The Theatre of the Relatively Talentless (T.O.R.T.) is a theatrical company that puts on musicals and other performances written, produced, directed and performed by students of the University of Minnesota Law School. T.O.R.T. is a registered, non-profit, campus life student organization through the University of Minnesota Student Activities Office and operates under the purview of the Law School. Formed in 2002, its goal is to "provid[e] law students and faculty with a desperately needed creative outlet."
Membership in T.O.R.T. is traditionally open to "all law students without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, creed, marital status, public assistance status, sexual orientation, class standing, political preferences, bluebooking skill, or ability to use the term "a fortiori" in a sentence." T.O.R.T. is governed year-round by a 10-member Executive Board consisting of two producers, a director, a music director, a technical director, a head writer, a treasurer, a VIP liaison, a head costumer, and a choreographer. As T.O.R.T. has become more established, the cast has grown to more than 100 members. Participants are known as the TORTfeasors.
Traditionally acted, written, directed, produced, and run entirely by students, the musical is an annual event held in late February or early March of each year. The event draws over a thousand audience members each year and features cameos by law school professors, deans, staff, alumni and other distinguished members of the Minnesota legal community.
The theme is chosen shortly after the last year's show, and a draft of the script is completed over the summer. Auditions are held during the fall semester, and rehearsals begin at the start of spring semester.
Cast members may be assigned as leads, featured singers, featured dancers, or members of the chorus. Chorus members may also have speaking lines, and often impersonate law school professors, staff, or administrators. T.O.R.T. has its own pit orchestra, also composed entirely of law students, which provides musical accompanyment for the show.
Executive Board members for the following year are elected on the night of each final performance.
2003: Wizard of Fritz - a spoof on The Wizard of Oz, performed in the Open Book Loft in Minneapolis, Minnesota.2004: Law Wars - a spoof on Star Wars, performed in the Coffman Memorial Union Theatre on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota.2005: Walter Wonka & the Lawyer Factory - a spoof on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, performed in the St. Paul Student Center Theatre on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.2006: West Bank Story - a spoof on West Side Story, performed in the St. Paul Student Center Theatre at the University of Minnesota.2007: Frankenlaw - a spoof on Frankenstein, performed in the Pantages Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.2008: Robin Hood, Esq. - a spoof on Robin Hood, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2009: It's A Wonderful Law School - a spoof on It's a Wonderful Life, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2010: A Midsemester Night's Dream - a spoof on A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2011: Harry Torter and the Magical Law School - a spoof on Harry Potter, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2012: Alawddin: The Tale of 1,001 All-Nighters - a spoof on Aladdin, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2013: Back to the Future Interest - a spoof on Back to the Future, performed in the Pantages Theatre.2014: Clue: a Murder Mystery in Mondale - a spoof on Clue (film), performed in the Pantages Theatre.2015: Froze-in - a spoof on Frozen (film), performed in the Pantages Theatre.2016: Minnesota Jones and the Law School of Doom - a spoof on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, performed in the Pantages Theatre.VIP
Former Vice President Walter Mondale ('56)Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul H. Anderson ('68)Federal District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen ('81)Law School
Dean Alex JohnsonProfessor Ann BurkhartProfessor Guy-Uriel CharlesProfessor Jim ChenProfessor John MathesonProfessor Judith T. YoungerVIP
Former Vice President Walter Mondale ('56)Then-Attorney General of Minnesota Mike Hatch ('73)Federal District Court Judge James M. Rosenbaum ('69)Hennepin County District Court Judge (then Chief Judge) Kevin S. Burke ('75)Law School
Dean Alex JohnsonProfessor Dale CarpenterProfessor Maury LandsmanProfessor John MathesonSusan Gainen, Director, Career CenterVIP
Former Vice President Walter Mondale ('56)Then-Hennepin County District Attorney Amy Klobuchar (currently a U.S. Senator representing Minnesota)Hennepin County District Court Judge Stephen Aldrich ('71)Law School
Dean Alex JohnsonAssociate Dean of Students Erin KeyesAssociate Dean Jim ChenProfessor Bradley ClaryProfessor Laura CooperProfessor Maury LandsmanProfessor John MathesonProfessor Judith T. YoungerCollins Byrd, then-Director of AdmissionsSusan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterSteve Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterLinda Lokensgard, Director, Building & EventsVIP
Former Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch ('73)Federal District Court Judge John R. Tunheim ('80)Law School
Dean Alex JohnsonAssociate Dean of Students Erin KeyesProfessor John MathesonProfessor Judith T. YoungerProfessor Jim ChenSusan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterVic Massaglia, Career Advisor in the Career & Professional Development CenterVIP
Former Vice President Walter Mondale ('56)Federal District Court Judge John R. Tunheim ('80)Federal District Court Judge James M. Rosenbaum ('69)Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul H. Anderson ('68)Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Lorie Skjerven GildeaLaw School
Co-Dean Fred MorrisonCo-Dean Guy-Uriel CharlesProfessor John MathesonProfessor Judith T. YoungerProfessor Laura CooperProfessor Ruth OkedijiProfessor Stephen BefortProfessor Bradley ClaryProfessor Maury LandsmanProfessor Prentiss CoxSusan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterSteven Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterVic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development CenterVIP
Federal District Court Judge James M. Rosenbaum ('69)Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul H. Anderson ('68)Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Lorie Skjerven GildeaMike Ciresi ('71)Law School
Co-Dean Fred MorrisonCo-Dean Guy-Uriel CharlesProfessor John MathesonProfessor Judith T. YoungerProfessor Claire HillProfessor Richard FraseProfessor Stephen BefortProfessor Heidi KitrosserProfessor Laura CooperProfessor Prentiss CoxSusan Gainen, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterSteven Marchese, Director, Career & Professional Development CenterVic Massaglia, Career Advisor, Career & Professional Development CenterTORT Alumni
Kirby Petersen ('07)Trevor Helmers ('07)Past TORTfeasors have formed an alumni group called T.O.R.T Alumni Relationship Taskforce (T.A.R.T.). This group is responsible for organizing the alumni afterparty for the Saturday night performance of each year's musical. It also hosts alumni events over the course of the year, and maintains alumni contact information, in order to help the T.O.R.T. Executive Board with recruiting VIPs, selling tickets, and generating sponsors.
