For many freshmen, the first few weeks of school entail late nights of Freshman Fanfare practices. The hours spent singing and dancing will come to fruition during the show’s debut tonight and tomorrow.
During Earn Your Wings, freshmen are introduced to the concept of Fanfare and practices start during the first week of school. According to the student directors, the goal of Fanfare is to introduce students to the community of Oklahoma Christian by hosting a showcase of the freshman class.
Student Events Coordinator Amanda Watson said she is excited for her second year of overseeing Fanfare, and she compares it to a “mini Spring Sing.” The choreographed acts take popular songs and change the lyrics to correspond to ideas such as, “ring by spring,” swiping into chapel and eating at Chick-fil-A.
“My favorite part about Fanfare is meeting the freshman,” Watson said. “Since I am not actively involved in Earn Your Wings, I do not usually get the opportunity to meet them. I have especially loved getting to work with Riley Wilson and Emily Cochran and see them grow as leaders.”
Cochran, a student director of the show, said the theme, “The Freshman of Oz,” will parody the incoming freshman experience of “finding home,” and it fits the freshman class since they are just arriving on campus. Cochran said she is thankful to work with a great class full of energy.
“Our practices have been awesome,” Cochran said. “We haven’t had to cancel or reschedule a single one. Of course, we’ve had to work with kids being gone for class, illness, intramural games and musical rehearsal, but overall, we’ve had a wonderful group and a very positive experience.”
According to Cochran, the show took off running after the first practice. She said she is particularly excited for the group dance to “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars.
Similarly, the other student director sophomore Riley Wilson said she is also excited for the upcoming performance and anticipates a positive reaction from the crowd. She said her favorite part about Fanfare is the relaxed nature of the production.
“The most difficult part for me is to try to get things done while also making sure the freshman have a good time,” Wilson said. “I want the freshman to remember this experience as a positive thing.”
According to freshmen Chad Blythe and Emily Cornelius, the practices have been difficult, but a fun experience. Blythe said he enjoys the relevance of the songs.
In addition to the dancing, individual acts perform as well as on-stage hosts. Emcee student director Rachel Parrett said the roles of the emcees include Dorothy, Glinda the Good Witch, The Wicked Witch of the West, Tin Man, Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion and Toto. Parrett worked the auditions, matched auditioning freshman to a respective role and worked with the directors to make sure the hosts correspond accurately with the theme of the production.
The freshman class will take the stage in Hardeman Auditorium tonight at 7 p.m., with an encore performance tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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