Giddy Up for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 177th Production
Graphic by Angie Li
As one of the most highly anticipated events on Harvard’s undergraduate calendar, a Hasty Pudding Theatricals show can sometimes feel like a school-wide reunion. Ticket-holders crowd into Farkas Hall well before the 8:00 p.m. curtain, filling the lobby with students, families, alumni, and longtime community members. When I took my seat, I was struck by the range of ages in the audience—all watching eagerly as the lights dimmed and the curtain rose.
In what can best be described as a combination of country western and satire on current political events, HPT’s 177th show, “Salooney Tunes,” is, in my opinion, their best production since the 174th show, “Cosmic Relief.” Following a pair of outlaws as they hunt for gold in a secluded southern town teeming with kooky residents, student writers Ben Langman ’26 and Gunnar Sizemore ’27 masterfully create a classic cast of 10 characters with puns for names and touching development. Resident director, Larry Sousa, and producers Ellie Tunnell ’27 and Cate Schwarz ’27 brought this plot to life in tandem with the rest of HPT’s business, tech, band, and cast members.
As a whole, the script is unique amongst other HPT productions. Though most shows also included subtle quips towards current events, “Salooney Tunes” has a keen awareness of when to break the fourth wall and involve the audience in its commentary on the status quo. In other words, it delivers exactly what the audience hopes for from a drama-filled outing.
One unforgettable element of the show is its use of evocative sounds. The show begins with the sounds of gunfire, instantly drawing attention to the gunman Robin YaBlind, played by Will Jevon ’27, a vagabond who has already robbed hamlets like the one in “Salooney Tunes.” YaBlind is accompanied by his sidekick, Amelia Sipkin ’29, also known as Wyatt Aintme.
The fearful townsfolk are assured by the intelligent investigator and expecting mother Carrie N Twins—played by Danny Denenberg ’26—that she will catch these thieves.
From this opening note, “Salooney Tunes” throws its audience into a series of twists and turns. Viewers discover that the town’s mayor, Gerri Mandarin, brought to life by Brady Rafferty ’27, is secretly colluding with Robin and Wyatt. Mandarin works to throw her constituents off the scent from the first scene. She tells the townsfolk, following the initial robbery attempt, that the nefarious pair were attracted by gold hidden in the hills. She believed this information would keep community members—including cowgirl, Tilda Cowscomehome (Hannah Alexis ’27); saloon owner, Bart Ender (Chloe Chao ’27); and aspiring performer, Sarah Problem (Bernardo Sequeira ’26)—distracted.
But as this is a show with a happy ending (spoiler alert!), the townsfolk end up encountering the friendly, colorblind prospector, Dustin Myeyes (Cruz Allison ’28), who joins them in discovering that there actually is gold up in those hills.
Gerri Mandarin’s character—and name—likely takes inspiration from common critiques of countless politicians, including Donald Trump and other modern-day politicians. In a few of her lines, Mandarin equates abortion to treason and claims (ironically) that she would never be untrustworthy with money collected from taxes. When her daughter, Anna Fivesix-Fivesixseveneight (Isabel “Izzy” Wilson ’26), inquires about the hidden gold, Mandarin responds saying that if gold were really in the hills, she would have already hired immigrants to extract it.
This year’s production leaned more deliberately into audience engagement than in years past. On Feb. 10, members of the Brazilian Students Association were introduced before the curtain rose. Later, after a jab at the Hasty Pudding Band, a pit musician emerged to announce that the band would no longer tolerate such disrespect. Within moments, the rest of the band climbed out of the pit, proclaiming they were off to Brazil. Thankfully, for the sake of the show, the band covertly snuck back into the pit and resumed playing.
Another moment where the cast engaged directly with audience members came during the iconic HPT closing dance routine. This year, cast members perform in matching prospector-style short overall dresses with yellow construction hats. Each wears a sash bearing their name: Miss Fit, Miss Tique, Miss Anthrope, Miss Stress, Miss Cast, Miss Led, Miss Demeanor, Miss Behave, and Miss Issippi. When the three finalists, Anthrope, Demeanor, and Behave, are announced, audience members are encouraged to clap as each contestant steps forward, as if the loudness of the cheers can determine who ultimately wins.
The show does not shy away from incorporating potentially controversial quotes in its script. After the townspeople find gold, they decide to organize a parade to celebrate. The gold is transported in a carriage drawn by a talking horse with a ketamine addiction, Gideon Up (Elianna Carvalho ’29). Unfortunately for Gideon Up, he is kidnapped by the newly independent (no pun intended) outlaw, Wyatt, to make a name for himself as a criminal by stealing the gold. Afterwards, when the townspeople are overcome by panic, Tilda proclaims “Quiet Piggy!” referencing Donald Trump’s infamous response to a female Bloomberg reporter, Catherine Lucey.
“Salooney Tunes” also comments on current issues on campus. For example, the fear YaBlind and AintMe had of being caught and imprisoned was partly due to the possibility of having former university president, Lawrence H. Summers, as a cellmate.
Although YaBlind opens the show, true star power comes from AintMe, whose character growth makes him especially endearing. While most viewers may not identify with his desire to become an infamous criminal, many can empathize with AintMe’s desire to feel recognized and appreciated. It is difficult not to cheer for him when he decides he is done being unappreciated by YaBlind and independently steals gold from the townsfolk. Later, he realizes that what he truly wants is to feel loved—and he can achieve this by doing good, not evil.
Overall, the 177th edition of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ show, “Salooney Tunes,” demonstrates the troupe’s ability to adapt its comedy and performance to changing times while keeping audience members of all demographics engaged.
Adedoyin Adebayo ’26 (aadebayo@college.harvard.edu)feels sentimental about seeing HPT for the last time (as an undergrad).