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Varsity Show

2008-12-14T18:16:33Z

Esbyrne:

{{Infobox club
|Name=Varsity Show
|Image=Vshow.jpg
|Founded=[[1894]]
|Recognition=[[ABC]]
|Membership=22
|Executive board=Director, Thomas Anawalt<br>Producer, Rebecca Lewis<br>Producer, [[Darcy Zacharias]]
|Allocation=Undisclosed<br>(2008-2009)
|Category=[[:Category:Performance_clubs|Performance]]}}
{{wp-also}}
The '''Varsity Show''', founded in [[1894]], is one of the university's oldest traditions, and certainly its oldest performing arts tradition. Every year, the Varsity Show produces a unique full-length show that skews and satirizes many aspects of life at Columbia. And every year students line up way before the show in order to get good seats.

Ironically, many of the administrators being parodied and lambasted are often sitting in the front rows of the audience. No study has been conducted to determine whether these administrators realize there's a reason they're being ridiculed on stage.

Past directors and writers include such distinguished names as [[Oscar Hammerstein]], [[Lorenz Hart]], [[Richard Rodgers]], [[I. A. L. Diamond]], and [[Herman Wouk]].

== Show preparations ==

The Varsity Show begins, however, long before the crowds begin to form outside the doors to [[Roone]]. In early October, the previous year's creative team interviews and auditions candidates to succeed them, and chooses a creative team of eight or nine students. The newly minted creative team runs cast and chorus auditions in the middle of November. The Varsity Show is notoriously the most selective casting process in Columbia theater, and the results are always the result of much gossip and debate: Though the numbers vary from year to year, around 150 people audition for the show, singing a one minute song selection, performing a scene with a random partner, and sometimes being asked to do improv comedy. From this group, around 20 people are asked to attend cast callbacks, and the invite is also automatically extended to performers from past Varsity shows. Callbacks are typically held on a Saturday from 8am until 3pm. Those who have been called back perform a monologue, do improv in a character, and learn an original song and dance. From the 25 or so that participate in callbacks, the creative team casts about eight. The debates over casting notoriously span hours, and the new cast is welcomed into the Varsity family through a special ritual that's stuff of rumors and legend. If you want to find out what it is, why don't you put on your jester's cap and give auditions a go?

== Trivia ==
The Varsity Show coined the term "[[PrezBo]]".

[[Songs|"Roar, Lion, Roar"]] is based on a Varsity Show melody.

==See also==

*[[Varsity Show performances]]
*[http://www.thevarsityshow.com/morningside Sing a Song of Morningside - A history of the Varsity Show] by [[Thomas Vinciguerra]]

== External links ==

* [http://www.thevarsityshow.com/ Varsity Show website]

[[Category:Performance clubs]]
[[Category:Traditions]]
[[Category:Annual events]]
[[Category:Varsity Show]]

Morningside Hates (114th Annual Varsity Show)

2008-12-14T18:14:31Z

Esbyrne: /* Cast & Chorus */

'''Morningside Hates''' was the 114th annual [[Varsity Show]]. It was performed in [[Roone Arledge Auditorium]] in May [[2008]]. The title is a play on [[Morningside Heights]] referencing recent [[2007 bias incidents|hate crimes]], in case you were too stupid to figure that out.

Because of its references to these and other current events of the past school year (including the [[2007 hunger strike]] and the visit of [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]), the show was one of the best received in recent memory. Student criticism focused on the lack of diversity within the cast, which they argued was reflected in the storyline.

==Plot==
Whether it’s school, their peers, or of course, Barnard, there’s nothing Columbia students love more than finding something to hate. So when optimistic Cornell transfer David meets idealistic Barnard eco-rep Lizzy, the penchant for positive thinking that sets them apart from the rest of campus draws them closer to each other.

After a “bias incident” at Columbia’s all-female counterpart, however, head of Public Safety James McShane attempts to consolidate control over Barnard’s campus. When President Judith Shapiro realizes that this is more about hate and less about crime, she bites back, setting off a bitter conflict that pits the two schools against each other.

As Barnard stands her ground and Columbia refuses to give in, David and Lizzy struggle to stay together, finding it harder than they expected to keep cool in the hate-wave.

==Cast & Chorus==

*[[Kieron Cindric]] (Associate Professor Bradbury)
*[[Sarah Dooley]] (Lizzy)
*[[Lauren Glover]] (Barnard President Judith Shapiro)
*[[Laura Kleinbaum]] (Caroline)
*[[Tobin Mitnick]] (Carter)
*[[Will Snider]] (Head of CU Security James McShane)
*[[Michael Snyder]] (David)
*[[Zach Dyer]] (Chorus)
*[[Emily Alpern Fisch]] (Chorus)
*[[Allie Paddock]] (Chorus)
*[[Sophie Ragir]] (Chorus)
*[[Michael Seaman]] (Chorus)
*[[Jenny Vallancourt]] (Chorus)

==Creative team==
*[[Hannah Kass]], Director
*[[Erin Byrne]], Producer
*[[Jeff Schwartz]], Producer
*[[James R. Williams]], Writer
*[[Rob Trump]], Writer
*[[Katie Hathaway]], Composer/Lyricist
*[[Benjamin Velez]], Composer/Lyricist
*[[Emily Bickford]], Choreographer
*[[Ben Weinryb Grohsgal]], Art Director

==External links==
*[http://www.bwog.net/articles/review_the_114th_varsity_show Bwog review]

{{succession|preceded=[[Insufficient Funds (113th Annual Varsity Show)|Insufficient Funds]]|succeeded=[[Title (115th Annual Varsity Show)|115th Annual Varsity Show (forthcoming)]]|office=[[Varsity Show performances]]|years=[[2008]]}}

[[Category:Varsity Show]]

Morningside Hates (114th Annual Varsity Show)

2008-12-14T18:10:45Z

Esbyrne: /* Creative team */

'''Morningside Hates''' was the 114th annual [[Varsity Show]]. It was performed in [[Roone Arledge Auditorium]] in May [[2008]]. The title is a play on [[Morningside Heights]] referencing recent [[2007 bias incidents|hate crimes]], in case you were too stupid to figure that out.

Because of its references to these and other current events of the past school year (including the [[2007 hunger strike]] and the visit of [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]), the show was one of the best received in recent memory. Student criticism focused on the lack of diversity within the cast, which they argued was reflected in the storyline.

==Plot==
Whether it’s school, their peers, or of course, Barnard, there’s nothing Columbia students love more than finding something to hate. So when optimistic Cornell transfer David meets idealistic Barnard eco-rep Lizzy, the penchant for positive thinking that sets them apart from the rest of campus draws them closer to each other.

After a “bias incident” at Columbia’s all-female counterpart, however, head of Public Safety James McShane attempts to consolidate control over Barnard’s campus. When President Judith Shapiro realizes that this is more about hate and less about crime, she bites back, setting off a bitter conflict that pits the two schools against each other.

As Barnard stands her ground and Columbia refuses to give in, David and Lizzy struggle to stay together, finding it harder than they expected to keep cool in the hate-wave.

==Cast==

*[[Kieron Cindric]] (Associate Professor Bradbury)
*[[Sarah Dooley]] (Lizzy)
*[[Lauren Glover]] (Barnard President Judith Shapiro)
*[[Laura Kleinbaum]] (Caroline)
*[[Tobin Mitnick]] (Carter)
*[[Will Snider]] (Head of CU Security James McShane)
*[[Michael Snyder]] (David)

==Creative team==
*[[Hannah Kass]], Director
*[[Erin Byrne]], Producer
*[[Jeff Schwartz]], Producer
*[[James R. Williams]], Writer
*[[Rob Trump]], Writer
*[[Katie Hathaway]], Composer/Lyricist
*[[Benjamin Velez]], Composer/Lyricist
*[[Emily Bickford]], Choreographer
*[[Ben Weinryb Grohsgal]], Art Director

==External links==
*[http://www.bwog.net/articles/review_the_114th_varsity_show Bwog review]

{{succession|preceded=[[Insufficient Funds (113th Annual Varsity Show)|Insufficient Funds]]|succeeded=[[Title (115th Annual Varsity Show)|115th Annual Varsity Show (forthcoming)]]|office=[[Varsity Show performances]]|years=[[2008]]}}

[[Category:Varsity Show]]

Morningside Hates (114th Annual Varsity Show)

2008-12-14T18:07:48Z

Esbyrne: /* Plot */

'''Morningside Hates''' was the 114th annual [[Varsity Show]]. It was performed in [[Roone Arledge Auditorium]] in May [[2008]]. The title is a play on [[Morningside Heights]] referencing recent [[2007 bias incidents|hate crimes]], in case you were too stupid to figure that out.

Because of its references to these and other current events of the past school year (including the [[2007 hunger strike]] and the visit of [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]), the show was one of the best received in recent memory. Student criticism focused on the lack of diversity within the cast, which they argued was reflected in the storyline.

==Plot==
Whether it’s school, their peers, or of course, Barnard, there’s nothing Columbia students love more than finding something to hate. So when optimistic Cornell transfer David meets idealistic Barnard eco-rep Lizzy, the penchant for positive thinking that sets them apart from the rest of campus draws them closer to each other.

After a “bias incident” at Columbia’s all-female counterpart, however, head of Public Safety James McShane attempts to consolidate control over Barnard’s campus. When President Judith Shapiro realizes that this is more about hate and less about crime, she bites back, setting off a bitter conflict that pits the two schools against each other.

As Barnard stands her ground and Columbia refuses to give in, David and Lizzy struggle to stay together, finding it harder than they expected to keep cool in the hate-wave.

==Cast==

*[[Kieron Cindric]] (Associate Professor Bradbury)
*[[Sarah Dooley]] (Lizzy)
*[[Lauren Glover]] (Barnard President Judith Shapiro)
*[[Laura Kleinbaum]] (Caroline)
*[[Tobin Mitnick]] (Carter)
*[[Will Snider]] (Head of CU Security James McShane)
*[[Michael Snyder]] (David)

==Creative team==
*[[James R. Williams]], writer
*[[Rob Trump]], writer

==External links==
*[http://www.bwog.net/articles/review_the_114th_varsity_show Bwog review]

{{succession|preceded=[[Insufficient Funds (113th Annual Varsity Show)|Insufficient Funds]]|succeeded=[[Title (115th Annual Varsity Show)|115th Annual Varsity Show (forthcoming)]]|office=[[Varsity Show performances]]|years=[[2008]]}}

[[Category:Varsity Show]]