The freshman class is preparing to perform at Freshman Follies for the upcoming Family Weekend with the event’s largest group of participants yet.
Courtney McGaha, the director of student productions, said there are four more hall acts this year as compared to last year.
“They’re all almost completely full, which is really awesome,” McGaha said. “I can’t remember ever having this many people doing Follies, so that is really exciting.”
With an increase in performances, McGaha said that the show will be slightly longer than usual.
Each fall, freshmen, grouped by residence hall, prepare an entirely lip-synced performance. They will showcase their hard work to family and friends at 8 p.m. on Friday and at 2 p.m. Saturday in Moody Colosseum.
Each lip-synced performance follows a theme. Last year, the fan favorites were the Minions theme and the Grannies theme, McGaha said.
“The year before, we had a guys’ Teen Beach Movie act that was very funny,” McGaha said. “A year before that, we had a Taylor Swift one that worked really well.”
McGaha said that while those acts stood out, there are never any that she dislikes.
Preparation for Follies starts as early as the Wednesday of Wildcat week, when QR codes for information on the hall acts are posted around campus. That Friday and Saturday, leadership meetings begin for those interested in leading a hall act.
After talent act auditions, in the second week of school, it is time to start practicing.
“They were signing up and gathering people during Wildcat Week,” McGaha said, “So, it’s really been almost the moment they arrive.”
This year is McGaha’s fifth year of directing Follies.
Dylan Parrish, freshman finance major from Abilene, is participating in Follies as part of a Bullock Hall group with a Pitch Perfect theme.
“I think it’s gonna go good,” Parrish said. “I’m really excited.”
Parrish said she believes Follies is a wonderful opportunity – especially for students who are new to performing arts.
“I’ve never done theatre or anything,” Parrish said. “I think it’s really fun for anyone who hasn’t done that.”
McGaha said Follies is important as it provides students with long-lasting friendships early into college. She said as she has been watching the students rehearse over the past three weeks, she’s seen them form community and build friendships.
“But more than that, Follies is about finding your people, finding your community,” McGaha said. “We kind of throw you into the situations where it’s like, ‘All right, well you have to put on a funny costume and do a dance with all these people you don’t know.’”
McGaha added that Follies is more than just the show. She said the big transition into college is hard – especially when you don’t know anyone.
“Like last night at 10 o’clock when we were in Boone watching one of the groups rehearsing, and all of them were just laughing, joking, encouraging each other and having so much fun,” McGaha said. “And it was like that’s why you do it.”
