Skule Nite

History

The origins of Skule™ Nite can be traced back to the early years of the 20th century. At that time, there was no show as such, but frequently students and professors would perform short skits and musical ensembles at social events during the year. In 1920, the Engineering Society appointed a Stunt Night Committee to bring together all these scattered dramatic efforts into one show. There was so much interest in this idea that it was decided Massey Hall should be rented for the performance. At 8:30pm, on Wednesday, March 2, 1921, a thirteen act review called “Ngynyrs in SPaSms” was performed there with overwhelming success.

Two years later, the show was moved to Hart House, in part to “bring the lady friends into the House to enjoy all the facilities that it had to offer.” At the same time, a new format of School Night, combining a variety of theatrical reviews and displays, competitions and dancing, was established, and continued as such for over twenty years. In the late 1940′s, ‘School Night’, ‘School Nite’, and eventually 'Skule™ Nite', evolved into the extravagant evening of theatre as it is known today, and enjoyed the reputation of being the most popular ‘Informal Night’ on campus.

This popularity continued through to the later 1960′s when attendance at Skule™ Nite had begun to drop off, as was the case for many campus activities at the time. Although the spirit of Skule™ Nite was less affected than most faculties, by 1968 it was becoming very difficult for the Engineering Society to justify the expense. The next year the Engineering Society, still suffering from the debt of the year before, would not support another Skule™ Nite.

Four years later, as a tribute to the hundredth anniversary of the faculty, Skule™ Nite was resurrected, originally intended to be one time only. The success of that show, however, supported by an enthusiastic coterie of enthusiasts of the theatre, has resulted in a 33-year unbroken run of theatrical delights, culminating with last year’s three-hour “Musical Comedy Adventure of Epic Proportions!” Then Director Jon Hoss, N? 0T5, himself a 4-year veteran of the cast, suggested his show would “feel a lot more like a musical than like a sketch comedy show. The cast will take the audience on a suspense-filled adventure around the world, filled with madcap action and comedy. We are, however, still staying true to the Skule™ Nite style.” As for Skule™ Nite 0T6, Director Leona Smith and Producer Alice Xu have crafted another edition of “madcap action and comedy” that is alive and well and welcome in the 21st century. Certainly time well wasted.

Originally written by Rob West, Skule Nite Director 8T3 and published in the Cannon; Volume XXIII, Issue IX.

Parts of the history of Skule™ Nite were taken from the Skule™ Nite 7T3 programme, by R. Scott Joliffe (CHEM 7T3)