Despite HTAG's sudden authority over theater funds, the group might have a harder time gaining respect in the theater community, where HRDC is firmly entrenched.

According to Bencowitz, HTAG now has the considerable task of convincing students who have only been involved in HRDC shows that other spaces and groups are relevant as well.

"A lot will depend on what happens with HTAG this year," she says. "It depends on the cooperation between the two groups."

Currently, she says, the missions of the two groups don't overlap. HRDC controls the shows in the Loeb, while HTAG works in all other spaces.

"There's not overt tension," Bencowitz says of the relationship between HTAG and HRDC. "We have separate spheres in terms of producing."

Bencowitz says HTAG's mission will be determined over the course of the semester."HTAG has been outside of the picture recently. There's tension because a new group has a lot of power all of a sudden. There's been a little 'Oh, where did they come from?'" she says.

HRDC board members are elected by all students involved in Loeb shows and HTAG's bylaws describe a similar election process. This year, however, HTAG's board membership was selected by Symonds and Bencowitz, who is also a member of HRDC's board.

Some say conflict could arise if each group begins to see itself as the one to speak for Harvard theater.

"Politically, if they make too hard of a push for non-Loeb shows they could be seen...against the HRDC, which is not going to work," Guest says.

E. Peyton Sherwood '04, who is involved in technical theater at Harvard, says the re-emergence of HTAG may make students think about how Harvard theater is governed.

The HRDC used to control all Harvard theater, until the ART assumed control over the Loeb and the HRDC's jurisdiction became limited to shows going up in that building.

"Ever since that there's been that question just below the surface of who's running the show here. Where does one group's authority end and where does the other begin?" Sherwood says. "The HRDC calls itself the umbrella group for Harvard theater but nobody knows what that means."

Sherwood says these questions might result in drastic changes in governance of theater College-wide, including who selects shows, who controls the money and who speaks for Harvard theater.

"It might require a major restructuring of authority," he says.

But Cozzens says he is hopeful that HTAG will be a force for revitalizing non-Loeb theater, and that the two groups should find ways to cooperate.

"What we're all trying to do is make theater here better," he says.

-Staff writer J. Hale Russell can be reached at jrussell@fas.harvard.edu.