From the moment students walked into Gibble Auditorium on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m., they were greeted by fun music, friendly students and an overall positive atmosphere. Here, Elizabethtown College’s Mad Cow Improv presented their annual Halloweekend Charity Show, supporting the “Jo Russo Memorial Scholarship” created in memory of the loss of an Etown student in spring 2024 and is used to support students in theater. The event raised a total of $232.

This event attracted a large crowd of Etown students and families, and all who were present had multiple chances to contribute and interact with members of Mad Cow before the show even began. When walking into the auditorium, members of Mad Cow explained the charity they were raising money for, and also explained a raffle which gave students the opportunity to win a chance to pie three members of Mad Cow in the face. Furthermore, once seated, more members of Mad Cow walked around the audience asking for attendees to write ideas for their first act, Scenes from a Hat, allowing students and families to participate if they wished. Then, a slideshow played before the show began, introducing all the members of Mad Cow and their worst Halloween costumes from bananas, werewolves and even dressing up just as themselves. Another great audience interaction was the fact that audience members had been encouraged to dress up in Halloween costumes themselves, allowing creative expression from everyone. 

The event displayed 11 acts in two sections, beginning with an introduction of everyone participating and ground rules to follow to keep the overall atmosphere of the event comfortable,family-friendly and comedic. The acts displayed members of Mad Cow but also some special guests. The guests reigned from the Etown theater group, acapella ensembles such as Phalanx and Vocalign and members from Emotion. The show also incorporated feedback from the audience, making everyone feel involved. The performers used quick, on-the-spot thinking to create hysterical scenes and overall displayed their amazing talent and skill. 

All the 11 acts Mad Cow presented to the audience garnered a lot of laughter, but some that received the most laughter were Superheroes, where members had unique superhero names and abilities to try and solve a problem.. Another popular act was Parameter, where members attempted to rhyme their lines to solve a problem using an unconventional tool. In American Sitcom,the audience became involved by reacting to certain que words just like an audience would in a sitcom. The final act of Screw the Actor, which is the group’s most famous act, got every member of Mad Cow involved to try and prevent one actor from completing a task, had the audience laughing. It was a great finale to a great show.

While this event is a popular attraction, with some students attending the event every year,  this was their first time for others watching the talented and wonderful group. A first-year music therapy major had never been to a Mad Cow show before but remarked that “It was a great show! The performers look like they enjoy what they do, and overall, seem like a fun group of people.” When asked if they would be interested in attending another Mad Cow show, they replied, “Yes!”

At the end of a hectic school week, students and families came together to enjoy a school event for a good cause. Everyone worked together, participated and overall showed a tremendous amount of support. Some audience members shared relatable topics, encouraged others to share their ideas and even worked together to share ideas they were enthusiastic about. It was a night full of laughter, positivity, support, community and great memories to last a lifetime.