Penn offers many options for performing arts fans

A Cappella Chord on Blues When not running rampant through the streets of West Philly or lying in a drunken stupor on the beaches of Florida, the Chords (an all-male a cappella group) can be found singing from their eclectic repertoire, which includes songs by the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, R.E.M. and Hootie & the Blowfish. Counterparts Cool jazz. Formal wear. While Counterparts is best known for this deadly combination, there is more than meets the eye. Counterparts is Penn's premier co-ed jazz and contemporary a cappella group. Their repertoire consists primarily of jazz standards, but also includes arrangements of songs by pop artists such as Sting, Peter Gabriel and Basia. Full Measure Full Measure is Penn's Christian a cappella group, now entering its sixth year. It is a co-ed group with a repertoire ranging from traditional a cappella to vocal arrangements of modern music, all the while focusing on Christ and how he relates to our lives. The Inspiration The Inspiration, a co-ed a cappella group, serves as a musical outlet for those individuals with a desire to celebrate the legacy of African involvement in the arts. The organization concentrates on music written or performed by artists of African descent, with a purpose of educating as well as entertaining its audiences. The Inspiration also strives to educate and entertain the community through service programs on and off campus. Off the Beat Off the Beat is a co-ed alternative to traditional a cappella, exclusively singing progressive modern music, including songs by current artists such as Tori Amos, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and Coolio. The Penn Pipers Founded in 1950, the Pipers are the oldest a cappella group at Penn. They are a subset of the Penn Glee Club, and provide an opportunity for some of the Glee Club's most talented singers to perform music of a lighter and more popular style. Their repertoire has evolved from its roots in barbershop, doo-wop, and vocal jazz, to its current composition which encompasses popular music from the 1890s through the 1990s. Pennsylvania Six-5000 One of the top all-male groups in the nation, Penn Six combines a good dose of humor with high-energy a cappella. The group does a "pantload" of songs, from modern rock to the early '80s, Phish and the Grateful Dead to '50s rock, and they've done one song by Dexy's Midnight Runners. Pennchants The Pennchants is one of the two a cappella groups affiliated with the Penn Glee Club. The rockin' members bring fun and humor to their singing with choreography and wit. Pennchants' repertoire takes a contemporary and comedic lean, including music from the Jackson Five to the Nylons. Penny Loafers Penny Loafers is a co-ed a cappella group that dares to be different. There's no song too racy, too disco, or too bizarre for them. Performing songs that span over thirty years, Penny Loafers covers classics like The Eagles' "Hotel California" and '90s hits like Weezer's "Buddy Holly" and Tori Amos' "Silent All These Years." Quaker Notes Quaker Notes is Penn's only all-female a cappella group. Their repertoire includes songs from the '40s to the '90s with tunes by a broad range of artists including the Andrews Sisters, Manhattan Transfer, the Eurythmics, and the Jacksons. VOCAL Gospel Choir The University Gospel Choir is an interdenominational, intercollegiate group of students coming together to spread the word of God through song and fellowship. The members of the Gospel Choir help each other grow spiritually by sharing, testifying, teaching, listening to, and learning from each other, as well as studying the Bible together. The Penn Glee Club The Glee Club is Penn's oldest performing arts tradition. It is comprised of a male chorus and a co-ed technical staff and pit band, and each year they produce a two-hour song-and-dance musical revue. They also regularly tour both nationally and internationally. Penn Singers Approaching their 25th year, the Penn Singers is Penn's only undergraduate light opera company. They perform two major productions each year. Past fall shows have ranged from Broadway revues to complete light operas. COMEDY Bloomers Bloomers is the nation's first and only all-female, all-original, collegiate musical comedy troupe. Established over 17 years ago, Bloomers provides women with opportunities in all aspects of theatre: they write, edit, compose, choreograph, direct, perform, and produce their own shows. Mask & Wig Founded over a century ago, Mask and Wig is the nation's oldest all-male, burlesque, musical comedy troupe. Besides putting on two all-original productions each year, and besides having our their historic clubhouse in downtown Philly, and besides taking their spring production on tour all over the U.S. every spring break, and besides offering a cheap excuse to wear women's clothes in public, they're just about the nuttiest bunch of people you'd ever want to meet. Without A Net The University of Pennsylvania's first and only improvisational comedy group has taken Penn by storm in its last decade on campus. The group has recently been ranked the top improvisational comedy troupe in the country. Without A Net has a large repertoire of over one hundred games, all based on audience suggestions and made up on the spot. Instrumental Composers of UPenn (COUP) The Composers of the University of Pennsylvania is the only student run orchestra on Penn's campus. In addition to writing and performing original works, COUP entertains audiences with popular music from theatre, movies and television. Jazz Ensemble The Penn Jazz Ensemble has become one of the outstanding musical organizations at the University with an active schedule of appearances. In the past years they have performed with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Bob Mintzer and Grover Washington, Jr. They also participate annually in local jazz festivals and competitions. Penn Band The huge, the enormous, the well-endowed, the undefeated Ivy League Champion University of Pennsylvania Oxymoronic Fighting Quaker Marching Band is the largest performing arts group on campus. With a Saturday matinee audience of 60,000 rabid fans and annual road trips to all the Ivy schools, the Penn band is the perfect excuse to meet new people and insult their schools. Penn Musicians Against Homelessness Since 1988, Penn Musicians Against Homelessness has fulfilled its dual commitment to both classical music and community service. As the only student run classical music performance group on campus, PMAH provides a forum for soloists and chamber groups to meet and perform. Comprised of over 50 members, PMAH has also succeeded in raising funds to aid the homeless and children of West Philadelphia. Dance African Rhythms The goal of African Rhythms is to bring education as well as entertainment to the Penn campus. This education and entertainment is grounded in African culture and manifested through African dance and drum. Ultimately, the group aims to perform dances from Africans in the diaspora as well as dances directly from Africa. Arts House Dance Company Arts House Dance Company is a co-ed student-run organization that provides the Penn community with the opportunity to take dance classes, perform, choreograph, and produce. Performances encompass ballet, jazz, modern, and tap. Ayalah Ayalah, which means "the graceful gazelle," is the University of Pennsylvania's co-ed Israeli folk dance troupe. They combine the fun of traditional Israeli folk dancing with exciting new choreography and formations. Their repertoire includes material from all styles of Israeli dance, including Yemenite and Sabra, and integrates elements of modern dance. Penn Dance Penn Dance, founded in 1976, is primarily a forum for modern and jazz dance, but lyrical and ballet styles are often incorporated into its choreography. Penn Dance is student run, with company class taught by top professionals twice weekly. Both students and professionals choreograph for the major performances each semester. Sparks As Penn's only community outreach dance group, Sparks performs their show for those who are unable to seek entertainment on their own. Among the places the group performs are Ronald McDonald House, Ralston House and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They encourage a variety of dance styles including jazz, tap, modern, funk, and ballet. Drama African-American Arts Alliance The mission of the African-American Arts Alliance is to promote an awareness of black culture through the arts with a focus on African-American theatre. The Arts Alliance is dedicated first and foremost to quality performance, quality arts and quality theatre for a student, faculty, staff and community audience. Arts House Theatre Company Arts House Theatre Company developed through the Arts House Living Learning Program. They try to focus on a strong sense of ensemble, with a primary goal of having fun, as well as producing quality shows. Arts House Theatre also attempts to give a sense of community to its members through a new program which includes fundraising and performances for the West Philadelphia community. Intuitons Intuitons is an experimental theatre group that was founded in 1980 "to provide an outlet for creative people whose ideas are too 'classical' or 'avant garde' to be supported by existing groups.'' Productions tend to be unique, as each is an experiment unto itself. Pennsylvania Players Penn Players offers a creative outlet for all interested actors, singers, dancers, musicians, designers, technicians, production managers, stage managers and producers. Penn Players hires a professional director for its two major shows each year: a fall musical and a spring drama or comedy. Quadramics Quadramics is the first and largest group on campus to produce only student directed works. Students control all aspects of our productions: acting, directing, producing, designing and construction. The group's annual schedule is comprised of a fall drama, a Spring Fling musical and a collaborative production of original one-acts. Stimulus Children's Theatre Do you like kids? It doesn't matter so long as you like being a kid! That's what Stimulus Children's Theatre is all about -- playing with the kid in all of us. Stimulus is a completely student-run performing group dedicated to bringing quality productions to underprivileged and terminally ill children of all ages. Teatron Jewish Theatre Teatron Jewish Theatre provides a forum for Jews and non-Jews of all backgrounds to explore Jewish issues through theatre. They express universally applicable Jewish themes in theatre geared toward both Penn students and the Philadelphia community as a whole. Student Theatre Arts Board The Theatre Arts Program offers an interdepartmental undergraduate major and courses focusing on academic approaches to theatre and theatrical and conceptual aspects of performance. Theatre Arts also sponsors a full season of six to eight plays, extending its academic and intellectual approach to theatre production as well.