Bloomers, a campus musical and sketch comedy group, performed their student-run show "Back to the Bloomer" from Oct. 26 to 28.
The time-travel-themed show, reminiscent of "Saturday Night Live," ran at the Annenberg Prince Theater.
College junior and Bloomers Cast Director Drew Naiburg-Smith crafted the theme, drawing inspiration from the film "Back to the Future." Naiburg-Smith described the creative process as an enjoyable venture into history to find humorous angles.
“It was so much fun just going through history and pulling different moments, talking about ways we can turn the tables and make things funny,” Naiburg-Smith said.
Bloomers, known for their inclusivity policy of 'ABCD' or “anyone but cis dudes,” comprises various committees handling different aspects of their productions. This year's show, "Back to the Bloomer," attracted nearly 1,000 audience members, with almost all performances selling out in advance, according to College senior and co-business manager of Bloomers Paris Rosen.
The performance was written completely from scratch, including the three-part main feature that spanned past, present, and future. Wharton senior and Bloomers head writer Maura Pinder described the writers' room as a collaborative and friendly environment. She expressed that working in such a dynamic space was a unique experience.
“It's a very special feeling I think most people would never get to experience,” she said.
Bloomers leadership has been consciously prioritizing an open and comfortable culture to reflect its inclusive history, Naiburg-Smith said. Historically, Bloomers has been the only group on campus that intentionally encourages marginalized demographics to engage in comedic performance.
“It's important for things to be funny, but it's also important for things to make people feel included,” Veronica Baladi, College freshman and a new member of Bloomers Band, said. She said each performance is reviewed to ensure no lines are crossed and that each joke is conveyed with intentionality.
Efforts towards inclusivity are also reflected in their relaxed rehearsal policies, promoting voluntary participation. Naiburg-Smith emphasized the desire to make Bloomers a welcoming space.
“It was just such a cool opportunity to take things that have lived in my brain or have lived in the brains of my friends, and have the opportunity to have our friends act them out,” Naiburg-Smith said.
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