The Varsity Show is one of the oldest traditions at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and its oldest performing arts presentation. Founded in 1894 as a fundraiser for the university's fledgling athletic teams, the Varsity Show now draws together the entire Columbia undergraduate community for a series of sold-out performances every April. Dedicated to producing a unique full-length spectacle that skewers and satirizes many dubious aspects of life at Columbia, the Varsity Show is written and inspired by an extensive team of cast, producers and production personnel.

Notable alumni

Alumni who have written, performed, directed, worked backstage, or otherwise been associated with the show include: *

Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison, Jr. (September 29, 1872 – December 15, 1938) was a prominent American Beaux-Arts and Gothic Revival architect. Early life He was born in Brooklyn, New York City in 1872. Murchison graduated from Columbia Universi ...

, 1894, architect * Henry Shrady, 1894, architect *

Guy Wetmore Carryl Guy Wetmore Carryl (4 March 1873 – 1 April 1904) was an American humorist and poet. Biography Carryl was born in New York City, the first-born of writer Charles Edward Carryl and Mary R. Wetmore. He had his first article published in ''The N ...

, 1895, author and humorist * Melville Henry Cane, 1900, lawyer and poet * William C. DeMille, 1900, president of the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

* John Erskine, 1900, pioneer of the

Great Books A classic is a book accepted as being exemplary or particularly noteworthy. What makes a book "classic" is a concern that has occurred to various authors ranging from Italo Calvino to Mark Twain and the related questions of "Why Read the Cl ...

program *

Edgar Allan Woolf Edgar Allan Woolf (April 25, 1881 – December 9, 1943) was an American lyricist, playwright, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-author of the script for the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz''. Early years and education Woolf was the son ...

, 1901, co-screenwriter of '' The Wizard of Oz'' *

Arthur Garfield Hays Arthur Garfield Hays (December 12, 1881 – December 14, 1954) was an American lawyer and champion of civil liberties issues, best known as a co-founder and general counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union and for participating in notable ca ...

, 1902, who represented the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

at the Monkey Trial of John Scopes * George Middleton, 1902, president of the

Dramatists Guild of America The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active M ...

Ralph Morgan Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann (July 6, 1883 – June 11, 1956), known professionally as Ralph Morgan, was a Hollywood stage and film character actor, and the older brother of Frank Morgan. Early life Morgan was born in New York City, the eig ...

, 1904, the first president of the

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...

* Frank D. Fackenthal, 1906, acting

President of Columbia University The president of Columbia University is the chief officer of Columbia University in New York City. The position was first created in 1754 by the original royal charter for the university, issued by George II of Great Britain, George II, and the p ...

* Kenneth Webb, 1906, film director * Roy Webb, 1910, composer for scores of films, including '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'', '' Notorious'', and '' Marty'' * Dixon Ryan Fox, 1911, president of

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

* Oscar Hammerstein II, 1916, legendary lyricist *

Howard Dietz Howard Dietz (September 8, 1896 – July 30, 1983) was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist, best remembered for his songwriting collaboration with Arthur Schwartz. Biography Dietz was born in New York City. He attended Columbia Colle ...

, 1917, lyricist for '' Dancing in the Dark'' and head of publicity for

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

, who created its famed Leo the Lion trademark *

Herman Mankiewicz Herman Jacob Mankiewicz (; November 7, 1897 – March 5, 1953) was an American screenwriter who, with Orson Welles, wrote the screenplay for ''Citizen Kane'' (1941). Both Mankiewicz and Welles would go on to receive the Academy Award for Best Or ...

, 1917, who with

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

wrote '' Citizen Kane'' * Lorenz Hart, 1918, lyricist of " My Funny Valentine", "

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered "Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered)" is a show tune and popular song from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical '' Pal Joey''. It is part of the Great American Songbook. The song was introduced by Vivienne Segal on December 25, 1940, in the Bro ...

" and many other Broadway standards *

Corey Ford Corey Ford (April 29, 1902 – July 27, 1969) was an American humorist, writer, outdoorsman, and screenwriter. He was friendly with several members of the Algonquin Round Table in New York City and occasionally lunched there. Early years Ford was ...

, 1923, humorist who named Eustace Tilley, the mascot of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' magazine * Richard Rodgers, 1923, legendary songwriter *

Jacques Barzun Jacques Martin Barzun (; November 30, 1907 – October 25, 2012) was a French-American historian known for his studies of the history of ideas and cultural history. He wrote about a wide range of subjects, including baseball, mystery novels, and ...

, 1927, cultural historian *

Albert Maltz Albert Maltz (; October 28, 1908 – April 26, 1985) was an American playwright, fiction writer and screenwriter. He was one of the Hollywood Ten who were jailed in 1950 for their 1947 refusal to testify before the US Congress about their invo ...

, 1930, one of the

Hollywood Ten The Hollywood blacklist was an entertainment industry blacklist, broader than just Hollywood, put in effect in the mid-20th century in the United States during the early years of the Cold War. The blacklist involved the practice of denying empl ...

and screenwriter for ''

Destination Tokyo ''Destination Tokyo'' is a 1943 black and white American submarine war film. The film was directed by Delmer Daves in his directorial debut,McGee, Scott"Articles: 'Destination Tokyo' (1944)."'' TCM.com'', 2019. Retrieved: August 15, 2019. and t ...

'' *

William Ludwig William Ludwig may refer to: * William Ludwig (screenwriter) * William Ludwig (baritone) William Ludwig (born William Ledwidge) (15 July 1847 – 25 December 1923) was an Irish operatic baritone who rose to fame in the second half of the ninete ...

, 1932, screenwriter for ''

The Great Caruso ''The Great Caruso'' is a 1951 biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Mario Lanza as Enrico Caruso. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Joe Pasternak with Jesse L. Lasky as associate producer from a screenpla ...

and

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

co-winner for ''

Interrupted Melody ''Interrupted Melody'' is a 1955 biographical musical film, filmed in CinemaScope and Eastman Color, directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Glenn Ford, Eleanor Parker, Roger Moore, and Cecil Kellaway. The film was produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Ma ...

Herman Wouk Herman Wouk ( ; May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019) was an American author best known for historical fiction such as ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1951) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. His other major works include ''The Winds of War'' and ...

, 1934, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ''

The Caine Mutiny ''The Caine Mutiny'' is a 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The novel grew out of Wouk's personal experiences aboard two destroyer-minesweepers in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Among its themes, it deals with the moral ...

'' and '' Marjorie Morningstar'' * Martin Manulis, 1935, television producer and creator of '' Playhouse 90'' *

Carl Emil Schorske Carl Emil Schorske (March 15, 1915 – September 13, 2015), known professionally as Carl E. Schorske, was an American cultural historian and professor emeritus at Princeton University. In 1981 he won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction for ...

, 1936, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian * John La Touche, 1937, lyricist for '' Cabin in the Sky'' and '' The Golden Apple'' *

Robert Lax Robert Lax (November 30, 1915 – September 26, 2000) was an American poet, known in particular for his association with Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. Another friend of his youth was the painter Ad Reinhardt. After a long period of dri ...

, 1938, minimalist poet *

Sid Luckman Sidney Luckman (November 21, 1916 – July 5, 1998) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1939 through 1950. During his twelve seasons with the Bears, ...

, 1939, Chicago Bears quarterback * I.A.L. Diamond, 1941,

-winning screenwriter;

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hol ...

's co-author on ''

The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, Dav ...

'' and ''

The Fortune Cookie ''The Fortune Cookie'' (alternative UK title: ''Meet Whiplash Willie'') is a 1966 American black comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It was the first film in which Jack Lemmon collaborated with Walter Matthau. Matthau ...

'' *

Gerald Green Gerald Green (born January 26, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 18th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Know ...

, 1942, writer of ''

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...

'' *

Ernest Kinoy Ernest Kinoy (April 1, 1925 – November 10, 2014) was an American writer, screenwriter and playwright. Early life Kinoy was born in New York City on April 1, 1925; his parents, Albert and Sarah Kinoy (formerly Forstadt), were both high-school ...

, 1946, screenwriter * Edward N. Costikyan, 1947, political advisor * Dick Hyman, 1948, Emmy-award winning composer *

Sorrell Booke Sorrell Booke (January 4, 1930 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor who performed on stage, screen, and television. He acted in more than 100 plays and 150 television shows, and is best known for his role as corrupt politician Jefferson ...

, 1949, actor who played

Boss Hogg Jefferson Davis "J.D." Hogg, known as Boss Hogg, is a fictional character featured in the American television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. He was the commissioner of Hazzard County, and the county's political boss. Boss Hogg almost always wo ...

in ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...

'' *

Philip Springer Philip Springer (born May 12, 1926) is an American composer, best known for co-writing the classic Christmas song "Santa Baby". In a musical career spanning over 70 years, he is credited in 540 musical pieces, including composing songs for numero ...

, 1950, American composer who wrote the Christmas song,

Santa Baby "Santa Baby" is a song performed by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra and originally released in 1953. The song was written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, who also used the pseudonym Tony Springer in an attempt ...

Edward Kleban Edward "Ed" Kleban (April 30, 1939 – December 28, 1987) was an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. Kleban was born in the Bronx, New York City, in 1939 and graduated from New York's High School of Music & Art and Columbia Universi ...

, 1959, lyricist for ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...

'' *

Terrence McNally Terrence McNally (November 3, 1938 – March 24, 2020) was an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. Described as "the bard of American theater" and "one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced," ...

, 1960,

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winning playwright *

Jon Bauman Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (born September 14, 1947) is an American singer, best known as a member of the band Sha Na Na, and game show host. Bauman's Sha Na Na character, "Bowzer", was a greaser in a muscle shirt. Biography and career Bauman was ...

, 1969, of

Sha Na Na Sha Na Na was an American rock and roll doo-wop group. Formed in 1969, but performing a song-and-dance repertoire based on 1950s hit songs, it simultaneously revived and parodied the music and the New York street culture of the 1950s. After ga ...

* Adam Belanoff, 1984, a writer/producer of ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expre ...

'', '' Murphy Brown'', '' Cosby'', and ''

The Closer ''The Closer'' is an American television police procedural starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Brenda has a reputation as a c ...

'' * Alexa Junge,

Barnard College Barnard College of Columbia University is a private women's liberal arts college in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a group of women led by young student activist Annie Nathan Meyer, who petitioned Columbia ...

1986, an Emmy-nominated writer/producer of '' Friends'' and ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...

'' *

David Rakoff David Benjamin Rakoff (November 27, 1964 – August 9, 2012) was a Canadian-born American writer of prose and poetry based in New York City, who wrote humorous and sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff was an essayist, journ ...

, 1986, comedic essayist * Alex Kuczynski, Barnard College 1990, Styles reporter for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' *

Eric Garcetti Eric Michael Garcetti (born February 4, 1971) is an American politician who served as the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 until 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected in the 2013 election, and reelected in 2017. A fo ...

, 1992, mayor of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

* Tom Kitt, 1996,

-winning composer of ''

Next To Normal ''Next to Normal'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing ...

'' *

Donna Vivino Donna Marie Vivino is an American theatre, television, film actress and singer. She is well known for playing Elphaba in the Broadway production of ''Wicked'' and as the original Young Cosette in ''Les Misérables'' on Broadway. She was seen on ...

, Barnard College 2000, actress in ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' *

Lang Fisher Lang Fisher (born January 29, 1980) is an American comedy writer and director. She co-created and executive produced the Netflix coming-of-age comedy-drama series, ''Never Have I Ever''. Career Fisher graduated from Fountain Valley School of ...

, 2002, co-creator of ''Never Have I Ever'' and Peabody Award winner * Will Graham, 2002, co-creator of

Onion News Network ''Onion News Network'' is a parody television news show that ran for two seasons of ten episodes each, both during 2011, on the Independent Film Channel. History In March 2007, ''The Onion'' launched ''The Onion News Network'', a daily web v ...

and Peabody Award winner *

Brandon Victor Dixon Brandon Victor Dixon (born September 23, 1981) is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical ''The Color Purple'' and Eub ...

, 2002,

-winning and Emmy Award-nominated actor *

Robby Mook Robert E. Mook (; born December 3, 1979) is an American political strategist. He was the campaign manager for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Mook worked on state campaigns and on Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign. He then ...

, 2002, campaign manager for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

2016 presidential campaign This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...

* Susanna Fogel, 2002, Directors Guild of America Awards-winning director *

Kelly McCreary Kelly J. McCreary (born September 29, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her role on the ABC drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' as Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of series protagonist Meredith Grey. She joined the series as a guest a ...

, Barnard College 2003, actress on ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

'' * Tze Chun, 2003, director *

Peter Koechley Peter Lennon Koechley is an American writer and internet entrepreneur. He was the managing editor of ''The Onion'' and co-founded Upworthy. Biography Koechley attended Madison West High School and graduated from Columbia University in 2003 with ...

, 2003, co-founder of ''

Upworthy Upworthy is a website dedicated to positive storytelling. It was started in March 2012 by Eli Pariser, the former executive director of MoveOn, and Peter Koechley, the former managing editor of ''The Onion''. One of Facebook's co-founders, Chris ...

'' and former managing editor of ''

The Onion ''The Onion'' is an American digital media company and newspaper organization that publishes satire, satirical articles on international, national, and local news. The company is based in Chicago but originated as a weekly print publication on ...

'' *

Gabe Liedman Gabe Liedman is an American television writer, producer, and actor known for his work on '' PEN15'', '' Brooklyn Nine-Nine'', and '' Inside Amy Schumer''. He is the showrunner of Netflix animation series ''Q-Force'' and the first season of '' PEN ...

, 2004, creator of ''

Q-Force ''Q-Force'' is an American adult animated comedy series on Netflix. In April 2019, Netflix ordered 10 episodes of the series, with Gabe Liedman as a showrunner, along with Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, and others as executive producers. It was r ...

'' *

Jenny Slate Jenny Sarah Slate (born March 25, 1982) is an American actress, comedian, and author. Born and raised in Milton, Massachusetts, Slate was educated at Milton Academy and studied literature at Columbia University, where she became involved in the ...

, 2004, cast member, ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...

'' *

Greta Gerwig Greta Celeste Gerwig (; born August 4, 1983) is an American actress, screenwriter, and director. She first garnered attention after working on and appearing in several mumblecore films. Between 2006 and 2009, she appeared in a number of films ...

, Barnard College 2006, Golden Globe and

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-nominated director *

Kate McKinnon Kate McKinnon Berthold (born January 6, 1984) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She is known for her character work and celebrity impressions on the sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (2012–2022), of which she was a cas ...

, 2006, actress on ''

'' and ''

The Big Gay Sketch Show ''The Big Gay Sketch Show'' is an LGBT-themed sketch comedy program that debuted on Logo on April 24, 2007. The series is produced by Rosie O'Donnell and directed by Amanda Bearse. The program was originally titled ''The Big Gay Show'' but was ...

''The I.A.L. Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts''

The I.A.L. Diamond Award is presented on annual basis to a Columbia or Barnard alumnus/a who has demonstrated continued commitment to and has found success in the arts.

I. A. L. Diamond I. A. L. Diamond (born Ițec (Itzek) Domnici; June 27, 1920 – April 21, 1988) was a Moldovan–American screenwriter, best known for his collaborations with Billy Wilder. Life and career Diamond was born in Ungheni, Iași County, Bessarabia, R ...

(1920–88) is the only individual to have written four consecutive Varsity Shows. He then went on to Hollywood to write eleven screenplays with

for the latter's films, including '' Some Like it Hot'' (1959) and ''

'' (1960). Diamond and Wilder won the 1960 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for ''The Apartment.'' In 2004,

was the first recipient of the award. McNally graduated

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

from Columbia College with a B.A. in English in 1960 and went on to author works such as ''

Master Class A master class is a class given to students of a particular discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also science, painting, drama, games, or on any other occasion where skills are being developed. "Masterclass" is als ...

'', ''

Love! Valour! Compassion! ''Love! Valour! Compassion!'' is a play by Terrence McNally. The play opened Off-Broadway in 1994 and transferred to Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in pr ...

'', and ''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

.'' During his senior year at Columbia, McNally wrote the 66th Annual Varsity Show, which featured music by fellow student

(who would later share the Pulitzer Prize for ''

'') and was directed by Michael Kahn (later the artistic director of the

Shakespeare Theatre Company The Shakespeare Theatre Company is a regional theatre company located in Washington, D.C. The theatre company focuses primarily on plays from the Shakespeare canon, but its seasons include works by other classic playwrights such as Euripides, ...

in Washington, D.C.). In 2005,

Jeanine Tesori Jeanine Tesori (known earlier in her career as Jeanine Levenson) is an American composer and musical arranger best known for her work in the theater. She is the most prolific and honored female theatrical composer in history, with five Broadway m ...

Class of 1983, was honored with the award. Ms. Tesori was the music director for the 89th Annual Varsity Show and then came back a year in 1984 to write the music for the 90th Annual Varsity Show. She is a three-time

nominee for her work on ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' (1998,

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

), ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve you ...

'', and ''

Caroline, or Change ''Caroline, or Change'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Tony Kushner. The score combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish klezmer and folk music. The show ran both Off-Broadway and on Broadway ...

''. In 2006,

Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American singer, poet, and actor. He is best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Highlights of Garfunkel's solo music career include one top-10 h ...

, Columbia College Class of 1962, received the award. Garfunkel is best known as half of the folk duo

Simon and Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of " ...

. In 2007, Brandon V. Dixon, member of the Columbia College community, received the award. Mr. Dixon performed in the cast of the 107th Annual Varsity Show. He later received a Tony Award nomination for his performance of Harpo in ''

The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.

''. He also originated the role of

Simba Simba is a fictional character and the protagonist of Disney's ''The Lion King'' franchise. Introduced in the 1994 film ''The Lion King'', Walt Disney Animation's 32nd animated feature, the character subsequently appears in '' The Lion King II: ...

in the national tour of ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...

''. In 2008, the award was presented to Tom Kitt (CC '96) and

Brian Yorkey Brian Yorkey is an American playwright and lyricist. His works often explore dark and controversial subject matter such as mental illness, grief, the underbelly of suburbia, and ethics in both psychiatry and public education. Early life Yorkey w ...

(CC '93). For their musical ''

,'' featuring music by Kitt and book/lyrics by Yorkey, the pair won the 2009

Tony Award for Best Original Score The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical or play in that year. The score consists of music and/or lyrics. To be eligible, a score must be written ...

and the 2010

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

. While at Columbia, the duo wrote the music, lyrics, and book to the 100th Annual Varsity Show, ''Angels at Columbia: Centennial Approaches''. In 2009, the award was presented to

Diane Paulus Diane Marie Paulus (born 1966) is an American theater and opera director who is currently the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.Colleen Walsh"Paulus reaches beyond boards" ''Harvar ...

, a teacher at Barnard College, Columbia School of the Arts graduate, and, most recently, director of the Tony-winning revival of '' Hair''. In 2010, the award was presented to

Twyla Tharp Twyla Tharp (; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1966 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music. Fr ...

, a Barnard College '63 alumna. She is the choreographer of many famous dances, multiple Broadway shows, and the film version of the musical '' Hair'' and has won a Tony and an Emmy.

Past Varsity Shows

* 1894: Joan of Arc * 1896: The Buccaneer * 1897: Cleopatra * 1899: Varsity Show * 1900: The Governor's Vrouw * 1901: The Princess Proud * 1902: The Vanity Fair * 1903: The Mischief Maker * 1904: The Isle of Illusia * 1905: The Khan of Kathan * 1906: The Conspirators * 1907: The Ides of March * 1908: Mr. King * 1909: In Newport * 1910: The King of Hilaria * 1911: Made in India * 1912: The Mysterious Miss Apache * 1913: The Brigands * 1914: The Merry Lunatic * 1915: On Your Way * 1916: The Peace Pirates * 1917: Home, James * 1918: Ten for Five * 1919: Take a Chance * 1920: Fly with Me * 1921: You'll Never Know * 1922: Steppe Around * 1923: Half Moon Inn * 1924: Old King's * 1925: Half Moon Inn (revival) * 1926: His Majesty, The Queen * 1927: Betty Behave * 1928: Zuleika, or the Sultan Insulted * 1929: Oh, Hector * 1930: Heigh-ho Pharaoh * 1931: Great Shakes * 1932: How Revolting! * 1933: Home, James * 1934: Laugh it Off! * 1935: Flair-Flair: The Idol of Paree * 1936: Off Your Marx * 1937: Some of the People * 1938: You've Got Something There * 1939: Fair Enough * 1940: Life Begins in '40 * 1941: Hit the Road * 1942: Saints Alive * 1944: On the Double * 1945: Second the Motion * 1946: Step Right Up * 1947: Dead to Rights * 1948: Streets of New York * 1949: Mr. Oscar * 1950: Wait For It * 1951: Babe in the Woods * 1952: Streets of New York (revival) * 1953: Shape of Things * 1954: Sky's the Limit * 1955: When in Rome * 1956: Not Fit to Print * 1957: The Voice of the Sea * 1958: Streets of New York (revival) * 1959: Dig That Treasure * 1960: A Little Bit Different * 1961: Streets of New York (revival) * 1963: Elsinore * 1964: Il Troubleshootore * 1965: Destry Rides Again * 1966: The Bawd's Opera * 1967: Feathertop * 1978: The Great Columbia Riot of '78 * 1980: Fly With Me (revival) * 1982: College on Broadway * 1982: Columbia Graffiti * 1983: Fear of Scaffolding * 1984: The New 'U' * 1985: Lost in Place * 1987: From Here to Uncertainty * 1988: The Bonfire of Humanities * 1989: Sans Souci, Be Happy * 1990: Behind the Lion Curtain * 1991: The Silence of the Lions * 1992: Columbia U, 10027 * 1993: The Lion Game * 1994: Angels at Columbia: Centennial Approaches * 1995: Step Inside * 1996: Devil in a Light Blue Dress * 1997: Enlargement and Enhancement: The Scaffolding Years * 1998: Love is Indefinite * 1999: Beyond Oedipus: Leaving the Womb * 2000: Mo' Money, Mo' Problems * 2001: Sex, Lions, and Videotape * 2002: 108th Annual Varsity Show * 2003: Dial 'D' for Deadline * 2004: Off-Broadway * 2005: The Sound of Muses * 2006: Misery Loves Columbia * 2007: Insufficient Funds * 2008: Morningside Hates * 2009: The Gates of Wrath * 2010: College Walk of Shame * 2011: Another Scandal! * 2012: The Corporate Core * 2013: The Great Netscape * 2014: Morningside Nights * 2015: Almageddon * 2016: A King's College * 2017: A Tale of Two Colleges * 2018: Lights Out on Broadway * 2019: It’s a Wonderful Strife * 2020: We Hope This Musical Finds You Well * 2021: Campus in the Cloud * 2022: Well Endowed

References

External links

*
Sing a Song of Morningside
, an official history of the show by

Thomas Vinciguerra Thomas Vinciguerra (October 8, 1963 – February 22, 2021) was an American journalist, editor, and author. A founding editor of ''The Week'' magazine, he published about popular culture and other subjects in ''The New York Times'', as well as in ...

The Varsity Show – Official Page

Notable alumni

''The I.A.L. Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts''

Past Varsity Shows

References

External links

Further reading