For the five groups selected for the spring’s Rock Chalk Revue, the annual variety show produced by students, now is the time to take a deep breath, celebrate getting picked and continue the development of the show.

Sorority and fraternity houses pair up to come up with a story idea for the variety show in the fall, and proceeds from ticket sales for the March show are donated to the United Way.

Nick Templin, Maize senior and an organizer for “Ripe,” said his group had scheduled tryouts for this week. He said work on rehearsing the show would begin in earnest after winter break. But for now, Templin said, the anxiety of not knowing whether they were in or out was behind them.

“It’s definitely a load of pressure off right now,” Templin said. “You just put so much time into it prior to the getting-in or getting-out date.”

The five groups were selected Nov 23. To get to that point, Templin said prospective groups had to put together a notebook for the Rock Chalk Revue advisory board describing the show, script and character descriptions and also had to pitch the show to the advisory board along with performing about a five-minute portion of the show.

Jon Goscha, Salina junior and an organizer for “Prepare for a Scare,” said getting picked validated a whole semester’s worth of work. He said each week his group had to meet a deadline such as character descriptions, costume designs, or music. He said the group’s story idea, “Prepare for a Scare,” was its third choice, but the first two had already been done before.

Goscha said practices would begin the first day of classes next semester, but is also casting before break.

“We had two workshops on Friday for people in the houses so they could learn a short dance and part of a song,” Goscha said.

Patrick Peterson, Wheaton, Ill. junior and co-executive director Rock Chalk Revue, said the groups would tally about 40 hours of practices each next semester.

“It’s a year-long process,” Peterson said. “We work with the groups all year to create these performances.”

Peterson said the advisory committee wanted to increase its donation of proceeds of the show to its beneficiary, the United Way, from $60,000 last year. He said Rock Chalk Revue holds events to raise money year round, such as group trips to Kansas City Royals games or gift wrapping last week at a faculty and staff appreciation sale at KU Bookstore.

— Edited by Abby Olcese