directed and performed by law students of the University of Minnesota Law School.[1] TORT is a campus life program through the University of Minnesota Student Activities Office and operates under the purview of the Law School. Formed in 2002, it "provides law students and faculty with a desperately needed creative outlet."[2]

Membership

TORT is open to "all law students without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, creed, marital status, public assistance status, sexual orientation, class standing, political preferences, bluebooking skill, or ability to use the term "a fortiori" in a sentence."[3] TORT is governed year-round by an executive board consisting of two producers, a director, a music director, a technical director, a head writer, a treasurer, a head costumer, and a choreographer.[4] As TORT has become more established, the cast has grown to more than 70 members. Participants are often known as the TORTfeasors.

Musical
Scene from T.O.R.T.'s 2004 production of Law Wars.

The musical is an annual event held in late March or early April of each year. The event draws over a thousand audience members each year. The show is notable for its cameos by law school professors, deans, staff, alumni and other distinguished members of the Minnesota legal community.

The theme is chosen shortly after the last year's show, and a draft of the script is completed over the summer. Auditions are held during the fall semester, and rehearsals begin at the start of spring semester.

Cast members may be assigned as leads, featured singers, featured dancers, or members of the chorus. Chorus members may also have speaking lines, and often impersonate law school professors, staff, or administrators. TORT has its own pit orchestra, also composed entirely of law students, which provides musical accompaniment for the show.

Executive Board members for the following year are elected on the night of each final performance.

Past shows
  • 2003: Wizard of Fritz – a spoof on The Wizard of Oz, performed in the Open Book Loft in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • 2004: Law Wars – a spoof on Star Wars, performed in the Coffman Memorial Union Theatre on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota.[5]
  • 2005: Walter Wonka & the Lawyer Factory – a spoof on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, performed in the St. Paul Student Center Theatre on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.[6][7][8]
  • 2006: West Bank Story – a spoof on West Side Story, performed in the St. Paul Student Center Theatre at the University of Minnesota.[9][10]
  • 2007: Frankenlaw – a spoof on Frankenstein, performed in the Pantages Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.[11][12]
  • 2008: Robin Hood, Esq. – a spoof on Robin Hood, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[13]
  • 2009: It's A Wonderful Law School – a spoof on It's a Wonderful Life, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[14][15]
  • 2010: A Midsemester Night's Dream – a spoof on A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[16]
  • 2011: Harry Torter and the Magical Law School – a spoof on Harry Potter, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[17]
  • 2012: Alawddin: The Tale of 1,001 All-Nighters – a spoof on Aladdin, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[18][19][20]
  • 2013: Back to the Future Interest – a spoof on Back to the Future, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[21][22]
  • 2014: Clue: a Murder Mystery in Mondale – a spoof on Clue (film), performed in the Pantages Theatre.[23]
  • 2015: Froze-in – a spoof on Frozen (film), performed in the Pantages Theatre.[24]
  • 2016: Minnesota Jones and the Law School of Doom – a spoof on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, performed in the Pantages Theatre.[25]
  • 2017: The TORT Producers – a spoof on The Producers (musical), performed in the Ted Mann Concert Hall.[26]
  • 2018: Top Gunner – a spoof on Top Gun, performed in the Ted Mann Concert Hall.
  • 2019: Tale as Old as Time - a spoof on Beauty and the Beast, performed in the Pantages Theater.[27]
  • 2020: Lord of the Ranks, tragically cancelled due to some kind of worldwide pandemic or something.
  • 2021: Super Smash Gophers, performed via online simulcast and drive-in experience at Graco Park.
  • 2022: Gunner's New Groove, performed in the St. Paul Student Center Theatre at the University of Minnesota.
  • 2023: Tortanic, performed in the Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minnesota.

Cameos
Walter Mondale at the introduction of the "Fighting Mondales" following the 2004 production of Law Wars.

2003

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Professor Ann Burkhart
  • Professor Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor Jim Chen
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger

2004

VIP

Law School

The international students, Frankenlaw, and Igor in the 2007 production of Frankenlaw. Photo by Emily Melvin.

2005

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Associate Dean of Students Erin Keyes
  • Associate Dean Jim Chen
  • Professor Bradley Clary
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Maury Landsman
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Collins Byrd, then-Director of Admissions
  • Susan Gainen, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steve Marchese, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Linda Lokensgard, director, Building & Events

2006

VIP

Law School

  • Dean Alex Johnson
  • Associate Dean of Students Erin Keyes
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Jim Chen
  • Susan Gainen, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor in the Career & Professional Development Center
Mob scene from the 2007 production of Frankenlaw. Photo by Jessica Johnson.

2007

VIP

Law School

  • Co-Dean Fred Morrison
  • Co-Dean Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Ruth Okediji
  • Professor Stephen Befort
  • Professor Bradley Clary
  • Professor Maury Landsman
  • Professor Prentiss Cox
  • Susan Gainen, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steven Marchese, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development Center

2008

VIP

Law School

  • Co-Dean Fred Morrison
  • Co-Dean Guy-Uriel Charles
  • Professor John Matheson
  • Professor Judith T. Younger
  • Professor Claire Hill
  • Professor Richard Frase
  • Professor Stephen Befort
  • Professor Heidi Kitrosser
  • Professor Laura Cooper
  • Professor Prentiss Cox
  • Susan Gainen, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Steven Marchese, director, Career & Professional Development Center
  • Vic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development Center

TORT Alumni

  • Kirby Petersen ('07)
  • Trevor Helmers ('07)

Alumni

Past TORTfeasors have formed an alumni group called TORT Alumni Relationship Taskforce (TART).[28][29] This group is responsible for organizing the alumni afterparty for the Saturday night performance of each year's musical. It also hosts alumni events over the course of the year, and maintains alumni contact information, in order to help the TORT Executive Board with recruiting VIPs, selling tickets, and generating sponsors.

References
  1. "Student Organizations | University of Minnesota Law School".
  2. "About Us - U of MN Law School". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  3. "About Us - U of MN Law School". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  4. "Executive Board - U of MN Law School". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  5. Emily Ayshford, Musical pokes fun at life in the Law School, Minnesota Daily, March 8, 2004.
  7. Naomi Scott, U law students put spin on 'Wonka', Minnesota Daily, March 4, 2005.
  8. Cass Erickson, Playtime for Law School students, UMN News, March 2, 2005.
  9. Anna Pia Nicolas, TORT Show Sings and Dances to Sell-Out Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, Perspectives, Spring 2006 (page 63).
  10. Megan Kadrmas, A famous play the Law School way, Minnesota Daily, March 2, 2006.
  11. Elizabeth Cook, Law students perform parody of Frankenstein, Minnesota Daily, March 2, 2007.
  12. Danny LaChance, About Campus: Stage Fright, Minnesota Magazine, May 5, 2007.
  13. The Merry Band of TORT Heroes Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, Perspectives, Spring 2008.
  14. TORT Squad Brings Ditherer to Her Senses, University of Minnesota Law School (MARCH 19, 2009).
  15. Courtney Mault, Breaking Legs in Mondale Hall, Minnesota Law & Politics
  16. TORT Tames Eternal Struggle in "Midsemester Night's Dream" Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, e-Perspectives, Spring 2010.
  17. Harry Torter Conquers Injustice in TORT Production Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, e-Perspectives, Spring 2011.
  18. Performance viewable online: Google "Alawddin"
  19. TORT Discloses Hidden Talent for Tenth Year Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, e-Perspectives, Spring 2012.
  20. U of M Theatre of the Relatively Talentless Presents 'Alawddin', KSTP-Hennepin County, Monday, February 27th, 2012.
  21. Performance viewable online: Google "Back to the Future Interest"
  22. TORT Travels Back to the Future Mondale Hall Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine, e-Perspectives, Spring 2013.
  23. "Clue: A Murder Mystery in Mondale (2014) – T.O.R.T." umntort.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  24. "Walt Mondale's Froze-In (2015) – T.O.R.T." umntort.org. Archived from the original on 2016-02-23.
  25. "Minnesota Jones (2016) Full Color Playbill – T.O.R.T." umntort.org. Archived from the original on 2016-04-10.
  26. "The TORT Producers". Theatre of the Relatively Talentless. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  27. levis016 (2019-02-25). "TORT Presents: Tale as Old as Time". University of Minnesota Law School. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  28. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Theater-of-the-Relatively-Talentless-TORT-Alumni/222086921212025
  29. "@tortalumni" on Twitter
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