“It’s an amazing talent review,” said Dr. Rebecca Stafford regarding the Underground, an event that witnessed the recitation of a Shakespearean sonnet from memory, poetry, opera, improv, acoustics, a capella, and a stand-up comedy performance involving a fake ID, a Canadian, and a birthday card – all within the first hour.
The tri-annual Underground event, a student and faculty open mic session, was hosted in early February by North Central College’s student literary magazine, 30 North, in the basement of the Boilerhouse Café.
An open mic is an event in which students perform various talents, most often the reading of original prose or poetry, in front of an informal, live audience of their peers. The emphasis here is perform. In terms of literary based talents, such performance offers a unique opportunity for a traditionally read art form to be acted and heard.
“I think in a lot of ways asking people to stand up in front of their peers really reconnects us to the orality and aurality of literature,” said Stafford, professor of English as well as faculty advisor of 30 North. “We listen in a different way than we read on page, and we have different expectations for performed work.”
If the main emphasis of the Underground is performance, the second is informality.
“The Underground is kind of like, ‘Hey. Show up, stand up on stage if you want, and go for it’,” said Nick Drazenovic, student co-editor of 30 North. “It’s a lot more informal, less structured. It just kind of let’s people do whatever they want, however they want, and I think that’s great.”
At the Underground, students used smart phones as templates, loveseats as stage stools, and green solo cups, provided with free cheese and pepperoni pizza, courtesy of 30 North, as microphones.
This informality, while offering entertainment value, also allows students to perform in a safe, judgment-free zone aimed toward constructive feedback and positive encouragement.
“It … helps us get over a fear of sharing,” said Kathryn Draves, student co-editor of 30 North. “It’s very intimidating to get up in front of a small group of people and share that with the world. But this is a good atmosphere that keeps you safe.”
Though hosted by the college’s literary magazine, the Underground is not literature exclusive. Open to any and all disciplines, the event caters to a wide range of creative talents and passions – writing, reading, singing, dancing, acting, entertaining – providing a multi-faceted outlet for English and non-English majors alike.
“There’s a big demographic at this school that works creatively on the side,” Draves said. “It’s good to have that outlet provided at a liberal arts college because … it breeds a community of creative people.”
At the Underground, each performer is given 10 minutes to read, sing, dance, act, or entertain. Each performance is then followed by a rousing applause from the audience, as well as the occasional curtsey or bow from the talent.
“I think of the Underground as an opportunity for North Central students to show their various talents,” Stafford said. “It’s a way to get people excited about writing and about literature, music, art – all of these things found on North Central campus.”
The next Underground open-mic session will be held mid-spring term, to be announced by the 30 North staff.
