Capers 74th performance filled with firsts, lasts

Danielle Sons, Reporter

To get a feel for a true theater experience here at South Dakota State University, students put together a show called Capers, that is sure to be filled with music, dance and M-rated (for mature audiences) humor.

The 74th showing of this annual show will be one to remember. It’s fitting that Capers this year is titled ‘Firsts and Lasts,’ as this is the shows last year in Doner Auditorium. Next year and assuming for every year after, the show will be put on in the new Performing Arts Center for all future performances.

This fundraising event is the fraternity Alpha Psi Omega’s “biggest haul of the year.”

Capers is entirely directed, produced and performed by SDSU students according to fraternity member and junior theater major, Miles Savedra.

All of the fraternity boys are required to participate in the show, but that hasn’t stopped guys like Savedra from enjoying every second of it.

“Everyone, everyone should do Capers,” Savedra said.

For the students that are first time members of Capers, there is a feeling that partaking in this show is no short of an amazing experience.

“It’s a really nice community to be apart of and anyone can audition … The show is also a lot of fun and it’s rated M for mature so it’s really lit,” Sarah Broad, freshman mechanical engineering major said.

Some of the jokes are censored to a point regarding the M-rated label, but ultimately it is the students who decide what dialogue, acting and dancing end up in the show.

“It feels cool that we get to completely produce our own show, take the reins, and just go for it,” said Willow Cowherd, senior theater major and stage manager for the show.

The cast practices every night from 7-10 p.m. starting from the beginning to the end of January when showings start up, and although they are rigorous, the fun never seems to end.

“I think the show itself is the best bonding experience because everyone has a lot of fun, makes new friends, and has to learn to work together,” said senior theater major, Alex Garcia. “There are some post show get togethers as well and I think some of the cast view those as vitals to the Capers experience.”

Garcia has been the director of Capers for two years and is the current president of Alpha Psi Omega.

As Garcia prepares for the annual showings of Capers, he is also preparing for graduation and life outside of SDSU.

“It’s nerve-wracking figuring out what to do next, but it’s nice to finally reach the peak of the mountain here at SDSU. I am actually going this Sunday to audition for Graduate schools in Chicago and then I’ll see where I can go from there.”

Although there are many new faces coming and going each year in Capers, the cast is always looking for more people to join, and are looking forward to seeing a crowd at 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. on Feb 1-2 in Doner Auditorium.

Tickets are $11 for general admission and $14 for reserved seating options.

From acting, singing, dancing and dirty jokes, this year’s Capers performance will be full of first and last for the cast and for SDSU students.