Ubiquitous They comedy sketch team presents their Fall 2010 sketch show “A Baby Within A Baby”. There will be three performances on Nov. 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Rausch Auditorium (bottom floor of McIntyre). Admittance is free, although donations are always appreciated.
UT began humbly enough in 2003 and since then has risen to become the prominent face of satire and whimsical antics on the Puget Sound campus. Each semester since the dawn of UT, the comedy group has created and performed an entirely unique sketch show along with their famous UT improv.
For those of you who are unsure, a sketch show is not a show devoted to the fun little side doodles you create while waiting out the end of a particularly long class. Here, the term ‘sketch’ means short, scripted comedic vignettes enacted by members of UT in order to make you lose all self control in a fit of raucous laughs or giggles.
This semester’s sketch show, “A Baby Within A Baby,” contains 13 comedic sketches written entirely by the fantastically amusing and sometimes jocular minds of UT members and other students on campus interested in writing comedy.
You may be wondering about the title of this semester’s performance and what exactly it has to do with the show. Well, I am afraid you will have to come to the show to see exactly what “A Baby Within A Baby” refers to. However, I am able to mention that while the title of the sketch show is generally chosen from a snippet of a line within one of the sketches, do not be fooled into assuming that the show has a baby theme.
“The sketch shows are scattershot comedic reviews that bounce around in themes. We try not to limit the theme of the show because that limits the creativity of the writers. However this year there are more Puget Sound themed sketches than usual, but we generally do not plan a theme,” UT sketch show co-producer Josh Bornstein said.
UT sketch and improv, similar to their financial and administrative adviser, Student Theater Productions (STP), are completely student run operations. Everything from the writing process of the sketches to the production of the shows is in the hands of Puget Sound students.
Like the UT improv, the sketch team must work at superhuman paces with the help of the occasional gallon of coffee in order to bring to campus a show in under three weeks’ time.
“This year was kind of a blitz putting the show together. Usually we have three weeks in between getting the sketches and choosing the ones to put in the show and then rehearsal. This year we just had two weeks of rehearsal. However, with more of the actors being writers this semester, the show is coming together in the allotted time of just two weeks,” UT sketch show co-producer Mandi Wood said.
While UT does encourage its own members to create sketches for their shows, everyone is welcomed and encouraged in the writing process. Each semester there are weekly writer’s meetings for UT sketch. Anyone can come with already written works to iron out or just come with an idea and see how you can make it grow into something outrageously funny.
“This year’s sketch show is more unique than previous ones; there is definitely more variety in writers and styles than we have had before. Normally, we have a few dominant writers, but this year it is pretty balanced because we have been increasing interest within UT to write for the shows. Plus there are a lot more babies present than usual,” Wood said.
Be sure to come early to this semester’s sketch show in order to get a seat.
Also, Ubiquitous They improv will be present for some pre-show entertainment with some of their tantalizing games where, of course, all of their material comes from shout outs provided by the audience.
[PHOTO COURTESY/ JESSE BALDRIDGE]