A giant, green grasshopper. Hilarious emcees. Impeccable talent. Flawless stage effects. These are some of the thoughts that the words “Grasshopper Night” bring to mind. Possibly the most talked about and popular event of the year, Andover’s fall term talent show never fails to inspire awe, and will make its annual explosion onstage this Parent’s Weekend. Grasshopper Night is a discerning display of PA’s most talented artists, performing in areas ranging from music, to dance, to theatre, with some comedic interludes thrown into the mix. Masters of Ceremonies Jean Marie Gossard ’05 and Student Body President Daniel Adler ’05 will be sure to “bring the funny,” promised Adler. He and Gossard, both notoriously humorous, have invented all their own skits. Along with the rest of the cast and crew, they have put enormous amounts of time into rehearsals over the past two weeks. When asked if we should expect any surprises, the MCs merely replied with, “Nothing we can tell the producers about.” Whatever they have up their sleeves, Adler and Gossard are making sure not to give it away before this weekend. The competition to get a slot in this year’s program was intense, even for Grasshopper Night. Of the sixty acts that auditioned, only fourteen were chosen. “We had to cut a lot of amazing acts to make a show that was cohesive,” said the show’s theater director and co-producer Abby Seldin ’05. The program is dynamic, featuring students that have performed in past Andover shows, such as The Yorkies and “Angkst,” but also includes many new acts. Seldin added, “it is by no means a closed show,” meaning that there is no one type of act dominating the evening’s line up; rather, a variety of numbers will grace the stage. Along with Seldin, the crew is rounded out by the other two theater producers, Chris Zegel ’05 and Caroline Claflin ’05, tech director Anand Swaminathan ’05, and music director Ben Heller ’05. Despite the stress of non-stop rehearsals over the past few weeks, as well as the pressure of creating a show that lives up to its infamous title, they remain thrilled about this year’s production. Their cast has been nothing but supportive, noted Seldin, “[The cast] is a group of really dedicated people that have really pulled for us.” The producers wait in excited anticipation for opening night. Zegel said, “The audience will be at the edge of their seats from the minute they walk in. There are a few acts you won’t expect, and [also] a lot of humor is incorporated into to the show.” Claflin agreed enthusiastically, exclaiming “It’s going to rock so hard!” Students cannot wait for Grasshopper Night, either. Lines for ticket sales packed GW lobby, with many students camping out with food and homework hours before the ticket booth even opened to save their spots in line. Those procrastinators who waited until the last day of sales were forced to slog over to the lobby at six in the morning to line up for those precious pieces of paper. Although the show is entirely sold out, the producers advise those who still wish to attend to come to Tang at least a half an hour early and put their names on a wait list. There are four performances – Friday and Saturday at 7pm and 8:45pm. From the looks of things, this year’s edition of Grasshopper Night will be sure to make history in the book of Andover’s greatest performances. If you don’t have tickets, try to get on the wait list or come to the show early and hope for openings.
