At about 8 p.m., Adam Welton and Todd Johnson stood outside the Louis Room at Norris University Center, both clad in baggy jeans, gray T-shirts and purple Northwestern hats.

Welton, a Communication freshman, and Johnson, a Medill freshman, had a single mission.

“CRC what?” they whooped, crossing their arms and cupping their hands to form two letter C’s, broadcasting the symbol for their dorm, Communications Residential College, also known as East Fairchild.

“Nobody knows about CRC,” Welton said. “But tonight we’re gonna put it on the map.”

The two had a prime opportunity to give their dorm — and themselves — a name early in their college career. They were among the performers at the African-American Theatre Ensemble’s “The Ritual,” an event held at Norris that is geared toward black students newly arrived at Northwestern.

It combines skits, monologues, poetry, music, dance and words of advice to welcome freshmen into the NU community and to facilitate a fond send-off for the seniors.

About 150 students attended the 33rd annual performance Wednesday night.

“The whole focus is to welcome freshmen and let them know there are people here for them.” said Tiffanie Martin, a Weinberg senior and the ensemble’s outgoing president. “They’re not alone.”

As part of the performance, audience members — including freshman — recited their favorite poems and monologues. A few also sang and danced.

When it was his turn to perform, Welton took the stage and offered the audience a warning.

“I just wrote this today, ” he said of his song, “WildCARD.” “So bear with me. I tried to make it funny. It might not be — y’all can just laugh at me then, OK?”

When he started swinging his hips and crooning lyrics such as, “Tonight, I’ll use my WildCARD. I’m going to Willard,” to the background music of Beyonce Knowles’ “Naughty Girl,” audience members cackled with laughter.

At the song’s conclusion, they jumped to their feet to give Welton a standing ovation. Welton’s performance was followed by a more sobering one by Andrew Davis, who did a rhythmic rap about the African-American experience.

“It was good to see people of color come together for a special purpose, like a bond,” said Weinberg sophomore Tiffany Woods, who attended “Ritual” for the second year in a row. “If you need someone, there are always people you can fall back on.”

Every year, the show features its trademark Bursar Skit, in which “Ritual” participants re-enact the Bursar’s Office takeover that occurred May 3, 1968. The play depicts how 14 black students marched into the Bursar’s Office, locked down windows and doors, and were then joined by 105 other black students on campus.

As a result of the takeover, black students gained a division of African-American student affairs, an African-American studies program and academic resources including a summer academic workshop.

James Britt, NU’s director of African-American Student Affairs, said the skit helps students appreciate the quest to achieve resources now available to blacks on campus.

“It’s an opportunity to relive the legacy,” Britt said.

“The Ritual” also gives upperclassmen the chance to advise freshmen. Through the skit “Do’s and Don’ts,” upperclassmen dole out bits of guidance, such as “Do join Dance Marathon” and “Don’t not get involved on campus.”

At the end of the night, all the participants gathered in an immense circle, and seniors then dispensed words of advice to the new students.

“It’s a big thing seniors look forward to,” said Martin, who delivered her own advice at this year’s “Ritual.” “You don’t really know what you’re going to say until you get up there and say it.”

Each “Ritual” participant receives a small chain link every year, so that they they have a four-link chain senior year.

Though mainly black students frequent the event, Britt said students of all races and backgrounds are encouraged to attend.

In addition to “The Ritual,” AATE puts on six or seven shows each year. The shows typically focus on African-American musical genres and artists, but the casts are not strictly black.

“The Ritual” has taken place for more than 25 years, said Carretta Cooke, executive director of multicultural student affairs.

“Every year we do it,” said Martin, AATE president. “Everything the show is about is what makes the show so successful.”

Reach Francesca Jarosz at [email protected].