Skule Nite

Skule Nite 0T9 Opening Act

Skule Nite is a musical revue / comedy / sketch show run entirely by Engineering students at the University of Toronto. It is put on annually at Hart House, and is a professional-level production done entirely by volunteers.

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 entitled “Ngynyrs in SPaSms” was performed there with overwhelming success. The show contained eleven skits, ranging from "the Toronto Dislocation Commission" to "the Adventures of Chloreen". The show was accompanied by a student band called the "Toike Oikestra". The show was such a success that it was repeated verbatim the following year, with attendance of over 2000.

In 1923, the show was moved to Hart House. At the time, Hart House was only open to male students due to the stipulation of its founder, the Massey Foundation. However, Hart House could be opened to both genders for special events, so in order to “bring the lady friends into the House to enjoy all the facilities that it had to offer,” the Engineering Society organized "Faculty Night", a comprehensive showcase of displays and events put on by engineering students and departments of which the theatrical presentation was only a small part. 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, NΨ 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 Jolliffe (CHEM 7T3)

Current and Past Skule Nite Directors and Producers

Year	Director		Producer
2010-2011	Mason Lau	Chem 0T8	Katerina Daginis	Chem 1T1
	Chris Tuff (Assistant Director)	Chem 1T0
2009-2010	Daniel Marquez	Indy 0T8+1	Katerina Daginis	Chem 1T1
	Mason Lau (Assistant Director)	Chem 0T8	Alvin Ho	Elec 0T9+PEY
2008-2009	Kian Marandi	Mech 0T7+2	Rossana Rodriguez	Indy 1T0+1
			Steven Szeto	Indy 0T9
2007-2008	Jordan Silverman	Mech 0T7	Steven Szeto	Indy 0T9
2006-2007	Chris Peressotti	NΨ 0T1	Don McAuslan	?
			Carolyn Hicks	Civ 0T7+PEY
2005-2006	Leona Smith	MSE 0T?	?	?
2004-2005	Jon Hoss	NΨ 0T4+PEY	Matthew Szeto	Comp 0T3+1
2003-2004	Jane Lam	Chem 0T2	Carrie Smith	NΨ 0T3+PEY
	Chris Langley (Assistant Director)	NΨ 0T2	Matthew Szeto	Comp 0T3+1
2002-2003	?	?	?	?
2001-2002	Mike Wood	?	Tiffany Conroy	?
2000-2001	Chris Langley	NΨ 9T8	Glenn Hauck	?
1999-2000	Aryn Pyke	Elec ?T?	Wilfred Lam	NΨ 0T0
1998-1999	Kern Lewin	NΨ 9T7	Xavier Galvez	Comp 9T9+PEY
1997-1998	Trevor Mills	NΨ 9T8+PEY	Kristin Hofstee	NΨ 9T8
1996-1997	Alex Hatzivassilis	?	Trevor Mills	NΨ 9T8+PEY