First Week Follies keeps the act going

The 37th annual First Week Follies hit the stage Thursday, filling Hardeman Auditorium with laughter and cheers.

Follies is an Oklahoma Christian University tradition that allows faculty and staff to let loose and showcase talents for the students. Bob Lashley, dubbed the First Week Follies guru and host, said he believes it is an unique event to the university.

“We hope the students will see a… lighter side and a more human side than they’ll see in their professors for the rest of the year,” Lashley said. “I don’t know too many schools where the professors will lower themselves to be exposed like that in front of their students. I think that’s really cool, we don’t have that barrier.”

Junior Grace Nix said she appreciates the change in their attitude.

“I understand that in classes they have to be professional,” Nix said. “But it’s good to see their sense of humor as well.”

Follies began when a student approached Lashley about putting on a variety show in order to fundraise for new songbooks in chapel.

“They wanted me to put together a variety show in Hardeman to raise money… to buy some books,” Lashley said. “I had a band and I was doing music all through college, so I had a bunch of friends and other alumni that I knew would put together a show. The first show I did didn’t involve many campus people, it was just alumni or friends that I knew [who] entertained.”

This year, Stafford North was honored for his service in Follies. North, former Church Relations Director, made his resignation official at the end of the summer.

Throughout his 61 years at Oklahoma Christian, North has only missed performing in one Follies.

In order to pay homage to his time with the university and his many acts in Follies, North was awarded with a special tree: a coat rack filled with costumes from some of North’s recurring acts.

Lashley said he enjoys the student body’s reaction to Follies.

“Excitement’s high and so their reaction [to] likely almost everything,” Lashley said. “But you know, I like trying to make people laugh too… I love their response.”

According to Lashley, the actors don’t rehearse for the show.

“We never get to actually practice the show,” Lashley said. “That’s kind of fun. It’s kind of nerve racking, but it usually comes out better than I expect it to.”

As in years past, Dean of Student Life, Neil Arter, hosted Follies with President John deSteiguer this year. This year marks Arter’s 13th year of hosting.

“I enjoy being around the people that do it,” Arter said. “I love just being around the people and also, it signifies such a great time of year.”

Watch below Professor Jim Baird performs a rendition of the classic Mother Goose story “Little Bo-Peep.”