By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer
Student Productions and performers agree Baylor needs more non-Greek representation in All-University Sing. Although participation from other organizations is highly encouraged, these groups should understand that a 2025 Sing act is more than a sign-up sheet away.
Olivia Moses, associate director of Student Productions, said the entire university wants to diversify its Sing portfolio.
“We’d really like an All-University Sing to represent more of an all-university field,” Moses said.
Moses said she meant this in multiple ways. One method to more holistically represent Baylor is to get participation from other groups, whether they be cultural organizations, clubs or even residence halls. However, Moses said another way is to diversify the acts themselves. She said she wants students to understand that the criteria for a Sing act are less constricting than they seem.
There is no rule that says who can and cannot make a Sing act, nor does an act have to be the typical Broadway-style production — two common misconceptions that Moses said she hears often. In fact, as long as the group is composed of 20-200 Baylor students and complies with the rules of All-University Sing, any team has the creative freedom to design the act they want.
Although any group can, in theory, enter Sing, there are a number of challenges that make this easier said than done.
The first reason is that Sing is competitive, and that competition begins as soon as registration opens. According to Moses, when registration opens in April, nearly all of the 20 available spots are taken “within seconds.”
While there is high demand for the available spots in Sing, Moses said there isn’t much that can be done to increase the total number of acts. In the weeks leading up to the shows, Moses said Student Productions and Waco Hall are totally booked.
“There’s literally no room to add another organization,” Moses said. “Our schedule is completely full.”
Even if a new group does manage to fill one of the elusive spots, Moses said it is only the first step on a long, but rewarding, road. Sing is a huge commitment and workload, especially for a group that doesn’t have the decadeslong history that most do today.
“We’re happy to help any group that wants to join, but it’s a big undertaking,” Moses said.
Dallas senior Bryant Falconer is the president of Sing Alliance, the only non-Greek organization in Sing this year, as is the case in most years.
Like Moses, Falconer said he wants to see more diversity in Sing, but the workload is not to be understated. However, he also said interested groups shouldn’t shy away from the challenge.
“You’re going to have some very, very late nights and a lot of work on your hands, but when you get up on that stage and see your performance and how many people are excited, I think that makes it all worth it,” Falconer said.
Falconer also said the impact of a non-Greek organization participating in Sing would represent something bigger.
“I think community is what Baylor does best,” Falconer said. “Having non-Greek organizations in Sing, it shows people that you can find that community outside the typical avenue.”
Though the odds aren’t exactly in the favor of Sing first-timers — in terms of both entering and winning — there is something that could help new groups find a way into the Baylor tradition.
With the increasing popularity of partner acts, like 2023 winners Alpha Tau Omega and Alpha Chi Omega, there is an opportunity for another group to take a spot. It may not reduce the workload or eliminate the long and stressful nights, but for the group that’s interested and willing to take a risk, it creates a chance.
There will be two interest meetings in April for groups interested in joining Sing. Student Productions can be reached at olivia_moses@baylor.edu.
“What I recommend for an organization that has never done Sing is reach out sooner than later,” Moses said.
