Students at Elon University involved in the department of performing arts, music department, a cappella groups, and Instant Laughter will exhibit their accomplishments and welcome families to experience their community within Elon during Family Weekend, Sept. 26 through Sept. 28.
Friday, Sept. 26, features performances including Dancing in the Landscape and the Music Department Faculty Concert. Saturday, Sept. 27, includes a second Dancing in the Landscape performance as well as two performances of the ROCKapella Show and two Instant Laughter Improv Comedy Shows.
Junior music theatre major Cassidy Benullo will perform in "Collage," a variety show consisting of musical performances ranging from piano to tap dance. She said she is excited for this Friday, and how it highlights the journey throughout college.
"I'm so glad it's on family weekend. I feel like it's a chance for freshmen parents to get a glimpse at where their kids will be in four years. I think something about that is so powerful," Benullo said.
Benullo said her mom will be traveling from Los Angeles to watch her perform for the third year and has been looking forward to it since Move-In day.
"She just loves watching ‘Collage,’" Benullo said, "She cries every single time she watches it."
Benullo said for “Collage,” students performing have rehearsed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. last weekend, and will be having tech rehearsals on Wednesday and Thursday before Family Weekend.
Freshman and new member of one of Elon’s a cappella groups, Smooth Progressions, Ethan Langholtz, said he has mixed feelings about his performance during family weekend.
“In one sense, I am excited that my dad’s going to get to see me perform on stage, but it also sucks because it’s going to limit the overall time you could be spending with your family,” Langholtz said. “So that kind of stinks, but it is a trade-off.”
Langholtz said that within Smooth Progressions, he feels a sense of community and family, something he is excited for his parents to observe.
Senior and co-captain of Instant Laughter, Alan Kornbluth, said he isn’t bothered by their performance taking place on family weekend. He highlights the crowd and their performance as unique.
“That's the fun thing with improv, right?” Kornbluth said. Every time it's different.”
Although different every time, Kornbluth said the goal is always to make sure people have a good time at Instant Laughter’s shows.
Kornbluth said Instant Laughter is centering their performance around a “Family Theme” and will have multiple improv games, some of which require audience participation, allowing families to feel connected to the students and their performances.
Senior and public relations chair for the a cappella group, Shirley Tempos, Mindy Monroe, said she loves the ROCKapella performance on Family Weekend.
"I love it when people come to Elon the next year, or if they are little siblings of Elon students, and say, 'Oh my god, I saw you at Rock-apella!' Seeing people remember and enjoy the show," Monroe said.
She said she has been involved in the Shirley Tempos since her freshman year and loves to see the incoming freshmen’s anticipation as they prepare for Rockapella.
"They're very excited,” Monroe said. “They're like, 'Oh my God, my mom already bought tickets,' it's the best feeling as a freshman, going up on that stage."
Dancing in the Landscape is free to watch on Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m. and Sept. 27 at 12:00 p.m. in the Lambert Academic Village. The music theatre department’s “Collage” will take place Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in Yeager Recital Hall. Tickets are currently sold out. Instant Laughter will perform on Sept. 27 at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at Yeager Recital Hall, and tickets are available at the door. The Rockapella Show will take place on Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in the Alumni Gym.