Sean Collins Walsh/The Daily Northwestern
With modern twists on literary classics, the 78th annual Waa-Mu Show “One for the Books” brings favorite characters to life – watch out for the red and white striped Waldo to pop up unexpectedly.
The star of the “Where’s Waldo” classic joins Prince Charming, Holden Caulfield and Rachael Ray on stage for the show’s debut tonight at 8 p.m. in Cahn Auditorium. The show will run through May 10.
Since its inception, Waa-Mu has showcased skits incorporating music and lyrics written entirely by Northwestern students. “One for the Books” features sketches about famous books, their characters and those who have enjoyed their adventures throughout the years.
“Everything in the show is more or less literary,” said Liz Olanoff, who wrote one of the songs featured in this year’s show. “We have songs based on Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and some poems.”
Even though all the writing is original, audiences are bound to recognize most of the characters, said Cara Rifkin, one of the show’s co-chairs.
“Expect to come and see a character that you know and love,” the Communication senior said.
The show’s unique dynamic fosters a supportive community, said Olanoff, a Communication sophomore.
“It is allowing creativity and full exploration of student writing in music,” she said. “The older students are so welcoming and encouraging that it’s not possible not to want to be involved.”
Each year, a new theme is chosen, but this year the topic was similar to the 2001 Waa-Mu show, “Sorry, We’re Booked.”
“It posed the challenge to make a completely new show,” said Eugenio Vargas, one of the show’s four co-chairs. “It gave us a chance to stretch our imaginations.”
Waa-Mu began in 1929 when the Women’s Athletic Association and the Men’s Union came together to showcase a full-scale musical. Although the Women’s Athletic Association is no longer involved, and the Men’s Union separated in 1934, the show lives on as a method for students to exercise their creativity, Vargas said.
“It’s a celebration of incredible writing talent, performing talent and design talent,” he said.
In its 80-year history, Waa-Mu has only had three directors, including co-founder Joe Miller, who directed the show for almost 50 years. This year’s show is dedicated to Tom Roland, the show’s second director who passed away last September at the age of 79, Vargas said. Roland directed 18 shows, including several collaborations with the show’s current director, theatre Prof. Dominic Missimi.
After working on the show for nearly a year, Olanoff said she is excited to see all the pieces finally come together.
“With all the different characters, the set designs and costumes are all lavish,” she said. “The show is spectacular in every sense of the word.”
