Mercer's Late Night Series is back and better than ever

Artists of all kinds showcased
their talents at Mercer's Studio
Theatre in another installment
of the long-running Late Night
Series. Students and other locals
were provided with a free,
open-mic opportunity to showcase
their talents or see some
local entertainment on a cold
November night.

Before the showcase
began, students congregated
around the Studio Theater in
anticipation of the show. The
Studio Theater has a dark and
cozy atmosphere and features
seating that is very close to the
small stage. The night's acts included
poetry readings, a dramatic
monologue, musicians,
comedy groups and a featured
performance by the Los Angeles-
based touring production
College the Musical: A Musical
About College.

The poetry readings
ranged from dramatic to silly,
detailing topics such as feelings
for suffering friends, the inhalation
of cigarettes, and the quirky
working environment of the Olive
Garden.

The four-person "Culture
Shock" and "Keegan and
George: Other Shit" were two of
the comedy groups to perform.
"Culture Shock" delivered a
topical Twilight Parody, rapidfire
sketches and an improvisational
comedy section fueled by
audience participation. "Other
Shit" is an avant-garde comedy
duo with music who relied on
tight delivery and drumbeats
to provide humor. "Culture
Shock" member Solomon Mason,
a Theater major, describes
performing at Late Night Series
as, "fun and exhilarating" and
"something everyone should do
once."

College the Musical:
A Musical About College stars
Kelly Meyersfield and Evan
Wecksell, two veterans of comedy
club and college show tours.
Written by Meyersfield, the
show details the highs and lows
of college life and relationships.
According to Wecksell, "the
idea for the show came from
a play we were trying to make
about alcohol awareness. It
came out too preachy so it grew
into College the Musical." The
show combines comedic musical
numbers from Wecksell's
solo tours with Meyersfield's
creative writing.

"We love playing small
crowds. It reminds me of a similar
creative space in my hometown,"
said Wecksell after the
show.

The show ended
around midnight with three
songs provided by students from
East Brunswick High School. By
then, most of the students had
left the Studio Theater, but those
that remained at the Late Night
Series applauded the musicians.
Once the host closed the
show, audience members were
able to talk to the performers
who stayed to watch the show.

Bartholomew Battista,
a Communications major, hosted
the Late Night Series, providing
one-liners and light banter
as he introduced acts. "The Late
Night Series provides students
an outlet for creativity with no
limitations. Artists get to come
and have a full crowd of people
to entertain," said Battista.

The theater was filled
with a spirited audience that
alternately berated the host,
cheered loudly for the performances
and provided first-time
attendees with a good look at
the talent available in the Mercer
community .

One first-time attendee,
Graham Bessellieu, a junior
Film major from Emerson,
said, "It was cool to see all these
people doing what they love
up there on the stage for their
classmates."