originally written for The Emory Wheel: Arts & Living (www.emorywheel.com)
Rathskellar’s Senior Show last Monday opened to an almost-packed White Hall with a tantalizing teaser of the grand finale. The troupe unveiled 100 mousetraps promising the audience that by the end of the evening, Goizueta Business School senior and Emperor of Rathskellar Joshua Izaak and College senior and High Priest Geoff Schorkopf would be standing in a mousetrap minefield, barefoot and blindfolded.
As “Mission Impossible” theme music played, the group moved the table of traps to the side of the stage, but they were still visible to remind Izaak and Schorkopf constantly of what was in store for them.
Many classic Rathskellar games were played, and graduating seniors took center stage in some of their favorites.
College senior Sarah Wallace and Schorkopf performed Oscar-worthy monologues as they purchased a robot son in the improv game “Oscar Monologues.”
College senior David Micley visited a Disney-themed graduation party as a “priest yielding a sledge hammer” whom he later dubbed “Sonic the Sledgehand.”
Also at this party was College junior Alexandra Kayhart’s rendition of Helen Keller and College senior Sophia Edwards’ portrayal of fellow-Rathskellar member Wallace.
Another crowd favorite was “Confessions,” in which audience members wrote down “startling confessions” outside before the show.
The sheets of paper were scattered across the stage, and Rathskellar members introduced these confessions into an improvised scene.
Usually, Izaak censors the more scandalous confessions, but, this being his last Rathskellar show, he read many of the raunchier ones.
“I’m gonna say it cause it’s Senior Show!” explained Izaak.
Intermission rolled in with a slide show of Rathskellar photos from the last four years in honor of the graduating seniors.
The audience “aww”ed as adorably nostalgic photos passed across the screen, ending with the highlights of the 2010-2011 Rathskellar year.
After the break, the seniors impressed the audience with the past four years of improv experience they have gleamed.
Schorkopf and Izaak teamed up as cops interrogating their suspect, Wallace, who was completely unaware of the crime she’d committed.
Through the course of Izaak and Schorkopf’s comedically cliché cross-examination, Wallace learned the details of her arrest and admitted to the crime — stealing a golden baseball from Cox Hall with accomplice College sophomore Preston Hogue, who was dressed as a pirate.
College senior Ari Blinder, Micley and Edwards played “The Bucket Game,” for which Izaak enthusiastically exclaimed, “They could all die!”
The three were placed on stage with a bucket full of water and asked to complete a scene with one performer’s head always submerged in the water bucket.
Three wet sweaters later, it was finally time for the finale. Rathskellar members laid the mousetraps across the stage as Izaak and Schorkopf nervously took off their shoes and socks and donned blindfolds.
In addition to risking their appendages, the two were also asked to play “The Alphabet Game,” creating scene dialogue in alphabetical order while walking through the mine of mouse traps.
Taking a quick glance around the room before they began, crowd-member and College sophomore Jefferson Sporn whispered, “The entire audience is so nervous right now.”
The pair began, stepping slowly to avoid snapping their toes off. The audience remained on the edge of their seats, screaming each time either student attempted to take a step. In the midst of all of this, Izaak and Schorkopf continued to play the game, doubling back over the alphabet and forgetting what letter they were on multiple times.
By the end of the scene, the two found themselves in a mountain of mousetraps, most of which had been placed by Wallace, with multiple traps stuck on their toes and clothes.
After the show concluded, Izaak took to the mic to thank the audience for coming. He was interrupted by Schorkopf who presented Izaak with a basketball, signed by every Rathskellar member. Schorkopf explained the significance of the basketball saying that Izaak used to say if he was athletic, Rathskellar would be his team. An emotional Izaak then announced, in true Rathskellar style through a pie-in-the-face, that College sophomore Natalya Zmudzin was the new Emperor of Rathskellar.
She successively pied College sophomores Jake Krakovsky and Hogue upon the announcement that they are to be her High Priests, ending the Senior Show with an exciting look at what’s in store for Emory come fall.
As “Mission Impossible” theme music played, the group moved the table of traps to the side of the stage, but they were still visible to remind Izaak and Schorkopf constantly of what was in store for them.
Many classic Rathskellar games were played, and graduating seniors took center stage in some of their favorites.
College senior Sarah Wallace and Schorkopf performed Oscar-worthy monologues as they purchased a robot son in the improv game “Oscar Monologues.”
College senior David Micley visited a Disney-themed graduation party as a “priest yielding a sledge hammer” whom he later dubbed “Sonic the Sledgehand.”
Also at this party was College junior Alexandra Kayhart’s rendition of Helen Keller and College senior Sophia Edwards’ portrayal of fellow-Rathskellar member Wallace.
Another crowd favorite was “Confessions,” in which audience members wrote down “startling confessions” outside before the show.
The sheets of paper were scattered across the stage, and Rathskellar members introduced these confessions into an improvised scene.
Usually, Izaak censors the more scandalous confessions, but, this being his last Rathskellar show, he read many of the raunchier ones.
“I’m gonna say it cause it’s Senior Show!” explained Izaak.
Intermission rolled in with a slide show of Rathskellar photos from the last four years in honor of the graduating seniors.
The audience “aww”ed as adorably nostalgic photos passed across the screen, ending with the highlights of the 2010-2011 Rathskellar year.
After the break, the seniors impressed the audience with the past four years of improv experience they have gleamed.
Schorkopf and Izaak teamed up as cops interrogating their suspect, Wallace, who was completely unaware of the crime she’d committed.
Through the course of Izaak and Schorkopf’s comedically cliché cross-examination, Wallace learned the details of her arrest and admitted to the crime — stealing a golden baseball from Cox Hall with accomplice College sophomore Preston Hogue, who was dressed as a pirate.
College senior Ari Blinder, Micley and Edwards played “The Bucket Game,” for which Izaak enthusiastically exclaimed, “They could all die!”
The three were placed on stage with a bucket full of water and asked to complete a scene with one performer’s head always submerged in the water bucket.
Three wet sweaters later, it was finally time for the finale. Rathskellar members laid the mousetraps across the stage as Izaak and Schorkopf nervously took off their shoes and socks and donned blindfolds.
In addition to risking their appendages, the two were also asked to play “The Alphabet Game,” creating scene dialogue in alphabetical order while walking through the mine of mouse traps.
Taking a quick glance around the room before they began, crowd-member and College sophomore Jefferson Sporn whispered, “The entire audience is so nervous right now.”
The pair began, stepping slowly to avoid snapping their toes off. The audience remained on the edge of their seats, screaming each time either student attempted to take a step. In the midst of all of this, Izaak and Schorkopf continued to play the game, doubling back over the alphabet and forgetting what letter they were on multiple times.
By the end of the scene, the two found themselves in a mountain of mousetraps, most of which had been placed by Wallace, with multiple traps stuck on their toes and clothes.
After the show concluded, Izaak took to the mic to thank the audience for coming. He was interrupted by Schorkopf who presented Izaak with a basketball, signed by every Rathskellar member. Schorkopf explained the significance of the basketball saying that Izaak used to say if he was athletic, Rathskellar would be his team. An emotional Izaak then announced, in true Rathskellar style through a pie-in-the-face, that College sophomore Natalya Zmudzin was the new Emperor of Rathskellar.
She successively pied College sophomores Jake Krakovsky and Hogue upon the announcement that they are to be her High Priests, ending the Senior Show with an exciting look at what’s in store for Emory come fall.
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