Thursday, March 9, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Executive director keeps her mental focus on revue
Marie Mossberger, Leawood senior, is executive director of this production of the Rock Chalk Revue. Photo by Brad Dreier/KANSAN
By Michael Sudhalter
Kansan Correspondent
The theme for this year's Rock Chalk Revue may be "Out of Focus," but that would hardly describe Marie Mossberger, Leawood senior, who is the revue's executive director.
Twelve groups applied for this year's revue and Mossberger was in charge of selecting five acts for the show, each with two groups in the act. Each skit will be about 25 minutes long. To involve even more people, revue directors held open tryouts for preshow entertainment, Mossberger said.
"This year is a predominantly Greek event even though we would like to see involvement from the non-Greek community," Mossberger said.
Mossberger said. As a junior in 1999, Mossberger had a similar role, but it was on a smaller scale.
"Last year I was the director for the Chi Omega skit and I put together one notebook. This year I am in charge of all five skits," Mossberzer said.
Mossberger has been attending daily Rock Chalk practices from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. where she monitors each group's progress with their scripts and choreography, making sure they meet their deadlines.
Mossberger, who has found being in charge of five skits rather than one is more difficult, said that the revue was mostly a musical and drama production that was suitable for a family audience.
Rock Chalk Revue was started by Roy Wonder who took the idea for a
variety show from Kansas State University.
"To participate in the Rock Chalk Revue is a goal for most greek organizations on campus; they have their skits planned by November when 10 judges listen to the proposed skits for about 15 minutes." Mossberger said.
The show includes the pairing of 10 greek organizations: Gamma Phi Beta and Delta Upsilon; Phi Delta Theta and Kappa Alpha Theta; Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Phi Epsilon; Pi Beta Phi and Phi Delta Gamma; and Beta Theta Pi and Delta Gamma. In addition to the hour-long, weekday practices, each pair has 90-minute practice sessions on Satursdays and Sundays.
While Mossberger thought that the show was basically geared
toward family and friends of the participants, she also thought that it would attract some area alumni.
Lillian Ruggles, the co-community service director for the revue and Wichita senior, said the organization was expecting to make a large donation to the United Way this year through ticket sales and fundraising efforts.
Mossberger, an elementary education major, thought that her experience as an executive director would help in her professional life.
The ticket prices are $10 tonight and $13 tomorrow. Saturday's show is already sold out.
"Directing Rock Chalk Revue was a good life experience, and although I'll be sad when it is over. I have learned a lot about people in general," Mossberger said.
What is that thing again?
Molly Hand, Lake Forest, Ill., junior, and Keely Roberts, Tulsa, Okla., sophomore, paint a giant cactus that will be part of their set for the Rock Chalk Revue. Hand and Roberts are members of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, which is teamed with Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity for the revue. Photo by Carolyn Mollett/KAN SAN
Participants put in extra hours, effort for revue to succeed
By Sara Bouska
Kansan correspondent
Upsilon.
Rock Chalk Revue requires a huge time commitment for the students involved.
The commitment is at least 10 to 15 hours a week, said Sara Rock, Lenexa sophomore and a member of Gamma Phi Beta's revue cast with Delta
"I had to quit my job because the practices take up so much time and the times were always changing," Rock said.
For participants, practices were every weekday for one hour, one and a half hours on the weekends. Sometimes groups had a couple of extra song practices during the week.
Members of the participating chapters also spend a large amount of time performing community service.
There are no actual requirements for the groups that participate, said Lillian Ruggles, Wichita senior and coordinator of community service for the revue.
"It's organized so that there are certain categories of awards that the
house can win for a certain amount of community service," Rugges said.
The groups need at least nine hours per member for a bronze award, at least 11 hours for a silver award, and at least 13 for a gold award. The amount of community service is measured from the United Way Day of Caring on Sept. 12 to March 2, the week
before the revue.
Members of the cast and crew as well as other members of the house participate in community service hours.
"Everyone tries to do the same amount, and we would all go that extra mile if we needed to," Rock said. She said Gamma Phi Beta was going for the gold award.