"That's scary!""I don't know who the hell those people are."
"It's something about voting, I think."
Reactions were mixed Wednesday as six students who call themselves "The Engaged Theatre" imitated a soldier's funeral procession across campus. Liberals often use a tactic dubbed "guerrilla theatre," which involves performing outrageous and farcical short plays in public places. In the supposedly non-partisan production, students claimed to be participating in a get-out-the-vote campaign. Banging on a drum and carrying signs that read "Don't bury your voice," "1,051 soldiers can't vote. Will you?" and simply "www.justvote.com," the group marched through campus from 11 to 1 pm.
Graduate student Jacob Juntunen, juniors Sinem Erisken, Mateo Hinojosa and Matt Sax, and sophomores Lexi Carlson and Jared Kling all played a part in the guerrilla theatre action. Juntunen, a teaching assistant for Theatre 366-0: Special Topics in History, Literature, Criticism, identified the participants as "a group of students, loosely connected."
"At the moment we have plans for more political action, but not long term," said Juntunen.
Carlson, a sophomore in the School of Music and WCAS, said, "We're drawing attention and getting more people to vote, and making them think 'what kind of impact will I make if I do vote?'"
"And connecting that to larger affairs," Juntunen added.
While Northwestern students didn't necessarily subscribe to the method of action, most felt that The Engaged Theatre succeeded at getting people's attention.
"At first I thought it was a protest, but I think it will remind people to register," said Weinberg freshman Matt Gill.
McCormick senior, Laura Anderson, was surprised to see signs of political activism on campus. "I guess I thought it was very non-Northwestern. I've been here for a long time and I haven't seen much of this sort of thing,"
However, the procession left some students feeling more powerless than anything else.
"It got my attention, but I'm an international student so I can't vote; it seemed more like a ceremonious ritualistic event," said Weinberg junior Dan Solera. "Also it seemed really somber. Voting is supposed to be pretty empowering, but seeing that made me feel helpless."
News Editor Nicole Adamson is a Medill junior. E-mail her at n-adamson@northwestern.edu.
