Thursday, March 12, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section C·Page 5
Awards give casts bragging rights
By Benjamin LeClair Special to the Kansan
All five groups performing in this years' Rock Chalk Revue are striving for the same thing: best overall show.
Although nine awards will be given Saturday night after the final act, best overall show is the big one.
So what does it take to win it all?
Danner Evans, Wichita sophomore and co-director of the Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Gamma Delta skit, said it was about spunk.
"it's sparkle," she said. "I guess it's the Rock Chalk spunk. You should look like you're having the time of your life."
Those are Danner Evans' crite
ria, but it's actually 16 judges who make the call.
The judging team — comprised of former revue directors, coordinators and local theater teachers — will be divided into two groups. One group of eight will judge on Thursday night, and the remaining eight will judge Friday night's performance. The judges' identities are a secret so revue teams cannot lobby.
This year, the judges will be scattered throughout the Lied Center, unlike previous years when judges sat together.
Kyle Evans, executive director of the Revue and Derby senior, said the change was implemented so a judge would not be influenced by another's reaction.
The judges, all volunteers, rate the acts on a one-to-five scale.
with a five being great and a one being poor.
Kyle Evans said the awards were important, but other things mattered too.
"Having the awards makes it a better show, because it raises the level of competition," he said. "It's important to have fun, but we're also here to help the United Way and Douglas County. I don't think that the awards should get in the way."
What does winning mean besides the Oscar-like trophy handed out? Bragging rights.
Kyle Evans said that winning was certainly a good feeling, but it only lasted so long.
"It's exciting, it's fun and it really gets you going for next year," he said. "But the bragging rights pretty much end when the
Group awards
AWARDS
Group awards
Best Overall Show
Most Effective Use of Sets
Best Production Number
Best Original Song
Individual Awards
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress.
new shows get going next year."
Although group awards reflect a team effort, judges also give awards for individual performances.
The individual awards are based upon a combination of singing, acting, stage presence and character development.
Other organizations left off play bill
By Carolyn Mollett
Special to the Korrae
It's a greek thing
the last year that a group composed entirely of non-greeks made it into Rock Chalk Revue was 1990. said Kyle Evans, revue executive director and Derby senior.
The Association of University Residence Halls and the All-Scholarship Hall Council each entered notebooks this year, but neither group made the cut.
The success of sororites and fraternities may be due to their strong tradition in the revue.
"One of the reasons why other living organizations are at a slight disadvantage is because they don't have the continuity that some of the sororities and fraternities have," said a revue judge, speaking anonymously. "But continuity doesn't matter if it's a good show."
Chris Andersen, a director of the AURH group and Ridgefield, Conn., sophomore, said that it had problems getting people involved because most people from the residence halls had never heard of the revue.
Evans said that the non-greek entries this year were not at a disadvantage because AURH and ASHC had leaders who previously had participated in the revue.
"The first year is a learning experience, and the second-year groups have a better chance," Evans said.
Mariah Neff, Carmel, N.Y., senior, was a director of the ASHC group this year and has helped with entries for the last three years. She said it was frustrating for her group always to be encouraged but never to be rewarded for its efforts.
"We tried to make it as funny as possible, but I guess they didn't
think it was funny enough," Neff said.
Neff said that after the notebooks were judged, she stayed to look at some other groups' notebooks. She was disappointed to find that some of the story lines were similar, something she thought revue directors were supposed to prevent.
"Pretty much we were screwed from the beginning because there was another story a lot like ours," Neff said.
Evans said that the story Neff referred to did not make it into the revue either.
Andersen and Jessica Perkins, revue director from AURH and Apple Valley, Minn., senior, said her group felt that it was treated fairly.
"Some people whine and cry and say it's all rigged," Perkins said. "But we're all judged by the same
process."
Neff said that a lot of the judges had participated in the revenue when they were KU students and were familiar with the show.
"They might have known if they were seeing a greek skek." Neff said.
The revue judge interviewed for this story said that the judges could not identify the living organizations by their performances. He said the judges did not care where participating groups lived as long as the best skirts were in the show.
John Laing, revue promotions coordinator and Shawne junior, said that the main disadvantage for non-greeks was funding. He said that in the past, groups did not have spending limits, but that this year stricter limits leveled the playing field.
"Give them a year or two, and you'll see some non-greeks in the show," Laing said.
Greek greeks
Participants from Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Tau Omega perform in their skit, "When in Rome." The scene was performed in the 1961 Rock Chalk Revue. This is the 49th consecutive year for the revue. Photo courtesy University Archives
The women of Alpha Chi Omega would like to wish all the 1998 Rock Chalk Revue participants the best of luck!
To the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon,
Thanks for all your dedication. with ya. You guys right moves!!
the women of Delta Delta Delta
To the talented men of Phi Gamma Delta...
We have really enjoyed getting to know the boys next door. Every day you "bemuse" and continue to impress us! You really showed us how the "cow eats the cabbage." Thank you for a great year.
Much Love,
The Women of
Kappa Kappa Gamma
To the women of Kappa Kappa
The men of Phi Gamma Delta wish you the best in your endeavors after you exit from our daily lives. Ah, the sweet days of your well-contrived poetry, and the snowy white of the toilet paper that covered our rooms; these are the days that we will miss. Could we every forget furniture wars that manifested from our burgeoning relationship in the year of our Rock Chalk betrothal? I must address the three women who endured us from the start. First, there is Cook, the ray of sunshine that greeted us with each passing practice. Second comes Brookard, the raggedgy girl that encapsulated our hearts with a keen sense of the obvious. At last, Danner, the bittersweet sound of the whip that cracked when the boys became distracted On yes, these are the days that we will remember and hold close to our bosom.
have got all the Love,
Colby, Stephen, and the men of Phi Gamma De