Features editor Delaney Tufts and news editor Sophie Saint-Firmin created the following media package that features the history of Sophomore Musical at Asbury.
Sophomore Musical from Collegian Video on Vimeo.
Everything you need to know about SoMu: Asbury tradition continues with “Bye Bye Birdie”
By Delaney Tufts, Features Editor
On Jan. 23, 1971, the Cavalier class of ’73 presented the first sophomore musical, “Tell It Like It Is.” Since then, sophomore musical, or SoMu, has become a rich tradition at Asbury. Designed to strengthen class unity, SoMu is a way that students can engage with other class members. “Class unity sets us apart from other schools, and I think sophomore musical is one of the ways Asbury highlights that bond created within the class,” said Madison Farrar, director of the Vindicated Class musical, “High School Musical.” What actually goes into putting on a production and what has changed since the first one?
The Process
SoMu is hosted exclusively by sophomores; they are the ones who direct, produce and choreograph it. Kari Brown, director of the Merciful Class SoMu, “Beauty and the Beast,” said, “There really wasn’t any adult help at all. The set was made by the students, designed and built. The costumes were either rented or made by four or five girls.”
The student cabinet is in charge of selecting a director. Once chosen, the director can select a musical. Any musical can be picked as long as the student cabinet approves it and the rights are secured.
Selection
Up until the Seekers Class of ’99, sophomores chose Christian musicals. According to Asbury Archivist Suzanne Gehring, “Back then, the rules were more strict and people had different values. A lot of productions were conservative.” The Christian musical trend continued until the Seekers broke Asbury tradition and selected a popular musical titled, “Once Upon a Mattress.” According to an article written by Brian Jones for the Collegian, “The sophomores break a 26- year tradition. It’s not a Christian musical and will not be performed in Hughes.”
The shift of musical genres came with the shift in society’s values. “Students would come with productions in mind from high school or youth group,” said Gehring. “Because times are less conservative, the productions have become more popular or secular.” 
Any musical can be selected, which means some directors have to make changes to the script or cut scenes that may not be Asbury appropriate. “They might need to eliminate drinking and dancing or substitute it with something else,” said Gehring. She mentioned that directors have to be careful what they cut so they don’t stray too far from the author’s original intent.
Brown selected a musical that wouldn’t require much altering for two reasons. “It would be a hassle to try to change lines or scenes and Disney is very strict when it comes to their scripts,” Brown said. “You cannot change the script, cut lines or alter scenes. However, with “Beauty and the Beast,” we did alter one line to make it ‘more Ale-8’ rather than ‘more beer.’ I was fine with this because it didn’t alter the storyline at all.”
Sarah Cole, director of the Visionary Class SoMu, had to eliminate a risqué scene in the middle of the show, which she mentioned is not often performed in theaters. “Even though ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ is a family show there are allusions to smoking, alcohol and sex,” Cole said. “The instances in the script are all played for humor or to point out a character’s flaw and show the humanity of these quirky people. We did give one of our actors a bubble pipe instead of a cigarette, which makes it more fun anyway!”
Auditions
The director of the show is in charge of the audition process. They get to choose who is involved in the casting decisions and how they want to structure it. The auditions are open to anyone who wants to participate. People who aren’t performers or don’t want to take on a larger role are encouraged to take part in chorus auditions or group auditions. This could mean auditioning for a townsperson like in “Beauty and the Beast” or a jock in “High School Musical.” They aren’t a lead, but they can still actively participate in the production.
The people with performance experience or the desire to have a larger part can audition for a lead role. Depending on the director, there are a round of auditions and then callbacks for the leads.The audition requirements also depend on the director. “Our auditions included a monologue, a song and a dance section,” Farrar said. “This was sent [out to people wishing to audition] prior to auditions so they could come prepared.”
Those who want to do work behind the scenes can sign up or apply to be a part of the crew. Once the roles are casted and the crew is set, rehearsals begin.
Budget
The budget for SoMu comes from the class cabinet budget, which is made up of student funds. According to Farrar, “The Asbury Student Congress guidebook sets the guideline for the budget. The most updated version of the guidebook restricts the budget to $4,000.” The class cabinet and class advisors are in charge of keeping track of the funds and making sure the director doesn’t go over budget.
Location
SoMu has always been performed at Asbury but the location for the productions has changed on campus. In the beginning, the shows were mainly held in Hughes Auditorium. However, once the Doddridge-Holland Student Union opened its theater, the performances could be held in there. According to the Asbury website, this building was where the old campus post office and bookstore were located. Now performances are mostly held in the Greathouse Theater, located in the Miller Center for Communication Arts building.
Admission
Admission for the performances is usually free, however, students need to pick up or reserve tickets to secure a seat. These are available during meals. When all tickets sell out, there is usually room in the back for people to stand and watch the performance. Because admission is free, the directors will sometimes put out donation boxes after the show.
Coming Soon
This year, the Visionary Class is presenting “Bye Bye Birdie.” The performance dates are Feb. 15-16 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Each show will have a dollar raffle to win a “Bye Bye Birdie” T-shirt, and concessions will also be available. The director and the cast are excited to share their fun with everyone else. “I cannot wait for everyone to see how much fun our cast has had putting this production together,” Cole said. “Every second has been filled with hilarity and I never get tired of watching my classmates do what they do best.”
Putting on a musical not only showcases the hard work and dedication of a class, it also shows the special bond between the class members. “If it wasn’t for [SoMu], I wouldn’t know so many incredible people that are in my class,” Brown said. “We had athletes and people from all different majors, as well as students who had never been in a show before. We all got to know each other and meet people we never would have met if it wasn’t for SoMu.”
Photos by Taryn Cipkowski
