V127 PROGRAM

PLAYBILL STAFF Editor DOMINY GALLO, CC ’23 Layout Editor LYLA TRILLING, CC ’22 Staff Illustrators KAT CHEN, CC ’24 KATE STEINER, CC ’22 LILLY CAO, CC ’22 MADI HERMANN, BC ’22 MAYA WEED, CC ’22 Staff Writers CHASE CUTARELLI, CC ’23 CY GILMAN, CC ’22 ELIZA RUDALEVIGE, CC ’23 ELIZABETH JACKSON, CC ’22 ELYSA CASO-MCHUGH, BC ’23 HAILEY RYAN, BC ’22 JAI QURESHI, CC ’23 KELSEY KITZKE, BC ’22 NICOLE KOHUT, CC ’22 SADIA HAQUE, BC ’23 SAM NEEDLEMAN, CC ’22 SOPHIE POOLE, BC ’22 2

THE 127th ANNUAL VARSITY SHOW

By The Blue and White

4. BLUE BOOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It’s a Family Affair 5. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director’s Note 6. JUST THE FACTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V127: Campus in the Cloud 10. DEPT. OF UPTOWN PATOIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Glossary 12. CAMPUS CHARACTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Who’s Who in the Cast & Crew 23. THE CONVERSATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Notes from Behind the Scenes 29. SNACK INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . From the Team 31. PAYING THE BILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acknowledgments & Special Thanks

COVER ART BY KAT CHEN bweditors@columbia.edu • theblueandwhite.org • thevarsityshow.com

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BLUE BOOK It’s a Family Affair

THE VARSITY SHOW WAS BORN IN 1894, four gloriously quiet years after The Blue and

White emerged from Alma Mater’s iron womb. As the bookish older sibling sat doodling in the corner, the Columbia family fawned over the precocious little runt. The Show, as it was known, could make “spirit fingers” before it learned to sit up, inspired the invention of the phonograph, and hung out with way too many socialists. What began as a sibling rivalry soon turned into a sibling rout: paralyzed by the onset of modernity, our blueinked quills turned green, and we took a century-long hiatus while the runt charmed the socks off of the masses.

But 100 years of solitude can ameliorate the pain of favoritism, and our new partnership should stand as a monument to the eternal light of siblinghood. After a brief and forgivable flirtation with a satire magazine named for the party of one notorious Treasury Secretary, last December, The Show returned to The Blue and White on its knees. When our dear sibling finally realized it was Lin-Manuel who’d earned the eleven Tonys and that Alexander himself was rather a powder-wigged prude, we were only too happy to revive our partnership once and for all. This May, that partnership endures.

But like every other family reunion during these unprecedented times, ours has been bittersweet. Thwarted by the Columbia Community Health Compact’s ban on hugs and unfulfilled by elbow bumps, we took to Zoom to rekindle our familial flame. Five months later, we had hoped for the chance to see each other face-to-face this glorious Summer A term; alas, our campus remains in the cloud. So settle into your favorite Zoom nook and enjoy The 127th Annual Varsity Show from home. May this virtual show be our last.

—The Editors, Past and Present Var s it y

Blue & White

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Illustration by Lyla Trilling

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Director’s Note

“If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.”

- Fred Rogers At a time when Columbia’s community felt like it was hanging on by a thread, our team had a lot of goals for the 127th Annual Varsity Show.

We wanted the Varsity Show to explore how students have found meaning and connections during this isolating time, reach the quarter of our undergraduate students who may never have set foot on campus, reflect the unique challenges that this year has posed, and bring hope for all that our community can be in spite of those challenges.

The time we spent working to achieve these goals became time spent building a close, loving, supportive community in spite of the physical distance. I remain ever grateful for the team, the alumni, the advisors, the Columbia staff, and the friends who have made up that community. I look forward to re-building that community with all of you on campus soon.

Thank you for watching the 127th Annual Varsity Show.

Take care of yourself and see you soon, Christian Rene Palomares

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JUST THE FACTS

CAMPUS IN THE CLOUD Director: Christian Palomares Co-Producer: Mario Garcia Co-Producer: Julia Hyman Stage Manager: Grace Biondi Stage Manager: Grace Brown Composer: Evan Smolin Lyricist: Abby Rooney Choreographer: Angela Zhang Co-Writer: Wesley Schmidt Co-Writer: Gigi Russo Lead Designer: Octavio Galaviz

CAST OF CHARACTERS In Order of Appearance

EVE, former Spec star, now just trying to make it to graduation. . . . . . . . . . Lindsey Belisle DANI, Barnard first-year and coding prodigy ready for campus life. . . . . . . . . Anna Kasun RORY, transfer student and Columbia’s new Roaree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Kurtz REBECCA, Taurus sun, Leo moon, Gemini rising; GS mover and groover. . . Daisy Byers BARRY KANE, Rope bunny and bad-to-the-bone registrar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Callum Kiser JENNIFER SIMMONS, the brains and the beauty of this operation. . . . . Jackie Balestrieri ALEX, taught you how to hit a bong and made you question your sexuality. . . . Sydney Grayson JOHN, thinks he knows more than the TA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jackson Davis AMY, helpful TA who’s sick of striking, just wants her dental coverage . . . . . . Ketsia Zinga LOANNE, in serious need of a self-care Sunday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily McKiernan MATT, the one you almost hooked up with at that party until you heard he’s in a capella. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Chaikelson PROFESSOR ANDERSON, prof that has not adjusted their curriculum in the pandemic; manages to be cringey on and off camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Hanna RIVER, artsy guy in ADP who gave your friend crabs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Hanna THAD, econ major who’s definitely going to be president of Beta. . . . . . . . . . Jackson Davis BETH, been preparing to go to Columbia since first grade. . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily McKiernan MAXWELL CAMPBELL III, that guy, ugh!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Chaikelson THE COLUMBIA FEDERALIST, can’t decide between commentary and memes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sydney Grayson INTERIM PROVOST IRA KATZNELSON, university administrator with the world’s longest title. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Hanna

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JUST THE FACTS Illustration by Kat Chen

MUSICAL NUMBERS

Stable Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Full Company Time to Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eve, Dani Who Needs Class?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer, Barry, Dani Registration Roulette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Full Company Who Needs Class? (Reprise). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer, Barry Braggadocious. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thad, Beth, Maxwell, Eve, Rebecca, Rory

(Alex, Amy, River) Campus in the Clouds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dani Lion Pride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eve, Rebecca, Rory Roar, Lion, Roar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eve, Rebecca, Rory, Dani (Alex, Amy, Loanne, Matt, River, John) Homecoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dani, Rebecca, Rory, Eve (Alex, Amy, Loanne, Matt, River, John)

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JUST THE FACTS

N IO T UC D O PR TEAM

Illustration by Maya Weed

CREATIVE

TECH

Assistant Director Mary Qiu Assistant Producer Billy Kanellopoulos Assistant Producer Mary Schauf Assistant Stage Manager Aishlinn Kivlighn Assistant Choreographer Sydney Brown Assistant Music Director Malcolm Toleno Musical Assistant Sal Volpe

Animator Ren Huang Graphic Designer Ellie George Graphic Designer Emily Lord Graphic Designer Sarah Xi Editing Team Grace Paul Caroline Cassese Jessie Zhang Casey Rogerson Kiki Gonglewski

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JUST THE FACTS Caitlin Mulvihi Film Scout J Madden

Kendra Mosenson TikTok Manager Andrea Patella Historian Sophia Houdaigui

DESIGN

Props Master Judy Luk Costume Designer Leah Robins Assistant Costume Designer Vianney Marin Lighting Designer Liliana Seoror Assistant Lighting Designer Annabella Kliman Susannah Abrams Co-Sound Designer Christina Li James Pecore Assistant Set Designer Maisie Ryle Lana Shafiian Co-Tech Director Justin Ghaeli Lucas Gomes Audio Editor Nicholas Duran

SUNSHINE TEAM

Cast Mom Sophie Visscher Sarah Leidich Social Chair Adam Kluge

PUBLICITY

Publicity Manager Maya Campbell Publicity Team Andrew Kirdahy Dahlia Heven Haile Allegra Walker

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Illustration by Lyla Trilling

THE GLOSSARY Dept. of Uptown Patois

EC MOLD: Refers to East Campus (EC), a popular dorm perennially plagued with mold.

BUTLER: Library engraved with philosophers’ names. The hub of Columbia’s stress culture.

MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST: A semesterly event at which stressed-out Barnard students are served breakfast foods the midnight before finals start.

COSTAR: App that provides detailed info on your astrological chart and daily horoscopes.

FERRIS: Ferris Booth Commons, a dining hall that has weathered a few scandals.

SPEC: The Columbia Spectator, the school’s largest and most obnoxious student-run newspaper.

1020: Local campus bar. Pronounced “ten twenty.”

JJ’s BAR AND GRILL: Misnomer for JJ’s Place, the late-night dining hall.

POOP ON THE SUNDIAL: Refers to the campus landmark at the center of College Walk that has been literally shat upon. Multiple times.

LERNER PARTY SPACE: Dingy space on the lower level of Lerner Hall, the student center.

PRESIDENT BEILOCK: President of Barnard. Woman in STEM. LOW: Refers to Low Library, which is neither low nor a library.

ROAR-EE: Columbia’s mascot that shows up at ill-attended sports events. Possible furry.

CONTACT IMPROV: Dance technique that involves constant physical contact with a partner.

HELFAND: Professor David Helfand, creator of the Frontiers of Science course and Dumbledore/Santa Claus doppelganger.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Popular class on First Amendment law taught by President Bollinger.

GULATI: Famous (read: overhyped) econ professor known for cruel and unusual pop quizzes.

ART HUM: Art history course in the Core Curriculum.

SSOL: Student Services Online, the website where students register for classes.

Known to crash and provoke chaos.

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THE GLOSSARY NEW YORK LIVE ARTS: Dance performance venue known to feature some … experimental work.

LO-FI BEATS GIRL: Character from a popular video accompanied by chill music for studying.

BACCHANAL: Annual music festival on campus (and excuse to get wasted).

COURSEWORKS: Website where students keep track of assignments and log in for class.

LINKEDIN: Professional networking website where insufferable people post job updates and brag incessantly about their accomplishments.

FACEBOOK U: Short for Facebook University, a competitive training program for engineers.

BEGINNER’S MIND: Refers to Dean of Columbia College James Valentini’s motto, which says you should approach every situation as if you are a beginner, not an expert.

TINDER: Dating app where you swipe through profiles to find love, a hookup, or even a third.

WHEN2MEET: A notoriously clunky website for finding a meeting time that works for everyone.

GAB_NYC’s BLUE PARTY: Refers to a TikTok-famous Columbia student who threw an obscenely lavish party off campus during the pandemic and posted about it online.

COLUMBIA CONFESSIONS: A Facebook page where students anonymously post absurd, depressing, funny, and incendiary comments relating to Columbia life.

ROAR, LION, ROAR: Columbia’s fight song, originally written for the 1923 Varsity Show

by Corey Ford, CC 1923, to music by Roy Webb, CC 1910, and Morris W. Watkins, CC 1924.

BLUE BIN ROCKS: The pebbles and debris at the bottom of every blue bin that students use to move their belongings into their dorms.

Illustration by Kat Chen WELL-WOMAN: Program to promote health and wellness at Barnard.

MILLIE THE DANCING BEAR: Barnard’s mascot.

AMONG US: A social deduction online11 game. The objective: Find out who is the imposter.

CAMPUS CHARACTERS

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST The Hottest Varsity Show Cast Since Greta Gerwig

LINDSEY BELISLE, BC ’23, oozes elegance.

Her husky voice hums with the Mid-Atlantic accent of an old Hollywood starlet, and her grandmother— trained in acting and dance by Sanford Meisner and Martha Graham—once appeared in an Elizabeth Taylor movie.

Her mother was a theater actor, her grandfather, a talent agent: “In my family, everyone does theatre, really,” Belisle remarked. When tasked with acting and filming her scenes for Varsity, her family’s creative background proved useful.

After a green screen collapsed on her mid-scene, she phoned her cinematographer brother, Jack, for help, who promptly rushed from upper Manhattan to Morningside Heights: “He was so great about it. He was like, ‘I’m gonna make this a fancy shot, Lindsey … Just do the acting and I’ll do the filming.’”

Following in her family footsteps, Belisle decided to pursue a BA in English with a concentration in Theatre. Her three favorite Shakespeare plays are, in no particular order, Julius Caesar (“I really do [love it].”), Romeo and Juliet (“It’s just a classic!”) and King Lear (“I sob at the ending every time.”).

Here’s to tragedies, brothers who double as cinematographers, and Elizabeth Taylor!

—Sophie Poole

The following information may come as a shock: ANNA KASUN, CC ’24, peels the cheese off her pizza before she eats it.

That’s right, folks, her easy-breezy Covergirl smile hides a lurid past of doughy desecration. Pizza mutilation aside, this charming New Jersey-born actress blames her Leo energy for getting her involved in theater as an elementary schooler and “the people” for making her stay. Her favorite role she’s ever played is Bill Slank in Peter and the Starcatcher, a character she describes as “the most disgusting pirate” and “somebody who probably takes the cheese off of his pizza too.”

Okay, fine, the second part was a lie.

Jokes aside, Anna is thankful to her parents, Meredith and Daniel, for their roles as actors and as fans, and to the cast of the Varsity Show for making her feel a part of the Columbia community (although she may ditch them for the Ferris Reel Film Society or the ski team). She also kept mentioning someone named Crispy, whatever that means. Perhaps another pizza topping?

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—Eliza Rudalevige

CAMPUS CHARACTERS What is entertainment technology? A field, a religion, the subtitle of Elon Musk’s upcoming tell-all SNL memoir?

JOSEPH KURTZ, SEAS ’21, tried to tell me, but his fervor made definitions feel futile. It involves rotations and protrusions and giant columns—ones that floored middle-school Kurtz when he saw Michigan State’s production of The Phantom of the Opera. But in a post-grad daze on the Lower Peninsula, Kurtz shared that he has abandoned his plans to fuse his love of theatre with whatever they learn in SEAS by becoming an Entertainment Technologist. (What a missed opportunity for the resume: “ET, Fun Home.”) Broadway is dark, so why entertain the thought of technologizing entertainment? Enter the technocrat: Kurtz will start a Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon this summer instead.

Applause, indeed, but the Allegheny will never upstage the glimmering Hudson. Kurtz found his “family: on these banks—in the dorms, not onstage, though he does describe the Varsity Show squad as “vibey” and “iconic.” Well, since they’re not family, any crushes in the cast or crew? “Nah,” he says, with a grin so radiant that the feeling couldn’t possibly be mutual.

—Sam Needleman

Daisy Byers, BC ’24, a wide-smiling lady from Bernardsville, New Jersey, would like you to know that she is always down for a game of chess and is (maybe) planning to mount a rival chess club on campus. Byers credits her chessboard for helping her befriend both chess masters and people who don’t know a rook from a pawn. Though Byers acted throughout her childhood, she took a break from theatre in high school due to the time commitment. She is overjoyed to be back in the theatre world, working with both the Varsity Show and Latenite. Byers has a deep love for screenwriting, acting and directing, à la Phoebe Waller-Bridge (one of Byers’s inspirations), so don’t be surprised if you see her with an Emmy award someday soon. Moving to New York has finally allowed Byers to unleash her talent for fast walking, and to experience both New York’s delicacies (avocado, egg, and cheese on a bagel, bubble tea shops on every block), and its harrowing side (Grubhub cyclists: speed demons). To Byers, making someone laugh is the best feeling in the world, and she has loved the constant merriment that the Varsity Show has given her. Keep a lookout for her appearance in an upcoming

CAMPUS CHARACTERS music video (genre, artist and song unknown), because Byers knows that when people exit a car in the West Village, start a synchronized dance routine, and beckon you to dance with them, you go!

—Elizabeth Jackson

The first thing you should know about CALLUM KISER, CC ’21, is that he hails from Chatsworth, a northern suburb of Los Angeles and the porn capital of America.

So when you see him pelvic thrusting across the screen, you’ll know that he likely learned the move through childhood osmosis. He certainly didn’t learn it from a book; like most English majors, Callum can’t read for shit and would rather just not do essays.

Perhaps his concentration in American History redeems him to some extent.

Regarding his own past, Callum was first introduced to theater in his childhood, where he listened to musicals in the car. As a high school senior, he performed in a production of Into the Woods, only to play the same part (Mysterious Man) for Columbia’s own production in 2018. He also acted in the 125th and was the lyricist for the 126th Varsity Shows. In describing the fuckboy energy of Columbia’s premiere performing arts tradition, Callum noted just how the program uses its age, like the university itself, as a mark of esteem, exemplified by its concurrence

with the invention of electricity. After he said this, I took the face of Herodotus from my mind and supplanted it with that of Callum Kiser, a truer man of history.

—Chase Cutarelli

For JACKIE BALESTRIERI, BC ’24, theatre has always been an escape—a venture into a new world built around her imagination. This escape has never been more important than now, when her current world revolves around Zoom University. Jackie was passionate about theatre from a young age—likely a byproduct of her mom taking her to see over thirty Broadway shows as a kid. Even before coming to ww, Jackie had already been told that the Varsity Show was the best thing she could do for herself. After hearing murmurs about it through the web of Columbia Performing arts— the fastest traveling news source on campus (Sorry, Spec!)— Balestrieri decided to give it a shot. She hasn’t looked back since. Although this is her first production as a cast member, she was already familiar with the show from her experience in the crew of the 126th Varsity Show. Being a part of the Varsity Show has given her both a bustling creative community, and a break from the humdrum of her daily life. Going to the Zoom practice

CAMPUS CHARACTERS sessions and working with other people to create a story has been the highlight of Jackie’s pandemic days.

She cannot wait for everyone to bask in the glory of the journey she and the rest of the cast will take viewers on.

—Sadia Haque

KEVIN CHAIKELSON, CC ’23, would not exist without the Varsity Show. Sometime in the midst of the postwar baby boom, the composer for an upcoming Show introduced himself to one of the production’s dancers with an irresistible pickup line: “Well, who the hell needs you?” It seems that neither party held a grudge over this admittedly inauspicious opening, given that the two have been married for six decades.

Their daughter is Kevin’s mother, who, in turn, married a man she met in an acting class (currently a Columbia School of the Arts professor to boot).

Kevin’s own participation in the Show, then, seems like an act of intergenerational fate. Chaikelson himself is a creature of the stage, as evidenced both by the theatrical paraphernalia in the background of his Zoom screen— prints of Al Hirschfeld’s Rodgers and Hammerstein drawings and cast photos from acting camp—and the highschool-era tales he vividly recounted to me, of practicing tap dance, of training

his voice through Jewish a cappella, of twenty musicals, of meeting Nicki Minaj and Lin-Manuel Miranda through a cabaret show performance, acting camp—and the high-school-era tales he vividly recounted to me, of practicing tap dance, of training his voice through Jewish a cappella, of twenty musicals, of meeting Nicki Minaj and Lin-Manuel Miranda through a cabaret show performance, of acting as an extra in Jack Ryan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Yet amongst all these adventures in the performing arts, the Varsity Show remains something special to him—a return to where it all began. Kevin’s grandfather, the fifties-era Varsity Show composer, used to take a young Kevin on bike rides by the river and on trips to art museums; in this performance, Kevin says, “I can only hope to live up to what he represented for me.”

—Cy Gilman

KETSIA ZINGA, SEAS ’21, has been roasting major institutions since her theatrical debut as Bubblegum Bart in her fourth grade production of Christmas at the O.K. Corral. For those of you *cough* uncultured folk who are unfamiliar with the canonical classic that is Christmas at the O.K. Corral, it is the premier Western spin on

CAMPUS CHARACTERS the Grinch and the only Christmas roast worth watching. When it comes to the Varsity Show, Ketsia believes there is nothing better than “spending thousands of dollars on a show that roasts the Columbia experience to bring the community together.” We couldn’t agree more. Ketsia is more than just a veteran roaster, but also a Biomedical Engineering major and quiz bowl whiz. Wow. What a stud.

She’s also heading out to UT Austin for her PhD next year, where she hopes for the chance—just one chance—to court Matthew McConaughey at a football game or a saloon or wherever else folks gather in Texas. Yee-haw!

Once, probably at a rodeo or something, Ketsia stated that “if the most stressful parts of being a student can be reduced to a punchline, maybe they’re not so bad after all.” We’re glad she feels that way. Good for her! She’s excited to have one last performance before going out into a world where “improv isn’t a relevant skill,” which is ironic because all of her peers who are graduating alongside her with degrees in the arts are terrified to have one last performance before going out into a world where improv isn’t a relevant skill. Ketsia loves the Varsity Show because it is “perhaps the only time when Columbia students take a break from taking themselves too seriously”— we sure hope she doesn’t change her mind after reading this bio!

—Hailey Ryan

EMILY MCKIERNAN, BC ’23, self-identifies as an “attention seeking performance type of girl,” so it’s no surprise she found her way to the Varsity Show. Like every child who grew up in a slightly leftist household, McKiernan spent her summers at camp where she discovered her love for theater. But unlike the typical theater nerd who decides to dive into showbiz after seeing Rent for the first time, McKiernan’s theatrical awakening occurred after performing in Fame. It makes sense that McKiernan is so quirky considering she’s majoring in Biology, thus making her a woman in STEM and, by extension, a girlboss. Yeah, that’s right—she represents the arts and sciences. A true liberal arts queen. Although the pandemic put a pause on McKiernan’s first two years of college, she’s learned a lot of things from the Veesh cast, like how 1020 is 1) a bar frequented by Columbia students and 2) pronounced “ten twenty” not “ten thousand and twenty.” She would like to thank her suitemates for putting up with her temperamental green screen and obnoxious film schedule because, as McKiernan’s outstanding performance is bound to confirm, are you really a sophomore performing in Veesh if you

CAMPUS CHARACTERS don’t make it a priority to let everyone around you know you’re a sophomore performing in Veesh?

rising to the challenge of producing media that had never been done at this scale before. She can’t wait to see —Nicole Kohut the results of her and her castmates’ hard work over the course of the past year.

SYDNEY GRAYSON, BC ’23, hails from Seattle, a city which apparently has its fair share of Varsity Show alumni, who were part of her inspiration for getting involved in this performance herself. One might call her something of a local celebrity— she was recognized in a coffee shop for her performance as Fiona in her high school’s production of Shrek the Musical. Her other accolades include performing in West Side Story for the Seattle Opera and playing the witch in a highschool production of Into the Woods. At Columbia, not only does she perform in the Varsity Show, but she also sings with Notes and Keys— all this vocalizing keeps her quite busy, of course, but it’s rewarding nonetheless. She is grateful to her roommates, Lulu and Andy, for accommodating her intense practice schedule that had her singing in her room until 11 p.m. many nights. Sydney has enjoyed the new challenge of fully virtual performances, especially after watching the 126.5th show. She knew then that she wanted to get involved with people

—Elysa Caso-McHugh

PAUL HANNA, CC ’23, was inspired to join theater as a sophomore in high school after witnessing what he termed a “terrible production of Beauty and the Beast.” Soon after seeing that production, he landed his first role as the evil dentist in Radium Girls, another self-proclaimed “awful play.” Malicious dentistry must not have been a very appealing career path, as Paul has been involved in a number of productions as a part of CU Players and the New Opera Workshop, where he first met some of his current castmates. Despite his experience, it wasn’t until the rehearsals leading up to this production that Paul finally “convinced” himself that he’s actually funny. He’s playing a brooding and artsy character, someone who he himself might have become in “some sort of alternate universe … where [he] didn’t have any social sense.” And good thing he does have a social sense because the Varsity Show relies on its

CAMPUS CHARACTERS cast constantly adapting the method of delivery and making improvements to find a humorous balance that sounds and feels organic. This process makes Varsity Show, as Paul sold me, a “combination of everybody’s personalities.” As going overboard with “character work” is already something Paul is known to do, you can be sure that his lovely personality, and his tweed jacket, will light up the virtual stage.

—Jai Qureshi

JACKSON DAVIS, CC ’22, got into musical theater somewhat late: His junior year of high school, he begrudgingly joined the cast of his school’s musical after spending time on the football and basketball teams.

Don’t say it—he knows. “That’s a joke that my friends love to throw at me, the whole ‘get your head in the game’ thing.” Though, maybe the Troy Bolton comparison fits better than you’d think: Davis described the preparation for his two characters in V127 as aided by his “social chameleon” persona and his approach to Columbia outside of the theater community.

“Getting to play these parts is like my way of reaching back into the Columbia community, even from fifteen hundred miles away,” he said. What does he think the ultimate purpose of the Varsity Show is? A humoristic commentary/criticism of life at Columbia, sure, but also an understanding that the solutions to our problems “often comes by way of working together to reaching the actualization of all of our goals, however disparate they may be.” Indeed, a sense that we’re all in this together.

—Kelsey Kitzke

Portraits by Kate Steiner and Madi Hermann

CAMPUS CHARACTERS

WHO’S WHO IN THE CREW

The Hottest Varsity Show Crew Since Rodgers & Hammerstein

ABBY ROONEY, CC ’22 (Lyricist): Abby liked rhyming until she found out that the only words that rhyme with “New York” are variations of “stork,” “fork,” “pork,” and “cork,” none of which really work in context. Still, she had a blast working on V127 alongside an incredible cast, crew, and creative team. She would like to thank her family and friends for their support, Evan for the bops, and slant rhymes for saving her sanity.

Studies major who is a little too grateful to Columbia, to the Varsity Show community, and to all his supportive friends and family. Chrispy would like to dedicate his work on this show to his Vovó, whose love, kindness, and support made this all possible.

EVAN SMOLIN, CC ’23 (Composer): Evan is thrilled to be a part of this great tradition. At Columbia, he has previously written for NOMADS and directed for NOMADS and NOW. He thanks Malcolm and Sal for their tireless effort, the cast for their talent and hard work, the c-team for bringing this show to life, and Abby for her incredible lyrics and a great partnership.

ANGELA ZHANG, CC ’22 (Choreographer): Angela Zhang is a junior Neuroscience major who, in fact, only put on the choreographer facade because she would like to use the 127th Annual Varsity Show as a case study for her senior thesis. Shhhh, don’t tell the actors .... But she would like to thank everyone involved for collectively being her emotional crutch during this pandemic, and she would like to extend a special thanks to Zoom for helping her unlearn her left from her right.

CHRISTIAN “CHRISPY” PALOMARES, CC ’22 (Director): Christian

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GIGI RUSSO, BC ’22 (Co-Writer): Gigi wants to thank her family for watching this production even though they won’t understand the references.

She wants to thank the c-team and production team for listening to her rants fueled by enough Yerba mate to make her see God, and the cast for fake laughing at her jokes to make her feel better. She never imagined she would have the chance to write a varsity show and she is forever grateful for this experience. She expects to be credited when the story is inevitably purchased by Netflix.

CAMPUS CHARACTERS and Amsterdam for helping her make it through the semester. Grace would also like to thank the cast, crew, and fellow c-team members for all their hard work. She would especially like to thank Grace and Aishlinn for being the best SM out there. This is Grace’s third show working alongside other-Grace because they are codependent and share one brain cell. Thank you to everyone involved!

MARIO GARCIA, CC ’21 (Co-Producer): Mario Garcia is a (was a) senior in Columbia College who studied Chemistry in the classroom but did a lot more theatre outside the classroom. Throughout his time at Columbia he’s made some amazing friends and memories and is so happy his last production on this campus is with such a passionate and talented group such as the Varsity Show.

GRACE BROWN, BC ’23 (Stage Manager): Grace Brown is thrilled to be a part of the 127th Varsity Show and grateful for the incredible community it has brought her at Columbia. She would like to thank her fans, the Plimpton chickens, Diana sushi, Harry Styles, the other Grace B, Aishlinn, and of course the rest of the C-Team. She is majoring in Environmental Science at Barnard, and in her free time (which she really doesn’t have) Grace enjoys being a part of the CMTS board, running, visiting farme’’s markets, and trying new coffee shops around the city.

OCTAVIO GALAVIZ, CC ’21 (Lead Designer): Octavio is (was) a senior in Columbia College originally from Fresno, California, and finally got their degree in Political Science. A Varsity veteran, they have worked on the Varsity Show since V122, and are so grateful to have had the opportunity to be the Production Designer for V127. They are so proud to be part of such an amazing team and hope that you all enjoy what they hope will be the last totally virtual Varsity Show!

WESLEY SCHMIDT, CC ’22 (Co-Writer): JULIA HYMAN, BC ’22 (Co-Producer): Julia first started doing the Varsity Show to Wesley Schmidt is (now) a senior make friends and design costumes. Now, she has friends and a new love for produc- in Columbia ing. She is so proud of how hard everyone College studying Sociology and has worked to put this show together and Political Science. is grateful for everyone who made Zoom He started rehearsals a happy place. She would like his Columbia to thank her Co-Producer, Mario, for showing her the ropes, her family, and her theatre journey as Gomez Addams in CMTS’ The Addfriends, of course. ams Family, later playing Judas/John the Baptist in Godspell and Warner in Legally

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CAMPUS CHARACTERS AISHLINN KIVLIGHN, CC ’24 (Assistant Stage Manager): Aishlinn Kivlighn is a first-year in Columbia College studying Political Science and Economics. She is so excited to be a part of her first Varsity Show, and would like to thank the Graces, the crew and the cast for an amazing experience this semester. She hopes you enjoy the show!

JAMES PECORE, CC ’23 (Sound Designer): James Pecore, CC ’23, studies Computer Science and Music Composition.

Pecore co-music-directed FAME (CMTS 2020), sound-designed CUP One Acts, and composed a musical for NOMADS Wordplay. Pecore’s compositions are performed in NYC, Slovenia, Italy, Tennessee, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, etc. To relax, James loves boba tea and lo-fi Japanese hip-hop.

ALLEGRA WALKER, CC ’24 (Publicity Team): Allegra Walker is a longtime theater fan from New Hampshire. Since her role in the Varsity Show is all about publicity, she requests that you follow the meme account she shares with her twin sister, @platform9and3memes.

ANNABELLA KLIMAN, BC/JTS ’24 (Assistant Lighting Designer): V127 is Annabella’s first virtual production and first Varsity show! In the past, she has worked on plenty of musicals and plays as both assistant and head lighting designer.

Annabella is so excited for everyone to watch V127! A fun fact about Annabella is that she doesn’t have a twin, but if she did, they would be the same age as her.

J MADDEN, BC ’22 (Film Scout): J Madden is a junior majoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Barnard College, Zoom University.

JUDY LUK, GS ’21 (Props Master): Judy is delighted to be a part of the Varsity Show for the first (and last ...) time!

ELLIE GEORGE, BC ’23 (Graphic Designer): Ellie would like to thank her fellow collaborators and whoever invented Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator.

MAISIE RYLE, CC ’22 (Assistant Set Designer): Maisie is so excited to be working on the Varsity Show for the very first time!

Outside of Veesh, you can catch her reading philosophy on the lawns or at Notes and Keys rehearsal. Huge thanks to Lana and Octavio for being the most incredible set designers ever!

EMILY LORD, SEAS ’23 (Graphic Designer): Emily Lord is a sophomore in SEAS and is psyched to be a part of her first Varsity Show. She’s loved being around so many creative people and watching many hours of niche Photoshop tricks.

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CAMPUS CHARACTERS MARY QIU, CC ’24 (Assistant Director): Mary is a first-year in CC and she feels very lucky to have sat in on so many rehearsals and witnessed the amazing work that went into the Varsity Show. She knows she sounds like she is exaggerating, but with every rehearsal, she felt like she walked away feeling a bit more human.

Like this show, the people of V127 have reaffirmed her belief that she can have a good time during her next three years at Columbia, in spite of everything. Congratulations to all for their amazing work—it was a pleasure to be part of this creative process!

MAYA CAMPBELL, BC ’23 (Publicity Manager): Maya is a sophomore at Barnard studying Neuroscience and English. Outside of school, she can be found working at the Barnard Theatre Department, dancing in Marjorie Folkman’s ballet class, and filling her roommate’s closet with bright yellow balloons. Enjoy the show!

VIANNEY MARIN, CC ’24 (Assistant Costume Designer): Vianney is a freshman in Columbia College. She enjoys eating, crocheting, procrastinating, and spending time with her cat, and is super excited to have been part of V127!

TIRED OF READING CAST AND CREW BIOS? TRY THIS ART HUM TRIVIA INSTEAD 1. Where do the Elgin Marbles belong?

a. Greece b. Greece c. The Acropolis Museum

2. Who is a better Queen Elizabeth?

a. Claire Foy b. Olivia Coleman 3. Who is the best Gossip Girl character?

SAL VOLPE, GSAS ’21 (Arranger): After six years here, Sal is excited to end his Columbia theatre journey with the Varsity Show! He wants to give a shout out to Evan and Abby for creating fantastic songs for him to have fun with and thanks to Mario for being a source of love and support!

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a. Cyrus Rose

THE CONVERSATION Notes from the Creative Team

Illustration by Lilly Cao

THE PROCESS Christian Palomares (Director): I start every rehearsal with a check-in, I usually like to ask what people are grateful for that day. It is a small thing, but with the challenges of the past year hearing what everyone had to say made me smile and I hoped it might’ve lifted some other people’s spirits as well.

Julia Hyman (Co-Producer): The role of Producer entails many different things.

It depends on the day but some of the tasks Mario and I complete include filling out FTFs to order costumes or props for the show, conflict mediation, meetings with our advisor, alumni relations, and publicity. I think something that surprised me was how many emails I sent and received.

Mario Garcia (Co-Producer): A producer is mainly responsible for making sure everyone has access to what they need to do their job. We tend to be responsible for not only ensuring the show is running but also that people aren’t stressing out and that they are actually enjoying themselves.

Grace Biondi (Stage Manager): The day-to-day of stage managing has definitely shifted since being online. During the rehearsal, most of our time is spent keeping the rehearsal on track to follow the schedule, reading lines, and making the rehearsal reports. Outside of rehearsal, we make the rehearsal and writing schedules, send out the weekly/daily calls, and make sure that every recording/

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THE CONVERSATION /filming is turned in on time.

Grace Brown (Stage Manager): Stage managing involves wearing many different hats, but overall I’d say the role entails overseeing and organizing the day to day functions of the production, as well as coordinating between the different members of the Creative Team, the cast, and the production team.

Evan Smolin (Composer): Writing for a film musical, which is basically what we’re doing, actually gives composers a lot more freedom. When you see shows in person, there has to be a stylistic unity throughout the score, but on film that distinction doesn’t apply because the continuity is broken. Compare the movie Frozen with Into the Woods and you’ll see what I mean. That additional freedom allowed me to incorporate many different styles into the score. We have rock, folk, jazz, techno, big band, pop, ragtime, classic and contemporary musical theatre, and more all influencing this score.

Abby Rooney (Lyricist): In general, we worked together pretty closely to make sure the lyrics extended naturally from the scenes and advanced the plot. And since we’re only allowed to have a couple of f-bombs in the show, we had to coordinate those.

The creative team binge-watched past Varsity Shows, and Evan and I definitely emulated things we liked. “Registration Roulette” was inspired by “Shafted” from V120. Looking at musical theater tradition more broadly, “Who Needs Class?” is a Kander and Ebb-style number, and “Stable Connection” is part of the “Rent” lineage.

Ultimately, whether the music or lyrics came first varied from song to song. It also largely depended on which one of us had writer’s block at any given time.

While one of us was banging their head against the wall, the other one was writing. Unless we were both banging our heads against the wall. Then we were just screwed.

Angela Zhang (Choreographer): For musical theatre, I first gauge the movement qualities and skills of the cast throughout callbacks and the first couple

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THE CONVERSATION of days of rehearsal. I then listen to each of the songs and feel out what aesthetic or choreographic style I want to fit to the number. From there I just kinda move with the music until I come up with something that I like.

I tried to make Braggadocious as cheesy as possible, giving the number a caricature-y and over-the-top feel that I think fits with the LinkedIn aesthetic.

I love the chaos and silliness in this number and the creative ways actors chose to embody the fakeness and stress of networking, especially at the end of the number.

Gigi Russo (Co-Writer): I wish I could say I keep a consistent schedule and write in an organized manner but I think the truth is my brain only works when I’m not trying (kinda like finding Narnia?). I think a lot of my best jokes or plot points that I’ve contributed are things that I thought of in the shower or while having a ~non-alcoholic beverage~. When I get silly ideas I write them down and then text Wes and we workshop things together. Our process together involves a lot of tangential conversations about Marvel and the state of Kentucky.

Wesley Schmidt (Co-Writer): Ultimately, my philosophy is that- if the characters themselves are funny/interesting, then the show will be funny/interesting.

The humor and intrigue should flow from the characters’ interactions; there should not be “jokes” per se, but funny individuals reacting to one anothers’ comments. I hope that’s something that shines through in the finished product.

FAVORITES Christian Palomares (Director): I am directing this show because I love the Columbia and Varsity Show community and I want the Varsity Show to continue on forever and ever and ever … Every aspect of this show has cemented that love and reminded me why I am so lucky to have stumbled upon this tradition as a first-year. The friendships I have built, the lessons I have learned, the memories I have made will be cherished for the rest of my life. Simple as that.

Julia Hyman (Co-Producer): The friends you make along the way. Because it is such a long process, you get to know a lot of the people involved and create

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THE CONVERSATION connections forever. Our alumni network is very strong and is an integral part of the success of our show.

Mario Garcia (Co-Producer): The community formed between the different people involved.

Grace Biondi (Stage Manager): I love seeing the process of creating a full length musical from scratch. I think it’s so interesting, especially post-Turkey Day, to see how the show changes and grows.

Grace Brown (Stage Manager): How specific it is. Often musical theatre aims to be relatable; even if a musical tells a specific story, there are aspects that everyone can relate to. I love that the Varsity Show is completely the opposite and is so extremely specific to this time and place.

Abby Rooney (Lyricist): We wrote some awful songs that are funny in hindsight.

I’d quote them, but I want them to die and stay dead.

Angela Zhang (Choreographer): My favorite part is definitely seeing what kind of wacky dance improv the cast can come up with.

Wesley Schmidt (Co-Writer): We have an entire “Overheard at V127” group chat for all the hilarious things said at rehearsals. One of my favorites has to be an ad-lib that didn’t make it into the actual show, when one of the villains said, “Come here you little Whore Lion Whore.” We currently have Evan working on the orchestration, so get ready for that to be our new fight song.

Octavio Galaviz (Lead Designer): It’s made by the students of Columbia, for the students of Columbia. We like to think of the show as a gift to our community, and each year the creative team works to capture what it’s like to be a student at Columbia at a specific moment in time. No two shows will be the same because life at Columbia changes constantly.

The funniest moments for me were always the moments when the upperclassmen offered their knowledge to the fresh batch of first years. There’s such an oral history of theatre at Columbia, and sharing anecdotes about previous shows,

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THE CONVERSATION or even clarifying that “1020” is in fact not pronounced “one thousand twenty” always brought me joy as an outgoing senior.

TRADITION!

Grace Biondi (Stage Manager): West End Preview. I love how we write and rehearse a fake plot so that we can give the student body a sneak peek of the songs and choreo. It’s so extra but a lot of fun.

Grace Brown (Stage Manager): I love Turkey Day, which is a day when we give Varsity Show alumni a preview of the show and receive their feedback on it. It’s really cool to see how many people have been impacted by the Varsity Show and still care enough to come back after so many years and help us. It can sometimes be a little stressful getting feedback, but I love the tradition of bringing together the entire community from past and present and being able to bond over this shared Varsity Show experience.

Christian Palomares (Director): As a first-year and cast member, I loved every Varsity Show tradition: the pieing, Turkey Day, West End Preview, IAL Diamond. I am so grateful that my team has prioritized making every single one of these traditions happen this year—even if it required some creative adaptations.

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THE CONVERSATION Julia Hyman (Co-Producer): Turkey Day and when we pie the cast. Turkey Day is special because it shows us how much the Varsity Show means to both the current team and also past alumni. Even though we were online this year, Mario and I worked hard to contact parents and roommates to pie our new members for us.

Abby Rooney (Lyricist): Turkey Day is my favorite tradition. I will always cherish the opportunity to get ripped to shreds by Varsity Show alumni.

Gigi Russo (Co-Writer): I love the yearly alum sacrifice; it’s kinda weird at first but once you get in the spirit of the event and overcome the smell of burning flesh, it’s a great way to appease the dark lord of Columbia. Heads up Jacob Kaplan, you’re next

WHY MAKE FUN?

Christian Palomares (Director): I think Jacob Kaplan put it best, “Columbia is the Perfect Place for Inside Jokes.”

Grace Biondi (Stage Manager): It’s such an old school with just a little too much self-importance. It makes it easy for students to poke fun at it.

Grace Brown (Stage Manager): Whether it’s the stress culture, competing for an internship, competition in a class, or applying to get into clubs, everyone has experienced some aspect of Columbia where we take ourselves very seriously.

Satire is such an obvious counter to that.

Abby Rooney (Lyricist): There’s nothing more fun than making fun of people who don’t make fun of themselves nearly often enough.

Angela Zhang (Choreographer): Faculty, students, and administration alike all tend to be a little neurotic and strong-willed at times, and this generates a lot of fun drama to latch onto.

Gigi Russo (Co-Writer): You can write a show like this with characters that are pretty grounded in reality, and anyone can watch and think, “Oh, yeah, I know that guy.”

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SNACK INDEX From the Team

Grace Brown (Stage Manager): Very specific but my personal favorite is the Trader Joe’s Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, Chili & Lime Flavored. That’s the snack that powered me through many Zoom rehearsals, so I would have to recommend.

Christian Palomares (Director): The best snack to complement the 127th Annual Varsity Show is whatever will make you happy... maybe it’s popcorn, maybe it’s ice cream, or maybe it’s a bottle of Josh wine! For me, it will be all of the above!

Grace Biondi (Stage Manager): Goldfish and a large iced coffee, cream and sugar, from Dunks.

Mario Garcia (Co-Producer): A rhubarb and strawberry crisp. Super easy to make. For the crumb topping, 1:1:2 ratio of butter, sugar, and flour, respectively. You can make a personal sized dish or for a family depending on who you’re watching with! Get your hands in there and mix everything together. If you want you can add oats, cereal, nuts, etc.

Keep on crumbling until everything is mixed and pull together some clumps to vary the size of your crumb topping. Next is the fruit. I personally enjoy rhubarb and strawberries because the tartness of the rhubarb pairs well with the intense sweetness Illustrations by Lyla Trilling

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SNACK INDEX From the Team

Wesley Schmidt (Co-Writer): Definitely go for some popcorn (extra butter of course) and a Crunch bar—it’s the best way to do movies (or virtual musicals).

Abby Rooney (Lyricist): Peanut butter straight out of the jar.

Lyla Trilling (Playbill Designer): Gormeh Sabzi (if you don’t know it look it up, freak!).

Gigi Russo (Co-Writer) “Sex on the Beach in the Stacks” 1 ½ oz Vodka 1 oz Peach Schnapps 2 oz Cranberry juice 2 oz Orange juice Mix with ice and pour into an annotated copy of Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Enjoy!

Dominy Gallo (Playbill Editor): Stacy’s Garden Veggie Medley Pita Chips.

Illustrations by Lyla Trilling

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PAYING THE BILLS

Acknowledgments & Special Thanks Emily Delman Kyrena D.Wright William Joshua Lucas The Activities Board at Columbia All the parents/friends that helped with Pieing our Cast New and Original Material Authored and Directed by Students (NOMADS) Bacchante Columbia Musical Theater Society Fruit Paunch Notes & Keys Varsity Show Alumni The 126th Annual Varsity Show

READ THE BLUE AND WHITE You didn’t forget about us, did you?

www.theblueandwhite.org 31