The Duquesne University Red Masquers are the oldest amateur theatre company in the city of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

. Known as the Red Masquers since 1914, the company can trace its roots back to the late 1800s

1890s

The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade" - because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion - and also as the "Gay Nineties", under the then-current usage of the word "gay" which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...

 when Duquesne

Duquesne University

Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...

 first started to offer courses in drama.

Membership

The group is constituted by a mixture of Duquesne students from all majors, including pharmacy, business, communications, English, and more. Membership is open to all students in good academic standing.

Performances

The Masquers put on a variety of plays throughout the year, annually performing three main-stage plays, generally consisting of one classical, one modern, and one contemporary. One of these main stage plays is an alumni show in which former members of the Red Masquers are invited to participate. Additionally, they perform two sets of One-act plays. In the winter, the company performs "Premieres," which are student-written plays, while in the spring, "One Acts for Charity," selected from professional playwrights, are performed. The group has also participated in the Pittsburgh Monologue Project.

External links

• Red Masquers from Duquesne University's website
• Red Masquers Announcement Board