Off Broadway On Campus (OBOC) had its semesterly show titled “Back In The Game” April 5. While the overarching themes of the show (loud, fun, confident) were prevalent through much of the night, there were also moments of heartfelt connection and genuine love between the cast members.
The night featured numbers from an assortment of musicals such as “Love in Hate Nation,” “Groundhog Day,” “Rent,” and many others. Of the show’s various solos, some personal highlights included junior Luna Trumble in “Facade” from “Jekyll & Hyde,” sophomore Alex Holly (who is a culture editor for the Campus Times) in “What I was Born to Do” from “Bring It On: The Musical,” senior Jenny McIntosh in “Your Fault/Last Midnight” from “Into the Woods,” along with many other talented voices.
My personal favorite number of the night was a duet by seniors Kerri Golden and Kyle Kristoff — “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Junior Samantha Tong said she was most excited for the audience to see “What I Was Born To Do” from “Bring It On: The Musical.” The number featured a whole cheer squad, and the cast seemed just as excited to perform as the audience was to listen.
The senior song of the semester, performed by four of the group’s graduating seniors, was a heartfelt rendition of “Requiem” from “Dear Evan Hansen” that brought tears to my eyes. The song marked the end of senior OBOC President Kerri Golden’s last show. Golden, who is off to grad school at the University of North Carolina in the fall, says that while she will miss the club, the people, and all the laughs that they shared, she’s glad to be done with midnight rehearsals for now.
However, OBOC is in good hands. The incoming president of the club, junior Samantha Tong, is not only a talented performer but a student who is passionate about both STEM and the performing arts.
“I’m as prepared as I can possibly be,” Tong said. “No one is ever fully 100% prepared, and I guess that’s what I’m nervous about.”
