By Meredith Pratt | Staff Writer
In order to adhere to social distancing protocol, the university made several changes to homecoming this year. Pigskin Revue is no exception.
The top eight All-University Sing acts from last year will now be shown entirely online at 6:30 p.m. on today and Saturday.
Over the summer, Student Productions came up with several contingency plans for Pigskin, from best to worst case scenarios. Baylor approved one plan – a livestreamed performance with footage from Sing and supplemental pre-recorded videos of the acts from this fall.
Student Productions worked with Waco Hall to develop a plan that would allow each group to film close-ups of different scenes from their acts that will be played on top of the recordings from their Sing performance. Sammamish, Wash., sophomore Clara Lincicome learned a segment of the Kappa Alpha Theta act and practiced with a group of nine other Thetas in that particular dance.
“I was just in one portion of it, so I just met with the people I was dancing with. We don’t even get to sing this time, but we got to learn the dances,” Lincicome said. “We all got together on a Saturday and filmed it and put them all together, so they’re like 10-second segments.”
For Lincicome, the opportunity to dress up in her sorority’s costume and perform was not taken for granted.
“I’m a sophomore so I just got into Theta. So I was really excited that we were able to do it because it’s my first time being able to participate in it,” Lincicome said. “I was super excited that I was able to participate, even though it wasn’t in the fullest form. I was able to still get to meet more Thetas and put on the costume and experience it in some way, which is really nice.”
Plano senior Addisyn Burlage, a Student Productions member, said the change in format of Pigskin was not ideal but necessary.
“We are all upset about the restrictions on these shows because it is our job to help others see their vision performed on stage, and we are not able to do that anymore,” Burlage said. “We know that for the safety of everyone involved, not just performers and audience members but also the workers at Waco Hall and the orchestra, we cannot perform Pigskin as usual.”
Burlage had been promoted within Student Productions this year only to have her responsibilities significantly reduced.
“I was given an executive position as vice president of show experience,” Burlage said. “That means I am in charge of lobby decoration, print designs for playbills and posters and the overall experience of both the audience and performers in the show. However, given our change to virtual events, my job has been severely diminished as so much of the experience is out of our control.”
Student Productions members were still assigned groups to assist with the filming process and to help make sure they understood the shift to a virtual experience and how it would affect them. However, when groups learned of the restrictions on the performers, many of them chose not to participate in filming.
Burlage said she has compassion for those who were not able to enjoy this tradition for their last time (or first time) as a Baylor student.
“Losing [in-person] Pigskin is a huge loss for each of our groups and we are doing our best to help them feel included in the show,” Burlage said. “Our executives came up with a brilliant idea to offer a commemorative playbill that will include letters from the Pigskin chairs, behind-the-scenes pictures and information, some collectible items and more to help those watching from home feel like they are still a part of the show.”
Although it will undoubtedly be different, Burlage said she is hopeful that the show will still showcase what makes Pigskin meaningful.
“My hope for those who will watch Pigskin is that they are still able to see how much work each group put into these acts,” Burlage said. “Such a huge part of what makes Pigskin meaningful is the heart behind each performance, and I hope they can feel that from wherever they are able to watch.”
To watch Pigskin, purchase a $15 ticket through Student Activities to be sent a link to the livestream.
