I think I can speak for nearly every student at Yale in saying that my first year of college was both somehow the greatest and the worst year of my life. Seriously. There were times when Five Guys and Game of Thrones binge sessions were my only lifelines in a whirlwind of anxieties. However, there were also countless moments at Yale that I wish my brain could have stored and revisited as easily as files on a flash-drive. It was this constantly teetering seesaw of triumph, joy, and belonging versus failure, pain, and isolation that presided over my (and so many other’s) first years of college. Following the adventures of a Froco Group in their adjustment to Yale, Vanderbilt A51 will aim to capture the intense, contradictory emotions that accompany the first year of college through mockumentary. Humor is such a powerful, magnificent tool that somehow is vastly underestimated time and time again. Humor makes people think. It facilitates conversation. It forms communities. In a place like Yale that, at times, focuses so heavily on success and opportunity, I want to forge something that lowers the stakes. I want to give first-years and seniors alike permission to laugh at their mishaps and failures. This mockumentary can serve as an authentic, endearing testament to the confusion, isolation, and chaos that so many of us experienced while extending a comfort to future first-years in letting them know that they are not alone in these experiences. If you like the combination of humor and heart in shows like The Office and Parks & Rec, Vanderbilt A51 is the show for you.
This mockumentary will place a heavy emphasis on an ensemble cast of wacky characters that collectively embody Yale’s peculiar culture in some way. Throughout the year, we will aim to create four episodes that each center on a different element of the first semester at Yale. Although episodes will be scripted for plot, we want a cast of actors that feel comfortable going off-script; in other wrods, improv is encouraged!
If you are interested in auditioning, please read through our list of characters and reflect on your own Yale experience. At auditions, we will ask you to answer questions or talk about a personal expereince at Yale in the way you imagine the characters would. No prior acting expereince is necessary! Only humor, a good attitude, and an ability to think on your feet.
Attached is a list of the major characters with some information about their personalities, storylines, interests, etc. Please feel free to reach out with any kind of question regarding auditions or characters at (andi.vonhilsheimer@yale.edu)
