June 2002
EXTRA!
Men in skirts, women in leather, and a stable full of stick horses set the tone for a memorable lip sync competition on 17 May. Dozens of staff at the annual Spring Fling cast aside their inhibitions—along with their everyday clothes—to serenade the crowd with unorthodox renditions of favorite songs. (All photos by Carlye Calvin.)
First up, the Pearl Street Players + 1 took the crowd back to the 1970s
with “Summer Nights,” a high-energy version of the hit song
from Grease that won the award for Best Use of a Milk Carton. F&A’s
Shawn
Winkelman (below left, in black) and Jennifer Strange helped set the romantic
tone, with backing from F&A’s Jana Ray (in a leather jacket)
and Connie Cage,
among others. (Quicktime video, HR.mov - 42 seconds,
939 k).
Then came the Interdivisional 80’s Rock-loving Patriots performing “Kids in America,” led by the likes of Madonna (EO’s Heidi Lewis) and Billy Idol (HAO’s Craig Hartsough). If Craig managed to look comfortable in those tight leather pants, borrowed from a slimmer female colleague, it was a skillful act: “I couldn’t wear them for more than a few minutes.” (Quicktime video, eighties.mov - 32 seconds, 540 k).
Next, the MMM players performed a memorable tribute to the television show, “Gilligan’s Island” (complete with classic commercials pitching Oscar Mayer bologna and Mounds candy). Chris Davis wore a trademark white hat to play Gilligan, Bob Gall took the helm—briefly—as the skipper, and Bill Hall played the ever-endearing millionaire, Mr. Howell. (Quicktime video, mmm.mov - 90 seconds, 1,835 k)
Peter Thornton (CGD) stepped up to the plate next, swinging a bat and engaging in a highly original—some might say unique—version of Abbott & Costello’s “Who’s on First” routine with Craig Hartsough, comfortably shorn of his leather pants. The soundtrack, alas, kept skipping, but the performers valiantly carried on for several minutes. (Quicktime video, A&C.mov 28 seconds,1,091 k)
The HAO Shooting Stars brought the crowd west with a spirited rendition of “El Paso,” featuring Terri Cantrell as the young maiden (below, left) and Ron Lull as the handsome young stranger, (below, right, being flounced over by Sarah Gibson and Amy Knack.) “It was a kick,” says Terri. “We were laughing about it for four days.” (Quicktime video, hao.mov - 46 seconds, 863 k)
Wrapping up the show, the CGD Corrugated Cross-Dressers presented “Three Coins, Three Routines, and Three Destinies” -- tracing the fates of three couples and featuring lines from about 20 songs. CGD’s Mike Moran (looking fetching in his red dress) and Sylvia Murphy celebrate love (below left); Sam Levis sports a suit and Erik Kluzek shows off his green dress (below right). (Quicktime video, cgd.mov - 78 seconds, 1,777 k)
In the end, of course, it all came down to the six judges (from left to right: F&A’s Robert Olivas, EO’s Tim Barnes; HR’s Norma Beasant; F&A’s Dan Davis; and Susie Siders and Susan Montgomery-Hodge from the UCAR president’s office). After being showered with candy and other favors by each team, the judges gave first prize to HAO. Summing up the stiff competition, Susie says: “Tough decision. Good bribes.”
As always, the EAC did an excellent job pulling together the event. Dan
Ziskin (ACD) organized Spring Fling; Craig Hartsough and Jennifer DeLaurant
(SCD) were co-emcees for the lip-sync; Eron Brennan (F&A) provided
the sound system; and several other committee members chipped in. Velma
Ryan and the food services team served up a great vegetarian buffet, and
Rapture Valley provided the musical entertainment.
VHS copies of the complete Spring Fling video will be available for loan from the ML and FL libraries.