Before the four-hour rehearsal begins, Voices of the Class stage manager Dorothy Kohlligian can be observed distributing signs, Monty-Python-style coconuts and other props, while director Matthew Marcus announces that an obviously misshapen “three-cornered hat needs maintenance.” On the other side of the auditorium, actors discuss line readings while lights flicker and random reverberations are emitted from the speakers as technical directors experiment with sound. Dropping in on the pre-show alone was enough to prepare me for a night of side-splitting laughter.
While laughing to the point of oxygen-deprivation during one of the many ingenious skits that makes up Voices of the Class, it would not be surprising for one to wonder — “Who on Earth comes up with this stuff?” Personally, I had difficulty believing that almost all the skits had been based on admission essays from fellow first-year students.
That’s right, 2012. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has relinquished anywhere from 50 to 70 of the most interesting and unique admissions essays to a group of 13 actors and actresses. During the summer, these essays were read and reworked in preparation for the actors’ arrival on Grounds a week before classes started. The actors then worked to turn the essays into skits of comedic genius, finally producing a new and unique show, the 2005 version of which The Washington Post called “funny and illuminating” in a rather lengthy article.
Not all the skits, however, are essay-based. Interspersed are gems that poke fun at everything first-year, from Grounds for Discussion to “dramatic reenactments” of how certain University traditions (or “staples”) got their start. Additionally, characters such as Tommy J., Edgar Allen Poe and the guy who wants to get in the Sisterhood’s pants will become instant classics.
Conversely, there are components of Voices that are serious in nature. Powerful and intense skits and monologues are scattered throughout, along with skits that have elements of both humor and gravity. Artistic director and actress Leah Bernick emphasizes the importance of the proper balance between the sad, the serious and the funny. Furthermore, the actors and staff must always be on guard for any crossings of the boundary between what is funny and what could be offensive.
“Our biggest reason is to entertain,” assures Bernick, “but we have to handle it [our humor] delicately.”
This constant vigilance is only one minuscule example of the work, dedication and precision that has gone into this production every year since 1999. The actors read the essays, write and constantly revise the skits, rehearse for hours on end, buy and make props, carry out technical work and ultimately perform for sold-out chemistry auditoriums. As actress Allison DeBlois reflects, “[Voices] is pretty much the only student theater production that you get to write and perform yourself. You get to be involved in the whole process from the beginning.”
Voices of the Class is a must-see event, and I truly believe it is far on its way in establishing itself as a prominent “staple at the University of Virginia.” Personally, I recommend brushing up on your Harry Potter Puppet Pals knowledge before coming for optimal enjoyment.
Voices of the Class, produced by the student-run organization Spectrum Theater, is playing in the Chemistry Auditorium Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with an additional matinee Saturday at 3 p.m., which includes a talkback after the performance during which the actors and staff answer any questions concerning Voices, Spectrum Theater or the University in general. Tickets are $5.
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