Bryan Batt

Earlier this month, OPAS had the privilege of hosting an intimate night of cabaret with Bryan Batt in Downtown Bryan. Bryan is best known for his performance as Salvatore Romano in AMC's "Mad Men." Not only did he receive acclaim by winning the SAG-Award twice for his acting on television, but has also had a successful career on Broadway. 

In the one-man show called "Batt on a Hot Tin Roof," Bryan took us through his experience of his two homes: New Orleans and New York. His show originally began in New Orleans during Katrina in order to provide entertainment for the people in the city. His clever wit and his passionate animated performance had the crowd completely drawn in as they heard the stories of his childhood, the relationship with his parents, and the great musical numbers he personally enjoys. The room was filled with laughter and smiles as the night progressed and every audience member enjoyed every minute.

After the show, many had the chance to meet with Bryan and take pictures.

A special thanks goes out to Rudder Staff, to the good looking OPAS staff ladies, and of course, to the sponsor of the meet and greet, SoloShoe Communications. Without them, the night would not have been possible. Hopefully this sparks an interest to continue these intimate venue performances downtown in the future.

Special thanks to the team at SoloShoe Communications

OPAS-tober

OPAS-tober is over! It has been a wonderfully crazy month. Every executive, manager, and general committee member worked extremely hard to make the six performances we had a great success. Throughout the month, the Publicity and Advertising Team organized Flyer Raids, Yard Sign Raids, Tables, and Banner Holdings to promote all of our performances. The Back-of-House and Front-of-House Teams worked endlessly to ensure that each performance succeeded flawlessly. The Fundraising Team was also very busy organizing Tent Sales the weekends of home football games. The month began with a post-meeting profit share at Fuddruckers and ended with a profit share at Chick-fil-a on October 30^th.

We kicked off the month with a trip to downtown Bryan for First Friday to promote our performances. That Saturday we had a thrilling Fall Retreat: Where Dreams Come True. The next week was a bit hectic, but definitely worthwhile. We had three exciting performances: The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China (our first OPAS Family event), school performances of Skippyjon Jones, and a special event in conjunction with the Memorial Student Center, Phillip Phillips! Phillip Phillips, who won “American Idol” season 11, was a huge hit. The first day tickets went on sale, droves of students lined up at the MSC Box Office, leading to a sold out performance!

Later in the month, we had our first Intimate Gatherings performance: The Swingle Singers, a world-renown a capella group. October 21^st was the first musical of the season, Anything Goes, which won three Tony Awards in 2011, including Best Musical Revival and Best Choreography. October 25^th, the Education Outreach Team organized a book reading of Click Clack Boo at Barnes & Noble. The last week of October, The Capitol Steps graced us with a night of hilarity, poking fun at politicians of both political parties as well as figureheads of foreign countries. Even though it was a busy and crazy month, the hectic times paid off and the performances were all a huge success!

OPAS Fall Retreat

Season 42’s Fall Retreat theme was OPAS: Where Dreams Come True, and it was truly a magical night for all! OPASites came dressed as their favorite Disney characters ready to play a special game of OPAS Jeopardy, make some tasty no-bake granola snacks, act out hilarious skits, and sing along to their favorite Disney songs. Thanks to the Student Development team for all of their hard work and creative ideas that made this retreat unforgettable!

Be on the lookout for more photos on the Facebook Page! 

First Performance of Season 42

OPAS kicked of the season with the fantastic The Texas Tenors! The patrons were drawn in by the Tenors' natural humor, talented voices, and motivating messages. The Tenors worked the Aggie crowd  well and received the loudest "howdy" they have ever heard on their tour. The patrons excitingly lined the halls after the performance to buy CDs and anxiously awaited the opportunity to take a picture with the Tenors.

The student committee was ready to tackle whatever came their way and helped every patron to their fullest ability. This was also the first major event for the newly added members of OPAS and the increasing strength in numbers and dedication became evident as the operations went smoothly and precisely. Thank you to everyone who helped! 

Matt Chernosky demonstrates the proper OPAS point to direct patrons to their seats. Great job Matt! 

A congratulations is in order for the Front of House Operations team (Anna Pendergrass, Maura Lytle, Macy Hicks, Noel Handy, Megan Kim, and Katy Gray) led by Zach Vaughn, and to the Back of House Operations team (Michelle Kratofil, Kelsey Morris, Megan Hoenig, Jacob de Jongh, Luke Dube, Amanda Ibarra, and Jenny Johnson) led by Jordan Scoville for their work before and during the performance. 

Also, a huge thanks goes out to Aggieland Credit Union for sponsoring the performance and making the possibility of having The Texas Tenors a reality. 

    Here are some more pictures from Friday night's performance!

Our fearless leaders pose with The Texas Tenors! (Staff Ladies Left to Right: Anne Black, Becky Wade, Shanna Wright, and Terri Becker)