For the over 250 fraternity and sorority members involved in producing Rock Chalk Revue, balancing school, work and a social life time became even more difficult last Friday when directors and cast members came together for their first rehearsals for the March 6-8 performances.

For the next six weeks, a collection of cast members, directors and organizers from five fraternities and five sororities will work seven days a week to put together the 59th annual musical production at the Lied Center.

“It’s kind of the start of a marathon,” said Ryan Staub, Wichita senior and Rock Chalk Revue executive producer. “There are 50 new cast members you have to direct in every aspect of your show. You have to start designing your set, start making your costumes and meet outside of regular practices. It’s really a balancing act.”

STRETCHED FOR TIME

Cast members face an hour of rehearsals every weekday and one-and-a-half hours each day on weekends. Directors put in even more time in order to choreograph and plan costumes and sets for their performances, said Michelle Gates, Omaha, Neb., senior and the show’s executive director.

Attendance to rehearsals is mandatory. If groups do not have 90 percent of their members present at a rehearsal, they are fined $200. The proceeds are donated to the United Way.

Gates said the participants’ tight schedules, and the fact that rehearsals are everyday, make it difficult to avoid fines for attendance.

“The rehearsals are everyday, and you know it’s basketball season and people want to go to games and people will have a test one night or homework,” Gates said.

Erica Hudson, Prairie Village junior, is one of the directors for Phi Kappa Psi and Kappa Kappa Gamma’s “A Write to Love.” She said although the time demands were significant, being able to participate in such a distinctive event made the sacrifices worthwhile.

Hudson said that directors can spend between two and three hours a day working on choreography and other aspects of the performance, in addition to rehearsals.

“For me Rock Chalk is just a break from school and the crazy life of classes,” Hudson said. “It’s a time where I can do what I love to do and choreograph and sing. I know it’s for a good cause. It is stressful but in the end it pays off.”

Chad Everson, Springfield, Mo., junior and cast member of Beta Theta Pi and Chi Omega’s “Tune Town,” said that despite the time demands, he enjoyed being part of the show and tried to balance school by spending time outside of rehearsals at the library. Even so, Everson said it’s tough knowing there will be a rehearsal everyday.

“A lot of the cast members make it fun,” Everson said. “We have a really good cast this year. It’s fun, but there are some days that you wish you didn’t have to go out there.”

While the show strives to be as professional as possible, Staub said it is important to remember that all the participants are volunteers. He said although there aren’t many days off, the directors and management try to make sure cast members have occasional breaks to look forward to, such as like Valentine’s Day.

“It gets tough as time wears on,” Staub said. “We try to give some days off here and there. Since they are volunteers working on a show, it is important to keep motivation up and keep them working toward one solid goal that everyone can unite under.”

BROADENING HORIZONS

Directors try and ensure no cast member is forced to do something they are uncomfortable with, Gates said. However participants, especially male cast members, must be ready to do things they wouldn’t normally be at ease doing because the show is made up of musicals.

“The guys particularly have to step outside their comfort zones because they will be putting on costumes with sequins and most casts require them to wear stage makeup,” Gates said. “I find that by the end they learn to laugh at themselves and have a good time with it.”

Gates said that it’s not usually an issue to make changes when directors choreograph moves that cast members either aren’t comfortable with or simply aren’t able to do.

“The choreographers are really careful about choreographing dances that maintain the men looking masculine,” she said. “They really try and make sure they aren’t doing too many spirit fingers or anything like that.”

Although there was an initial period of awkwardness, Everson said male cast members have to remember to enjoy what they are doing even if it isn’t necessarily considered manly.

“I just try and have as much fun with it as I can,” he said. “I know it’s not a traditional guy thing but you just kind of have to get over it.”

END RESULT

By the time rehearsals end and performances begin in early March, cast members will have put in at least 50 hours in rehearsals and other preparations. The result is a show put on by amateurs but with a distinctively professional feel, Staub said.

“The most important thing about having that much practice time is due to the fact that we are all amateurs,” he said. “Therefore we need that much time to work together to really turn it into such a professional looking show where everyone steps at the right time, puts their hands at the right height and sings the right note.”

Although cast members and directors will spend thousands of hours combined in preparation and weeks subjecting themselves to the daily grind of rehearsals, Staub said the final performances at the Lied Center make all the effort worthwhile.

“It’s really kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity for people that get to perform in the show,” Staub said. “To finally step out on the stage in March after working on it everyday for at least an hour is a really gratifying moment.”

As a cast member for the last two years, Hudson agreed. She said the combination of working to raise money for the United Way and growing close to your fellow cast members make the opportunity to participate too good to pass up.

“When you are with a group every single day you get to know them and it really goes beyond Rock Chalk,” she said. “Even though it’s for a good cause and you worked really hard on it, whenever it’s all said and done we have 25 new friends.”

Edited by Russell Davies