KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2010 / NEWS
GREEK LIFE
7A
Performers of this year's Rock Chalk Revue rehearse Wednesday night at the Lied Center. Rock Chalk Review begins tonight at 7 p.m.
BY ROSHNI OOMMEN roommen@kansan.com
Rock Chalk Revue premieres after months of rehearsal
For John LeRoy and Jon Goscha, all their effort and hard work from the past several months will come down to this weekend.
LeRoy, a senior from Leawood,
and Goscha, a junior from Salina.
are two of the directors for Sigma Nu fraternity in this year's production of Rock Chalk Revue. Sigma Nu is paired with Alpha Delta Pi sorority for the show in a
“It's already been worth it,” LeRoy said. “I couldn't think of a better way to end my senior year in college. Regardless of the outcome, it's been one of the best experiences I could ever imagine.”
"All the shows are equally creative. They're all really good shows."
production titled "Prepare for a Scare."
Goscha said that their show is about a group of monster friends working together to scare the king of the monsters. He said that both chapters put a lot of time and effort into this year's production and are looking forward to seeing the results.
MEGHAN PUHR Olathe senior
Last year, Sigma Nu rejoined the Greek community after being removed from campus for one year. Because the last time SigmaNu was in Rock Chalk Revue was in 2004, LeRoy said that the chapter's participation in this year's show would play a big role in building a reputation for themselves on campus.
"It's a big step in getting our name back out," LeRoy said. "We're establishing our presence on campus again."
This year marks the 61st year of Rock Chalk Revue, which is one of the University's largest philanthropy efforts. Last year, the show raised $60,000 for United Way,
Rock Chalk Revue is a campus-wide variety show that pairs organizations to write, create and perform a 30-minute show for the University and Lawrence community. Participants for Rock Chalk Revue were selected by 12 judges after a weekend of auditions in
and proceeds this year will again go to the organization.
November.
The groups have been preparing for this weekend's performance since then. Performances, which begin tonight, last all weekend.
Steve Fessler, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., and executive producer of Rock Chalk Revue, oversees all business and theatrical aspects of the show. Fessler said that a large part of his effort is geared toward raising money for the United Way through selling ads to local businesses that appear in the production program. Fessler also oversees the establishment of corporate sponsors.
From ad sales and corporate sponsors alone, Fessler said Rock Chalk Revue has raised more than $20,000 for the United Way. After ticket sales, Fessler said he hoped to see more than $60,000 raised.
"Obviously, our main emphasis is to raise money for the United Way," Fessler said. "One of my big goals from the beginning was increasing the quality of the performance. We'd like to see ticket sales increase in tandem."
Beyond raising money for the United Way, groups have a major incentive to participate — to earn the trophy for the best show. Typically, participants and facilitators are able to guess who's going to win, but Meghan Puhr, a senior from Olathe and co-executive director of the show, said that was
KAPPA DELTA & THETA
CHI: "Ripe"
ROCK CHALK REVUE PARTICIPANTS AND SHOW NAMES
SIGMA KAPPA & SIGMA PHI EPSILON: "Where in the World"
KAPPA ALPHA THETA & PI KAPPA PHI: "Flying Solo: A Supermusical"
ALPHA DELTA PI & SIGMA NU: "Prepare for a Scare"
SHOWTIMES AND TICKET PRICES
All shows are at 7 p.m.
All shows are at 7 p.m.
TONIGHT:
Add: 110
115
FRIDAY:
Adults $18, students $15
Adults $18, students $15
SATURDAY:
All tickets are $25
difficult this year.
"This year, as opposed to other years, there isn't one or two clear best shows," Puhr said. "All the shows are equally creative. They're all really good shows."
She said preproduction efforts were going more smoothly this year than in years past and that she's excited to see what this year's show would bring.
"I'm just hoping to see everyone have a good time," Puhr said. "Yeah, there's a competitive edge to it, but everyone just needs to have fun. I also hope we generate some new Rock Chalk attendees."
Edited by Michael Holtz
Watch the KUJH-TV story at kansan.com/videos.
PHILANTHROPY
An adventure to raise awareness
Two friends plan a 3,500-mile biking trip to help others
BY JENNY TERRELL jterrell@kansan.com
Mathay, who graduated from the University in December, is teaming up with his friend Greg Krupa, a student at the University of Oregon, and biking from Eugene, Ore., to Zacapa, Guatemala, in June. The two met at the University two years ago before Krupa transferred to Oregon in 2008.
The ice is melting, and finally Patrick Mathay can begin diversifying his workouts as he trains to bike for 80 days.
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
Patrick Mathay trains for a bike ride Wednesday afternoon on 15th Street. Mathay, a KU alumnus, is training for a bike ride from Oregon to Guatemala in June.
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"It's his life mission," Hooker said. "He is the happiest when he is helping others."
The 3,500-mile trip is a bike-a-thon event to raise money for the Range of Motion Project, an organization that provides prosthetic limbs and clinics for people in developing countries who can't afford them. Mathay will stop in different cities along the way and inform people about ROMP. Because of the frequent stops, Mathay said he wouldn't be surprised if it takes longer than two and a half months to get there.
Mathay said he became passionate about this cause last summer while working at the ROMP clinic in Guatemala. His job was to follow up on past patients to see how they are doing with their prosthetic limbs.
Kelsey Hooker, a 2009 graduate and Mathay's girlfriend, also went on the trip to Guatemala last summer. Hooker said although she is a bit scared for him, as he will be biking all the way down, she said she knew it would raise awareness for his passion.
"The goal of all of it is to send individuals out into society as functioning individuals," Mathay said.
Krupa said he chose biking as a means of fundraising because, aside from public transportation, it is the only means of transportation for a lot of people in the developing world. It also helps raise awareness of ROMP, he said.
Mathay said part of his passion to bike for awareness and fundraising came from the success Krupa had in 2008, when Krupa biked from Lawrence to Madison, Wis., for ROMP.
"I don't want to get it out of my mind, but I can't get it out of my mind even if I tried," Krupa said.
Krupa said he gained his passion for prosthetics and ROMP after spending a year working in both Zacapa, Guatemala, and in Quito, Ecuador, and seeing the conditions of the people in need of prosthetics.
Mathay and Krupa will begin pedaling from Eugene, Ore., on June 19.
Mathay said he would participate in the God's Country Duathlon on April 11, an event that incorporates biking and running on a trail in Lawrence, and then he would run the half marathon portion of the Kansas Marathon April 18 in Lawrence. He said he would conclude his training events in a triathlon on May 2 at the University of Missouri.
Edited by Kate Larrabee
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