The 70th Annual Capers show opened last night, Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Donor Auditorium. The show’s theme is “As Seen on Capers,” featuring various skits, energetic dances and a number of solo performances.

Capers performances run from Tuesday to Saturday, Jan. 31 with each show beginning at 7:30 p.m. except for Saturday’s show as a 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets were available for purchase beginning on Jan. 20 in The Union, Performing Arts Center and, new this year, online at sdstate.tix.com. Reserved seats sold for $13 and general admission for $10.

Each show will provide pre-show entertainment featuring the talents of Capers cast members.

Kristine Kayser, president of Alpha Psi Omega and a senior theatre major with an arts management certification and music minor, is looking forward to this year’s performances.

“You can expect some pretty cheesy stuff,” Kayser said. “We’ve got a little bit of I Love Lucy, so some older themes, and we’ve got some talk shows. We’ve got some news, and some of your favorite characters are coming back like the Administration Ladies, Batman and we also have some new characters to add as well… [The show] doesn’t stray away from what you’re used to with Capers, but it’s definitely a new year and a new show, but that’s what makes it so exciting—you’re never going to see the same thing.”

Alpha Psi Omega (APO), a national honor society for theatre students, consists of the “best of the best of [SDSU’s] theatre students,” according to Associate Professor of theatre and advisor to APO Billy Wilburn. Members must have a high GPA and be involved in theatre to be a member.

“Students essentially gain points by being in our productions and then when they’re eligible, we offer membership to them on a yearly basis,” Wilburn said.  Students can be a part of any show, and will earn a certain amount of points based on the size of the role they have or the amount of shows they are in. “Once [the students] are involved in APO our cast gets involved community-wise and also we really support the shows that the State University Theatre puts on.”

Each year, APO puts on Capers and the money received through ticket sales goes toward some of the organization’s philanthropic work, the end of the year banquet for its department, a bi-yearly trip to New York City and scholarships awarded to members of APO.

APO members write the Capers script, find and select all of the music and put it all together, as well as create a schedule for all 130 cast members to follow.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Kayser said. “…Taking the time to do all that stuff is a lot of work that I don’t think a lot of people realize, but we do it because we love it and we love that our Capers kids love it. We do it for them…”

Allison Kantack, a freshman English Writing major, is performing in several big dance numbers, but also plays the role of “the Mediacom Lady” in one of the skits.

“I’ve definitely enjoyed my experience in this year’s show,” Kantack said. “Capers is a blast and I will absolutely participate in years to come.”

Wilburn says that students and those in attendance can expect a lot of skits about the current climate on campus. Issues relating to new buildings going up and limited parking on campus will be involved, as well opportunities to tease about the new athletics facility.

“We always try to include a skit about the President, the Administration office ladies and parking on campus,” Wilburn said. “Anything that’s current or that’s been an issue on campus we will try to make light of it and make a good, fun poke out of it.”

Also this year, Capers features new co-hosts including the President of the Student Association Caleb Finck, President of UPC Tyler Hajek, Miss SDSU Jamie McKinney, Provost Laurie Stenberg Nichols, Dean Papini of the College of Arts and Sciences, Grand Pooba Scott Deslauriers and the program advisor to Greek Life, Alan Haarstad, for Greek Night.

Thursday night of the performances, APO will host a Greek Night in which a competitive fundraiser will take place to support SDSU Greek Life. There will be donation boxes from each Greek organization and whichever fraternity or sorority raises the most donations in its box will win the entirety of the money donated throughout the competition. Winners will be announced at intermission.

Capers also partnered with Children’s Miracle Network and so the organization will be fundraising every night.

In all, those involved with Capers expect this year’s show to be one to remember.

 “Be prepared to have your mind blown,” Wilburn said. “I think Capers is the kind of show that you have to be willing to get involved to come. You have to be willing to scream and yell and clap and laugh and just have a great time… so if you don’t like fun, don’t come. It’s not like any of our theatre shows because it’s much more uproarious and crazy and loud… it’s like a concert—with that kind of energy.”