IN FULL BLOOM

Four decades ago the hand-lettered program for Bloomers’ very first production declared that “the time has come to show that women can be funny, too.” Penn’s all-female musical comedy troupe has been proving it ever since. By Caren Lissner

scene opens with four young The “#NotAllMen” skit—a skewering that anymore?” amid much mugging and people on a stage—three sitting of dismissive reactions to the #MeToo wild gesticulating. THE on folding chairs and one lean- movement (re)launched in 2017—gets The aggrieved male round-robin ing casually against a reception desk. more exaggerated as it goes along. The screeches to a halt when the fourth fel- They’re women but they’re playing men, four “men” wonder if it’s still okay to like low brags about hiring a hit man to kill outfitted in dark, nearly identical sport- Woody Allen movies, and one complains his “bitch of a wife,” whose absence made jackets and short-haired wigs. The one that his girlfriend expects him to be him so lonely he had to defile a goat. The at the reception desk, speaking in a deep “woke” and read “Cat Person” (a New others suddenly freeze in shock. “Can I voice, finishes a story about a coworker Yorker short story about male-female not say that … anymore?” he asks weakly. named Jen with the confession, “To tell relations that went viral in 2017). Things End scene. you the truth, I’ve always found Jen to quickly escalate to indignant rants about The sharp humor and cultural refer- be pretty attractive.” no longer being able to walk around in ences in the skit—which debuted on Suddenly, he adds, “Oh wait! I’m sorry. the office, um, indecently exposed, or campus in Bloomers’ Spring 2018 show, Can I not say that anymore?” permitted to hit on “hot” summer in- Shakespeare in Bloom—are typical of “Better watch out,” a buddy chimes in. terns—even when prepared to offer a Penn’s all-female comedy troupe, which “You don’t want a lawsuit on your hands.” full-time job. Each concludes with an is currently celebrating its 40th anniver- They all laugh. increasingly sarcastic “Oh, can I not say sary. The group also offers plenty of more

32 THE GAZETTE Jan|Feb 2019 ILLUSTRATION BY MELINDA BECK Jan|Feb 2019 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE 33 time-honored, site-specific humor: the Live, which premiered in 1975—recent 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner same show featured a College student’s years have seen a surge of women in com- and hosted the shortlived Netflix show The wistful, “If I Were in Wharton,” sung, in- edy. In the most recent Emmys, three of Break with Michelle Wolf, and current SNL evitably, to the tune of “If I Were a Rich the six series nominated in the sketch cast member Melissa Villaseñor. Man” from Fiddler on the Roof, the source comedy category were hosted by women If comedy was for a long time a man’s as well of the standard, (Amy Sedaris, Sarah Silverman, and Trac- game in the world beyond campus, on “Tuition.” The more recent Fall 2018 show ey Ullman). Figures like Tina Fey, Amy campus, all-male performing arts groups referenced the pop-cultural phenomenon Poehler, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, like Mask and Wig (founded in 1889) and of reality TV with The Bachelor: Will You Mindy Kaling, and the Broad City duo of the even more venerable Glee Club Accept This Show? which played to a re- Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson have cre- (which got its start in 1862) had a big cord five sold-out audiences at the Iron ated some of the funniest and most high- head start on Bloomers—not to mention, Gate Theater in October (250 people per ly acclaimed comedies in TV and film of in the case of Mask and Wig, its own performance), including a cadre of the past decade, and at SNL women have clubhouse in Center City . Bloomer alumnae on hand to kick off the mostly been the standouts in recent (Kris- One benefit of longevity for these groups anniversary year. The show skewered ten Wiig, Vanessa Bayer C’04) and current has been the development of robust and everything from fundraising for Penn (to (Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, Aidy Bry- active alumni associations. the tune of Sweet Charity’s “Hey, Big ant) ensembles. That heightened visibil- Bloomers may not be able to offer an Spender”: “Let me get right to the point, ity has helped spark new interest in off-campus hideaway or the additional buildings don’t get named for everyone I Bloomers. This year, only about a quarter Mask and Wig perk of a personalized see!”) to organized religion (a Last Supper of those who auditioned for the group drinking mug hanging behind the club- parody “nailed it,” as the Jesus character were accepted, according to Bloomers’ house bar, but over the last couple of years said). Clips from these shows can be chair Lauren Sorantino C’19. And the five they’ve made strides to build involvement found at https://www.youtube.com/user/ sold-out performances in fall set a record: among former Bloomers. BloomersComedy/videos. “We usually do four performances of a Spearheaded by group founder Joan In the four decades since its founding show and we recently moved to a larger Harrison C’81, chair of the Bloomers as the country’s first all-female college theater, so selling out five shows this fall Alumnae Association (BLAA), the new comedy troupe, Bloomers has served as was a big moment in Bloomers history,” group recently held workshops, retreats, the launching pad for alumnae pursuing Sorantino notes. and regional networking events with careers as performers, producers, or in Bayer—probably the most famous current students and recent graduates. other aspects of the entertainment indus- Bloomers alumna—spent seven years at The students have responded enthusi- try, and has provided valuable prepara- SNL and followed that with a number of astically, joining alumnae for leadership tion for women in any field—from finance well-received film performances [includ- seminars and landing sought-after in- to technology, education, law, or medi- ing—full disclosure—the adaptation of ternships at top talent agencies and en- cine—where one needs to be confident, author Caren Lissner’s novel Carrie tertainment companies in Hollywood sharp, and in command of a boardroom Pilby—Ed.]. She has often discussed the and New York. or operating room. “Being a Bloomer has group in interviews. In fact, when she The alums recently held a host of cel- been an unexpected boon to my life as a left SNL, fellow cast member and “Week- ebrations for their anniversary—includ- cognitive neuroscientist,” noted Laurel end Update” cohost Colin Jost wrote a ing an alumnae/student dinner and Buxbaum C’82 in the February 2017 edi- song suggesting that the rest of the play- party near campus on the final day of the tion of the Bloomers Alumnae Associa- ers were a little too familiar with Bloom- fall show—and have been discussing tion’s recently revived newsletter. “When ers stories: “She plays little boys/but what they want to do in the future to I stand up to give a research talk to a she’s always a woman to me/yes we have help smart women pave the road to suc- group of scientists—not all of whom are heard of Bloomers … she’s the funniest, cess with laughter. necessarily sympathetic—I’m grateful for sunniest person you’ll see.” those years of experience in being warm Bayer was also the headliner a few years First Bloom and humorous on the stage.” back at LaughtHERfest, a day of comedy It all started when, newly arrived on While there have always been beloved panels and performances on campus that campus in the fall of 1977, Joan Harrison female comedians, from Lucille Ball to Bloomers sponsors annually. Other fea- saw her first Mask and Wig free show Carol Burnett to Gilda Radner, Jane Cur- tured LaughtHER performers, in addition and was inspired. tin, and Laraine Newman—the women in to student groups, have included Michelle “I was a full-scholarship kid. I felt like the iconic first cast of Saturday Night Wolf, who did a controversial set at the a fish out of water. I couldn’t find my

34 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Jan|Feb 2019 posse,” she recalls. “Then I went to see and Wig “will not be accepting girls and Ivy League. Please join us at the initial Mask and Wig, and I was dazzled. I said, that’s all there is to it,” the board’s meeting of Bloomers.” ‘I want to do that.’ I was quickly alerted spokesman declared. “Letting girls play “The idea,” recalls Finkelstein, an edu- that that would never come to pass.” girls would change Mask and Wig from cator who went on to found a charter Others had tried—and were met with what Mask and Wig is.” school in Teaneck, New Jersey, “came a response neatly summarized in a Sep- With that route blocked, Harrison from the fact that we had a bunch of tember 1970 Daily Pennsylvanian arti- says, “It seemed an obvious idea to cre- friends who were Mask and Wig, and we cle headlined “Girl applicant turned ate a female comedy group.” sort of felt like, all these guys are doing away by Mask and Wig.” The story de- She discussed her plan with room- comedy and dressing up in drag, and scribed how sophomore transfer student mates Barbara Finkelstein C’81 and Amy why aren’t women doing comedy?” Suzy Sang’s request for an audition had Albert C’81 and in the fall of 1978 they been denied, with the club’s board of posted flyers around campus saying, governors voting—unanimously—to con- “Women, the time has come for the first “Being a Bloomer tinue their male-only tradition. Mask all-female musical comedy group in the has been an unexpected boon to my life as a cognitive neuroscientist.”

Harrison didn’t know what to expect. Much to her surprise, 200 women showed up. After she read aloud from the flyer, “There was a spontaneous standing ova- tion,” she says. “I thought, ‘Whoa. There’s enough support and—let’s hope—talent in this room to make this happen.’” In October of 1978, the troupe received student activities funding. With Harri- son as director, they began cobbling to- gether their first show, Fruit of the Bloomers, to run in March of 1979. Fin- kelstein choreographed the show and Albert was the producer. Jackie Green C’81, who joined up after seeing the flyer in September, helped script the show and became known as one of the group’s Clockwise from top: Selling tickets on Locust Walk for the first show, Fruit of the Bloomers, in most clever writers. Spring 1979 (from left: Rochelle Berliner, Jackie Green C’81, Sally Katz C’82, Laurel Buxbaum Finkelstein says she didn’t know how C’82, Joan Harrison C’81, Kathy Kelrick C’81 GEd’81, Sandy Benson C’82, Myra Schwartz big the idea would become. “My mom W’80). For the price of $2 ($2.50 at the door), the audience got to see a Doo Wop song about [Rena Fineman CW ’51] went to Penn,” The Wawa performed by Wendy Rogers C’82, Benson, and Karen Moore C’81; a history lesson she says. “She was a Philly girl. She went in song from the Morton Salt Girl (on the S.A.L.T. treaty), Marilyn Monroe (Monroe Doctrine), Charlie Brown (Brown v. Board of Education), and Carmen Miranda (Miranda ruling); a skit fea- to Overbrook High School and she actu- turing a dental hygienist (Maxine Annapolen Nu’82) visiting schoolkids, and much more. ally got a full ride to Penn. She was in the Photos and caption info courtesy Joan Harrison. College for Women. The fact that we had

Jan|Feb 2019 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE 35 this all-female performing arts group, performing arts bastions, she does recall C’19. “Mask and Wig members have musical comedy group, she was very im- attempting a little consciousness-raising asked us for advice. I think there’s an pressed. Women in her day were really at the time. “I talked to the storied Glee effort across campus, with everyone second-class citizens. I didn’t think it Club director Bruce Montgomery re- striving to make an effort to be the would be such a big thing, truthfully. We garding a couple of drinking songs that change they want to see.” were trying it out. The fact that it’s still I thought demeaned women and were going on now is pretty amazing to me. anachronistic in general,” Harrison Evolution Joan really has been a huge impetus.” says—though she doesn’t think she was From the beginning, Harrison had focused The name Bloomers came from Amelia taken seriously. on recruiting freshmen and sophomores Jenks Bloomer, a women’s rights so Bloomers could thrive after her and temperance activist who cre- graduation. Her plan to build a ated and edited The Lily, the first strong foundation worked. After US newspaper edited by and for she and her cohort left, women women. She was also prominent like Nicole Grindle C’83—now a in the movement for women’s producer at Pixar whose most dress reform, advocating for pan- recent credit is Incredibles 2— taloons for women as a safer and were ready to take their place. more comfortable alternative to “Freshman year, I was in the restrictive corsets and dresses, School of Engineering, which which became known as bloomers did not turn out to be a good fit as a result. for me,” Grindle says. “I took “Just as suffragette Amelia Bloom- a semester off, and when I re- er allowed women the opportunity turned, became friends with for freer dress,” explained a hand- some different folks, one of drawn program for the Spring 1979 whom was Cindy Rae Dubow show, “Bloomers hopefully will [C’84]. She was a cast member allow Penn women a chance for and invited me to the show that comedic expression for years to spring. I had also become in- come. Bloomers is the first group of volved in a number of other the- its kind in the Ivy League … be- ater groups, but this … was all cause the time has come to show women, all original, and very that women can be funny, too.” funny.” She was accepted during The first show skewered the fall of junior year and became a usual subjects: Penn life, the Ivies, director the following year. religion (okay, Judaism), pop cul- Grindle remembers one skit that ture, Broadway, and politics. “Back included three cultural touch- in the Oval Office: What If?” imag- stones of the late 1970s/early ’80s: ined “the anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly as The lines of communication and coop- A Family Feud match in which the family president,” Harrison remembers. “She eration are more open today—as indi- from the movie Ordinary People took on inadvertently pressed the nuke button cated by the (first ever!) combined show the Kramers of Kramer vs. Kramer. while giving herself a manicure.” Other put on by Bloomers and Mask and Wig “The standout performance was by titles included “Academia Nuts,” “Snort for this year’s incoming freshman class Mary Albanese [EE’83] as the dead ’N Blow,” and “JAPs at Lunch”—of which during New Student Orientation on Au- brother in Ordinary People,” Grindle Harrison remarks, “I’m not proud of that gust 31. “We filled a 900-person theater,” says. “I couldn’t not laugh every single skit,” noting that it wouldn’t be per- says Bloomers chair Sorantino. “It’s time we rehearsed it.” formed today. Sorantino agrees that, likely we’ll continue collaborating with Albanese went on to found a tech com- while Jewish women jokingly still use the Mask and Wig.” pany “that I sold around 1999 (very lucky! term “JAP” on campus, Bloomers The men’s group has also reached out Dotcom boom), then I raised my kids,” wouldn’t write such a skit now. “for advice on how to write women, or per her entry in the BLAA newsletter. While Harrison and company didn’t whether something is problematic,” adds Another skit parodied the 1980s Kim try to storm the gates of the all-male Fall 2018 show director Katie Marshall Carnes chart-topper “Bette Davis Eyes”

36 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Jan|Feb 2019 N. Currier, Library of Congress as “Pennsylvania Guys.” That one “was a minutes’ notice to present at a press con- mentators have been arguing over the hit with the audience because the lyrics ference. “It’s about reading your audi- impact of “political correctness” in shap- did a great job of nailing the horny Penn ence and making sure you’re funny and ing acceptable comedy performances on guys,” Grindle notes. relevant all at the same time. You make college campuses. It’s often claimed that “But I mostly remember how much I sure people are listening and that you students have become too sensitive, while enjoyed working with the other women have the timing,” Coloretti says. others point out that objections to sexist, in the group to make this thing happen. “Humor has evolved,” she adds, to the racist, or otherwise offensive material is They were an amazing collection of point where, as various studies have merely a sign that women and minority brave, funny, energetic, and very tal- shown, people are turning to late night groups are finally pushing back against ented people,” she adds. “It was un- comedy shows for their news fix. “Since decades of lazy and unfair stereotypes doubtedly the thing that propelled me people are consuming a lot of informa- and behavior that were accepted for so into becoming a TV and film producer.” tion, it’s almost taken on a more impor- long they became institutionalized. Other Bloomers alumnae say being in On or off stage, women face challeng- the group taught them to manage di- es that men generally never have to con- verse personalities in fields like law, sider. Take clothing. Since women are government, and education. They honed “I always talk judged more often on their appearance their skills by dealing with Bloomers’ than men, any difference in their looks, different sections of Cast, Band, Busi- about Bloomers dress, or body can make them feel vul- ness, Costumes, Tech, and Writing. nerable. Yet women’s professional or “Bringing together the different sec- in job interviews. formal clothing invariably highlights tions teaches you leadership lessons,” their differences (and high-heeled shoes says Meghana Jayam EAS’18 W’18, who It’s where literally slow them down), whereas served as chair of the group during her men’s clothes are often uniform, dark, senior year while finishing up her M&T and cover up their differences. degree. “I learned to make tough calls. I learned my The nearly identical suitjackets worn During show week, you bring all of the by the four performers in the aforemen- parts together. It’s about balancing dif- people skills.” tioned “#NotAllMen” sketch point to a ferent people’s needs.” larger issue, one that is also reflected in At one point, Jayam considered drop- tant role. You’re going to be the explainer, the name “Bloomers” itself: there are ping out of the group due to her rigorous but also funny. Even with political humor, many challenges to being a woman in coursework. Nevertheless, she persisted, dark humor, there are elements of truth.” society that men don’t have to think and from then on made a point of sup- Treasury, it turned out, was a lot of about and often don’t recognize. In a porting other overworked students so laughs—which helped cut the (also consid- group like Bloomers, women can be they could stay in Bloomers. “It’s impor- erable) stress involved in the job. “Everyone more comfortable joking and sharing tant to take time” to study different sub- there was really smart and just so funny,” ideas without having to constantly ex- jects, she says. “I always talk about Coloretti says. “We were facing down some plain themselves, defend themselves, Bloomers in job interviews. It’s where I really tough issues. Humor helped in senior and compete. learned my people skills.” staff meetings. There’s the towel-snapping “It’s a bit of a safe space,” says recent The value of those skills extends to sort of humor guys do to each other. Not grad Jayam. “Women 18 to 22 are in some pretty surprising places. all of it was like that, but it helped that I their formative years. It’s when you’re Nani Coloretti C’91 found that hers could add jokes that were different. To me, developing your sense of, ‘What is my came in handy when she served as dep- humor can also be kind and accessible.” role in the world and society and how uty secretary of the US Department of can I contribute?’ Being in Bloomers Housing and Urban Development under Changing Times was so important during my formative President Barack Obama in 2014–2016 But can humor be “kind and accessible” years. It helped me understand more and as assistant secretary for manage- and still have bite? Does a “woman’s touch” about the world and [about] learning ment in the Department of the Treasury take away from the sharpness of a joke? with a group of people who are differ- from 2012 to 2014. And earlier when she Current Bloomers say they do pay at- ent from you. I’m an Indian girl who worked for Mayor Gavin tention to determine if a skit will offend— grew up in Saudi Arabia. I was one of Newsom developing the city’s $6 billion but that this only helps them strengthen the few women of color in Bloomers. I annual budget—which she once had five the material. Since the early 1990s, com- was able to contribute my perspective.”

Jan|Feb 2019 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE 37 “Meeting the All of these perspectives and differences Members of an all-female troupe are have taught the members to listen and less likely to have to worry about being younger Bloomers learn, says director Katie Marshall, whose viewed as sex objects, to encounter sex- parents—Jaimee Orans C’85 and Richard ist traditions from another era, or to be has been inspiring, Marshall ME’85—were fans of the per- told they’re being too sensitive if they forming arts while at Penn. “I never want question any of it. educational, life- anyone to come to our shows and feel at- According to Sorantino, Bloomers does tacked or unwelcome,” Marshall says, not- have an initiation ritual, but it’s not at affirming, America- ing that both women and men appreci- all like hazing. (She preferred not to ated the #NotAllMen sketch. “It’s impor- elaborate, “not because we haze, but so tant to be tasteful and within boundaries.” it stays a surprise to new members.”) affirming.” She says the group’s leaders take seri- ously any criticism of a joke. “I’ll have “Spine Building” people come up to me and say, ‘I think this Across the Generations line is a little bit problematic,’” she adds. Harrison, a longtime TV executive, de- “I can think of at least two instances with cided to see if she could create a strong a recent show in which younger cast mem- alumnae group in 2015 when she and bers brought up that something might her husband were writing their will and come off as offensive, and we agreed. We wanted to leave a bequest to Bloomers. may be policing ourselves too much at Her Class’s 35th Reunion was also ap- times, but this time we said, ‘That’s a good proaching, “Which got me to thinking,” point.’ If it’s a distasteful joke, at the end she says, “I could launch a Bloomers of the day, we’re better off [revising it] be- alumnae association with the original cause the sketches are better.” Bloomers.” Tracking down a core group, Jayam recalls criticism that a past show— she asked, “‘Will you join me?’ They all featuring a skit in which President Donald said, ‘Without question.’ I will never for- Trump W’68 figured, plus others touching get our seeing each other for the first on “the political landscape or political cor- time in decades,” she adds. “It was one rectness”—was too political. “The language big joyful love-in. Since then, we speak we use can set off a trigger in the audience’s constantly and have gotten together lots mind,” she says. “It could be a reference to of times both here and abroad. So in giv- Twitter, and people think, ‘Oh, Twitter is ing a gift, I got the biggest one of all.” Trump.’ It’s almost a life lesson, how things Dozens of alumnae have gotten in- can be taken a different way.” volved since, and the launch of the BLAA While audience sensibilities are a con- has created opportunities for Bloomers cern, the group doesn’t want to make its past and present to learn from each own members uncomfortable, either. other. They have run intense weekend That sensitivity wouldn’t necessarily be getaways with guest speakers, including a priority in a co-ed group. Coloretti and Kristen Gibbons Feden, a Back in 1991, the Harvard Lampoon, non-alumna who successfully prosecut- the famous seedbed for SNL and late- ed Bill Cosby on charges of indecent night comedy show staff writers, got flak sexual assault as a Montgomery County over a de facto hazing ritual exposed in assistant prosecutor. a Rolling Stone article. During what was In the December 2017 BLAA newslet- known as “Phool’s Week,” prospective ter, Harrison asked the alumnae to tell members sometimes simulated oral sex, current students what they wish they’d were expected to drop to their knees to known upon graduation. The responses recite dirty limericks about themselves, were not just about careers or comedy and submitted written applications that but touched on issues like navigating got returned with handwritten respons- friendships, family, and the search for es such as “Blow me.” true love.

38 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Jan|Feb 2019 “Never ignore your friends just be- themselves and find their voices, come- cause you are now in a romantic rela- dic and otherwise,” she says. “I feel that tionship/married,” advised Rebekah having that experience has been invalu- Darcy Beneteau C’85, a sex and intimacy able in my success today.” coach. “They are the ones who will al- But she suggests that the world’s atti- ways be there for you, and their presence tude toward funny women may be in your life is part of what your partner changing. “I have noticed that a lot of fell in love with.” the female comedians I’ve worked with Susan Borke W’80 instructed younger were straight-A students, while a lot of women that, “when it comes time to ne- the men were class clowns, so I think gotiate your compensation—for a job, a there’s something to be said for society gig, or a raise—think like a man. Ask for rewarding genders differently—but I more than you were planning, more don’t know if that’s still the case,” she than you think is enough.” says. “At the end of the day, funny “Go out by yourself sometimes, and get women have been around forever (Carol a therapist as soon as you wonder if you Burnett, Gilda Radner, Lucille Ball, the need one,” counseled Nina Kao C’16, now list goes on), and while I’m thrilled that a music teacher. “And buy cheap furni- there seems to have been a greater plat- ture because you’ll move again.” form for funny women in the past de- Sorantino says she and her peers have cade or so, I hope that one day soon, gotten a lot out of interacting with the rather than talking about funny women alumnae. She sees Harrison as a “moth- vs. funny men, we’ll just be talking about er figure” and enjoyed getting to know funny people.” Coloretti at a retreat. “She had a high- Bloomers is doing more than helping profile job in the Obama administra- women sharpen their senses of humor; tion,” Sorantino notes, “and it was so it’s training them to find their place and funny to see her unwind and drink with make their contribution in a changing us, joke around.” and challenging world. “Meeting the younger Bloomers has “I think women’s use of humor is gen- been inspiring, educational, life-affirm- erally different than men’s, because we ing, America-affirming,” says Harrison. are often trying to navigate a dynamic “The collective success of Bloomers in which women with power can be graduates, not just in the arts, is re- threatening,” says Pixar’s Grindle. “Shar- markable. There’s much to be said for ing humor with other professional the liberation and spine-building that women has been the antidote to the fre- comes from performing comedy at a quent microaggressions and humilia- young age.” tions that have come from being a pro- “I am, by nature, a somewhat quiet fessional woman in largely male organi- person,” Sorantino adds. “I was not very zations. Nobody has ever reacted nega- comfortable speaking in groups. [Bloom- tively to my sense of humor, but certain- ers] forces you to put yourself out there. ly there have been times when they have I think it would have been intimidating ignored it, talked over it, or even used it to [share ideas] in a room with men in and taken credit for it. And fortunately, it. I speak out more in class now. At work I have enough of a sense of humor to I’m more comfortable sharing opinions.” laugh it off and move on.” Vanessa Bayer, who joined Bloomers after seeing them at a performing arts Caren Lissner C’93 (carenlissner.com) is a night for freshmen in Fall 2000, echoes humor writer and journalist whose first novel, the value of a comfortable place to hone Carrie Pilby, was recently made into a comedy one’s craft. “I just think it’s great to have film. She is finishing up a new (and some- a safe space where women can express times funny) novel.

Jan|Feb 2019 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE 39