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You are here: Home / News / Picking a prize-winning theme: Directors on deliberate on skills, music and past inspiration
Freshmen perform "We're Off to See the Wonderful Wizard of Oz-C-U." (Photo by Daniel Curd)

Picking a prize-winning theme: Directors on deliberate on skills, music and past inspiration

March 31, 2023 by Sheridan Wood

Sororities, fraternities and class acts have spent the last several months preparing for Sing Song by learning music, choreography and designing and creating sets and costumes to match this year’s act themes.

This year’s themes are as follows:

GATA: Crayons

Sigma Theta Chi: News Anchors

Tri Kappa Gamma: Weather

Ko Jo Kai: Toy Soldiers

Delta Theta: Vegetables

Gamma Sigma Phi: Top Gun

Frater Sodalis: Wheel of Fortune

Galaxy: Electricians

Sub-T-16: Surfers

Freshman Purple: The Wizard of Oz

Freshman White: Jonah and the Whale

Sophomore/Junior: Pixar’s UP

Senior: Bowling

William Grandell, senior nursing major from Carrollton, is GSP’s Sing Song director. He said GSP had done a Top Gun inspired act in the past, but Grandell wanted to recreate it for this year’s competition following the 2022 release of the movie’s sequel, Top Gun Maverick.

“One of my favorite acts GSP did for Sing Song was 2004’s Top Gun act, and then Top Gun of course was a big deal this year,” Grandell said. “I just thought this would be the perfect time to redo it but put a twist on it with the sequel.”

Grandell said he chose to parody songs that were done in the 2004 act, as well as add new songs that are included in the movies soundtracks.

Molly Mercer, freshman vocal performance major from Abilene, is leading this year’s Freshman Purple act with the theme Wizard of Oz. Mercer said she and her co-director were workshopping lots of potential Sing Song theme ideas, but landed on the Wizard of Oz for its potential for a variety of costumes and a colorful set.

“We thought about very abstract ideas and themes that wouldn’t be thought about from some other groups,” Mercer said. “We were wanting them [costumes and the set] to look good on stage, and have lots of creative costumes. We thought about wizards, and Wicked, and tied it all together to come up with the Wizard of Oz.”

Both Grandell and Mercer said they plan on bringing their act to life by putting act participants in charge of creating set and costumes based on their majors and skill sets.

Filed Under: News

Other News:

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  • URCI Festival showcases student research, creativity across campus

About Sheridan Wood

You are here: Home / News / Picking a prize-winning theme: Directors on deliberate on skills, music and past inspiration

Other News:

  • ‘Courting’ earns best picture at 22nd annual FilmFest

  • AES looks to bring students together with 70th annual intramural rodeo

  • URCI Festival showcases student research, creativity across campus

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
29 Mar

Sing Song 2026 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Mixed
2. Seniors
3. Freshman White

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
29 Mar

Sing Song 2026 Awards Women’s Division:

Overall Award:
1. Ko Jo Kai
2. Sigma Theta Chi
3. Tri Kappa Gamma

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