It started with a variety show last spring.

Students on campus came together to form Actors Collaborating with Technicians, or ACT, as a way to showcase their talents in broader ways.

The name was picked to emphasize the point that the people who work behind the scenes are just as important as those on stage, says Jeff Kean, production manager, club advisor, and an adjunct theater professor.

This fall, the 30-member club got official designation from the Associated Students Inc. (ASI) and this month put on its first full-scale production, the musical "Spamalot."

"This is really what the club is about," Kean says. "The theatre department shows are primarily for theater majors. They are chosen for the acting opportunities that they give our theater majors. The club is open to anyone on campus, faculty, staff, and students, and offers the opportunity to do programs they wouldn't normally get to do like a musical."

The club initially wanted to do the "Rocky Horror Picture Show," but switched to "Spamalot" when the group learned the rights weren't available for its initial choice, Kean says.

"We wanted something that would draw an audience," he says. "No one had ever heard of us. This show has a lot of appeal to younger people who have seen the movie over and over again."

Students, staff and faculty interested in joining the club or performing, may contact ACT through its Facebook page.