Princeton Triangle Club takes to the rectangular screen with virtual show

The Princeton Triangle Club, the student-run theater troupe at Princeton University, has a 130-year tradition of presenting original musical comedies, but this year will bring a couple of firsts:

It will be Triangle’s first-ever movie musical and its first-ever “worldwide premiere,” with the curtain rising virtually.

“All Underdogs Go to Heaven: A Sports Story! The Musical! The Movie!” will makes its debut on the Triangle Club’s webpage 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, and will be available for streaming for free through Feb. 1 (with optional ticket prices for those wishing to make a donation).

The satire tells the tale of a sports coach who has been fielding a mediocre team for 20 years until he’s approached by a consultant with a convoluted idea: Since the underdog always wins, why not assemble the worst team imaginable?

Watch the trailer here:

Written by a team of 14 student writers, “All Underdogs Go to Heaven” is directed and choreographed by Ashley Marinelli, leading a professional production staff. It has a cast of 27 undergraduate actors, who filmed their parts independently across three countries and 10 states, with music by an orchestra of 22 students and behind-the-scenes work driven by 50 business, tech and writing team members.

And yes, upholding the company’s longstanding-on-one-leg tradition, the show will feature Triangle signature all-male kickline.

In operation for 130 years, “Princeton’s Famous Triangle Show” is considered the nation’s oldest touring collegiate musical comedy troupe, presenting annual shows at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, then hitting the road on a national tour. The club’s alumni includes F. Scott Fitzgerald, class of ’1917, Jimmy Stewart ’32, Brooke Shields ’87, and Ellie Kemper ’02. This year’s troupe includes more than 100 students.

Following its online run, “All Underdogs” will be added to Triangle’s on-demand library available to rent or buy.

Send community news to community@njtimes.com

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.