`Class of '98' Appears at Union

Membership at the Coop is a pretty good deal, the Quad isn't really that far away, heterosexuals too live at Adams, and the Harvard Football Team is pretty good.

These were just some of the jokes made last night at the first performance of "The Real Class of '98," a parody of academic and residential life in Harvard Yard.

About 100 students turned out to watch the show, filling allotted seats and spilling out onto the floor of the Theater at the Union.

In a series of short skits the play parodied the Ad Board, Crimson Key Society, Michael Sandel's class "Justice," the Expository Writing Program, the Union, some specific students of the class and incidents such as the "Unidentified Harvard Sickness."

The first-year parody builds on a tradition begun in April of 1993 when a group of first-year students of the class of 1996 got together to produce "The Real Class of 1996," a spoof of an unsuccessful FOX television program of a similar name.

"There was really no event for freshman and about freshman," Said Paul D. Cabana '96. Members of the past show said they wanted to continue the show this year and together the two classes hope to "start a new Harvard tradition," according to James L. Tierney '96.

The cast of the 1993 performance held auditions this February to attract a new group of students to perform in this year's show.

"We picked the group most representative of the freshman class," said Cabana. "They were then pretty much left on their own."

The cast of last year's "class of 1996" then helped the newcomers along the way. "We acted primarily as advisors," said Tierney.

The 11 cast members auditioned afterintersession and spent much of their time writingthe script and then rehearsing it, according toEric P. Christoffersn '98.

Cast members said that being a part of the showwas a really valuable experience for them duringtheir first years. "It was wonderful--easily thehighlight of my freshman year," said Roy E. Bahat'98, a cast member.

"You really bond with these people," saidChristofferson. "It was a lot of fun anddefinitely worth it."

The audience seemed to enjoy the experiencetoo. "It was really refreshing. I have a lot offriends in it. It was really a bonding thing, evenfor the audience," said Monica A. Lamb '98, whowatched the show last night.

"Some of it is really realistic. It made usreally comfortable that we're not alone in thisbig university," said Alexis M. Goodman '98, whoalso attended last night's performance.

Additional performances will be held tonightand Saturday night

The 11 cast members auditioned afterintersession and spent much of their time writingthe script and then rehearsing it, according toEric P. Christoffersn '98.

Cast members said that being a part of the showwas a really valuable experience for them duringtheir first years. "It was wonderful--easily thehighlight of my freshman year," said Roy E. Bahat'98, a cast member.

"You really bond with these people," saidChristofferson. "It was a lot of fun anddefinitely worth it."

The audience seemed to enjoy the experiencetoo. "It was really refreshing. I have a lot offriends in it. It was really a bonding thing, evenfor the audience," said Monica A. Lamb '98, whowatched the show last night.

"Some of it is really realistic. It made usreally comfortable that we're not alone in thisbig university," said Alexis M. Goodman '98, whoalso attended last night's performance.

Additional performances will be held tonightand Saturday night