The air is turning crisp, leaves are starting to change and sweaters are being pulled out of drawers; there's no doubt about it - fall is approaching Charlottesville, and this year, it has brought more than 3,000 new students with it.
"Voices of the Class" is a compilation of skits based on first-year students' admissions essays. Produced by Spectrum Theatre and directed by Caleb Erikson, it took place this past weekend in the Chemistry Building Auditorium.
As a first-year student myself, I was curious about catching a glimpse of the personalities and quirks of my peers, as the class of 2014 is the University's most diverse yet. I attended the show expecting to be entertained and learn about some of my classmates' backgrounds. What I encountered was entertaining, yes, but not exactly indicative of who is a part of the class of 2014.
The night was full of rambunctious and innovative skits presenting life on Grounds. In one sketch, an clever take on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka leads a group of wide-eyed children on a tour of the University - and instead of chocolate rivers and geese laying golden eggs, Augustus Gloop gets stuck in the smoothie machine in Pavilion XI, Violet Beauregarde is a pot-smoking hipster recruited to write for The Declaration and Veruca Salt is a spoiled legacy student who whines for a room on the Lawn.
The jokes continued as the actors referred to Teresa A. Sullivan as "T-Sull" and "a really gorgeous broad," and former University President John T. Casteen, III was portrayed as an alcohol-chugging ex-fraternity brother. Things got a little questionable when the actors made Anne Frank jokes - are we even allowed to laugh at those? - and references became too obscure. Maybe it's just the first-year in me speaking, but I felt like one had to be completely versed in the University's distinctive vernacular to understand every joke. (Slurpee cults at the 7-Eleven?).
Despite the occasional hazy reference, the actors performed with great gusto and vivacity, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into producing a hilarious show - and it worked. I found myself laughing throughout the night, even when I didn't completely get the joke or catch the reference, just because the actors themselves presented it so well. Their relaxed, energetic style was reminiscent of Saturday Night Live skits with Rob Schneider or Will Ferrell, and were - dare I say it - almost as funny.
Apart from a few skits about essay prompts or favorite books, however, I felt like references to the actual essays were few and far between. The whole production resembled more of a parody and expos
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