Spring Follies entertain the Guilford community
Laird Allen
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Features
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The curtain rises. The crowd gets quiet. Jonathan Hatch and David Dobson offer a few words of warning to the audience: "It is very important not to mistake this for a polished dramatic production."
Then Assistant Professor of Theater Studies Sean Martin bursts in from stage left, resplendent in silver-satin cowboy shirt and sleek black jeans, his cowboy hat hanging like a great winged bird. Next thing you know, he's wailing along to the karaoke version of "Fancy" by Reba McIntyre, and you're wondering what the hell you've got yourself into.
And so it goes, act after act, and the talent-less talent show has provided yet another great evening of humor and entertainment for the Guilford community.
The Guilford Follies, the strange brainchild of Assistant Professor of Mathematics Jonathan Hatch, is a collection of music, humor and dance acts performed by Guilford students and faculty. The idea of a variety show had been discussed, but it didn't become a reality until three years ago when Hatch arrived at Guilford.
It was a bit of surprise. "Before I even got to campus, they asked me to run it the first year," said Hatch
He describes the purpose of the Follies this way: "A talent show, but really [its] more a lighthearted, funny, get up on stage and embarrass yourself and be amusing and entertaining [thing] … to try to bring the community together more."
Although the lack of participation this year may have held the length down, the acts were entertaining. Of particular note were the four music numbers in the latter half of the program, including an Irving Berlin act ("Sisters," from the film White Christmas); a pair of songs performed by Noah Shinasi; a swing dance number by the Inner Light Lindy Hoppers; and a stirring rendition of "These Boots were Made for Walking" by the Guilford Sign Language Club.
The audience was responsive and frequently involved, whether someone was wearing Dave Dobson's clothes for the Faculty-Student Smackdown, or just yelling encouragement at those foolish enough to participate in the games onstage.
Then Assistant Professor of Theater Studies Sean Martin bursts in from stage left, resplendent in silver-satin cowboy shirt and sleek black jeans, his cowboy hat hanging like a great winged bird. Next thing you know, he's wailing along to the karaoke version of "Fancy" by Reba McIntyre, and you're wondering what the hell you've got yourself into.
And so it goes, act after act, and the talent-less talent show has provided yet another great evening of humor and entertainment for the Guilford community.
The Guilford Follies, the strange brainchild of Assistant Professor of Mathematics Jonathan Hatch, is a collection of music, humor and dance acts performed by Guilford students and faculty. The idea of a variety show had been discussed, but it didn't become a reality until three years ago when Hatch arrived at Guilford.
It was a bit of surprise. "Before I even got to campus, they asked me to run it the first year," said Hatch
He describes the purpose of the Follies this way: "A talent show, but really [its] more a lighthearted, funny, get up on stage and embarrass yourself and be amusing and entertaining [thing] … to try to bring the community together more."
Although the lack of participation this year may have held the length down, the acts were entertaining. Of particular note were the four music numbers in the latter half of the program, including an Irving Berlin act ("Sisters," from the film White Christmas); a pair of songs performed by Noah Shinasi; a swing dance number by the Inner Light Lindy Hoppers; and a stirring rendition of "These Boots were Made for Walking" by the Guilford Sign Language Club.
The audience was responsive and frequently involved, whether someone was wearing Dave Dobson's clothes for the Faculty-Student Smackdown, or just yelling encouragement at those foolish enough to participate in the games onstage.