Stacie Boyls | Arts & Life Writer
Baylor Student Productions will present its annual After Dark Variety Show on Friday, Sept. 12, at Waco Hall with performances at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
This longstanding Baylor tradition premieres university talent across students and faculty alike. From solo performances to organized dances and comedic acts, this show invites talent of all kinds to take center stage.
“We get to highlight in the community with not many restrictions as you would see on a stage in the theater department — or even for Pigskin and Sing — where it’s a pretty specific type of act,” San Diego senior Giavanna Russo, After Dark’s executive producer, said. “I’m really excited about the whole show coming together.”
Beaumont senior Major Hargraves, an After Dark performer, has found the experience particularly rewarding, citing making people smile or laugh as his main inspiration for his act.
“People get it when you’re doing something ridiculous just for the joy of it,” Hargraves said. “There’s something in me that wants to just make people smile — to take something really simple or dumb and put a lot of effort into it. That’s funny to me.”
Tickets for the event are available through the Waco Hall Ticket Office. Admission for the 9:30 p.m. show is discounted for Baylor students, with all seats priced at $15.
The event has been part of Baylor’s Family Weekend for 29 years, making it a staple Baylor tradition alongside Pigskin and Sing. For many Baylor families, the show has become a highlight of the fall semester, providing a space for students and parents alike to embrace the diversity of Baylor.
“People say that their parents loved it, which I think is so cute because it is Family Weekend,” Russo said. “I went with my parents as a freshman, and my roommate brought her [parents]. I just love getting to see the families experience our community because we’re used to it as Baylor students.”
Hargraves commented on his excitement to join fellow students as a contributor to this tradition, emphasizing his gratitude as a Baylor student.
“I am like super blessed to be here, and it’s awesome to participate in traditions that have been around for so long,” he said. “I got to participate in Sing this past year, and coming back to Waco Hall and doing After Dark after Sing just makes it feel special.”
Planning for the show began in April, with final productions being produced within a week of when auditions were held. Russo said the mix of student and faculty performers reflects Baylor’s emphasis on community and tradition, while creating a diverse performance and entertainment experience.
Russo said she encourages students and families to attend the show, or even to consider auditioning for future performances. She said she also encourages students who are interested in the behind-the-scenes action to consider joining Student Productions.
“You get an hour and a half of really good entertainment, and you get to tell people about the beatboxing student that you saw on stage,” she said.
Hargraves echoed this sentiment, encouraging students to embrace their whimsy and sense of authentic self and audition for the show in the future.
“Look, man, you got the rest of your life to work; this is a great side quest,” he said. “Have side quests in your college career, explore and have fun. If you want to do After Dark, make sure you’re bringing something original – and there’s nothing more original than being authentically you and just playing.”
