Students at the College were treated to a night of laughter and fun at the Student Comedy Show, held at the Rathskeller on Friday night.
The event, sponsored by CUBRat, featured eight student performers that covered material ranging from relationship issues to college experiences to masturbation, all in front of a standing-room only crowd.
Although each of the student comedians had different aspects to his or her comedy, the dominant theme of the night was life at the College.
One of the performers, sophomore communication studies major Adam Mamawala, spoke of the "party scene" at the College.
"I've been going to some parties lately," Mamawala said. "And by parties, I mean the one open party that (the College) has per month."
According to the student comedians, performing at a small college venue such as the Rat allows students to cater their comedy to specific issues that their audience can relate to. Although it may seem intimidating to be performing for an audience of your peers, some of the student comedians feel that this can add to the fun of stand-up comedy.
"I feel more intimidated performing in front of strangers because if you perform for your classmates, you know that they're probably going to laugh at you even if you're not funny . it's always enjoyable to perform at (the College)," Mamawala said.
Jason Cantor, freshman business management major and another performer at the Student Comedy Show, shares Mamawala's viewpoint on performing in front of fellow students from the College.
"I definitely enjoy performing at the Rat because it's where I had my first show," Cantor said. "It would be impossible for me not to appreciate the experience the Rat has given me. I like to try out my new material in front of smaller groups, such as at the Rat, where it's easier to see people's reactions."
There are other advantages to performing at a small, intimate venue such as the Rat.
"I think performing at the Rat is great," Dan Neyman, performer and freshman biology major, said. "You hear about all of these famous comedians who started small, and look at some of them. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk."
The members of CUBRat share these sentiments and work diligently to organize the entertainment featured at the Rat. According to CUBRat co-chair Mary Mamrak, she and co-chair Alyson Greenwood are responsible for putting acts in the Rat every Friday and one Tuesday night per month.
This is not the first student comedy night that was sponsored by CUBRat. This past November, 10 students competed in the "Catch a Rising Star College Comedy Challenge," with the three winners going on to perform at the Catch a Rising Star comedy club in Atlantic City in December.
According to Mamrak, events such as the Student Comedy Show are an ideal way for students at the College to showcase their talents.
"Student nights are a big part of CUB-Rat's shows," Mamrak, sophomore elementary education/English major, said. "Soloist and band nights are always big hits because friends want to see their own friends perform. Comedy nights are another outlet for students to display their talents."
Events such as the Student Comedy Show are important because they are a fun and accessible way for students at the College to showcase their talents, but they can also mean so much more to the participants in terms of support and encouragement.
"Seeing my friends and peers in the audience makes me strive to put a smile on their faces," Cantor said. "Without them I would never have this opportunity."
