What's the point of skits?
 

My alma marter stopped doing recruitment skits a few years before I was a student there, but I've read about them on GC, and honestly, I don't really get how they are supposed to help in the selection process. Okay, maybe you get to see how a few of the sisters work together or what they choose to focus their skit on, but it still seems like that time would be better spent actually having the PMN's and the actives *interact*, especially given how relatively short recruitment is.

Can someone please shed some light on how skits are helpful in practice, or the logic behind having them is part of recruitment?

Thanks!

It is another way to try and communicate to the PNMs what the chapter is like. You do talking throughout the rest of recruitment, and yet different qualities emerge when the skit is done. Inside jokes show the sisters are tight knit, yet too many will make PNMs feel ostracized. My chapter did amazingly after skit night even though we would sometimes struggle before that due to 'rep.' Our skit let PNMs know more about us (and we had some awesome dancers) than conversation was getting through to them.

This is all (or mostly) unconscious, I wasn't thinking about the 'why' during recruitment as a PNM or an active but it's there.

It's just for a change of pace and to show a different side of the girls. And all that talking is just sooooo stressful. Slide shows do a similar thing, but not as personally.

The campus where I advise is going to drop one night of recruitment this fall. This night is one that is being considered. I hope they pick it!

Boy, that would make recruitment easier. I can remember being up in the middle of the night rehearsing "Showboat" over and over while the decorations committee was almost in tears trying to fasten magnolias all over the walls.

I don't know what current skits are like but back in the day, most seemed to center on the story of a girl who goes on a long journey (to Oz, Wonderland, around the circus, etc.) and discovers in the end that ABC sorority is the one she should pick. Most featured songs from Broadway or the movies.

Skits definitely help to show the overall personality of the chapter.
If one sorority's chapter has a very polished skit with more elegant decorations, they are probably going to be more formal in other aspects of sorority life, like how they conduct chapter, the image they like to convey to others, etc.
If another chapter has a totally wild skit (like funny and crazy, not ridiculous), then they are probably more relaxed about stuff like that, they probably have a lot of funny girls in the house, etc.

It's kind of an element that shows the "real" sorority in that anyone can be made up, stuffed into a Lily Pulitzer dress, and talk to a PNM about their major and dorm, but a skit written by that chapter shows the parts of their personalities that don't come out as much due to the format and sometimes competitiveness of recruitment.

I agree that skits are stupid. With such a limited amount of time for women to get to know each other during FR, why waste it on that?

I was SO HAPPY when we quit doing skits. I had seen a couple of cute/good ones, but the majority are awful, hokey and not well thought out/prepared. They are a ton of work and it is just one added stress to recruitment IMHO. They are done as a way to show the women another side of the Chapter, what the Chapter is really like and a form of entertainment. Most PNM's like them because they provide a period of time in a party where they don't have to chat and they can sit and relax. I think media presentations are a much more effective way to communicate information about your Chapter and Greek System. They are easier too because they are done professionally or by a creative type person in the house. Titchou- Good luck. I hope they get rid of that day for you:)

I used to be all for eliminating them on my campus, but in recent years the sororities have really stepped it up. Some use skits their nationals provide, but my chapter has always used chapter-written scripts, and the one they began using my first year as an alumna is pretty awesome, I have to admit. (And the script makes it easy to update the skit a little year to year so it doesn't get outdated). I've never seen ADPi's skit but have heard rave reviews every year, and Phi Mu's is a little corny, but they might as well be a professional company because they are always perfect in timing and costumes. I remember being very impressed as a PNM. Yeah they're a lot of work, but the PNMs enjoy a break from the chatting, and they're corny, but that's the point. They're fun. When I was on Panhellenic the chapters in general didn't want to get rid of the skits and I understand why now.

I've always liked skit night. We have had many girls who go through state that skit night is where they finally started to feel like they could identify which chapters that they are comfortable in. I feel like all the talking that takes place during the first rounds makes it easier for a PNM to get confused and overwhelmed. During skit they can relax, think about how they feel in the room. Glance around the room to watch the sisters interacting and also, really get a feel for the sorority. I feel with everything else in recruitment having to be so universal that this is the first time that group personalities really start to form.

That being said, I think there is definitely a difference between large chapters and small chapters as well as with how competitve your recruitment is.

Thanks! AXO was second on my pref card and I would have been just as happy there as where I wound up. They are special in my heart and my silver lyre from pref is still on my charm bracelet....

Y'all remember when we used to get some serious gifts at prefs? I still have the key that the Kappas gave me too, along with the sterling silver arrow bowl from Pi Phi!

My pref gift was a pin pillow that was cross stitched from AXO! Must of been a ton of work. I don't remember what I got from XO, but I'm sure it is in a box somewhere in my attic. My favorite part of Preference in the 80's was the FOOD! I remember Chi Omega had the BEST spread!

You'd hope. But I don't think this is always the case (there are many chapters that certainly don't have the $$ to commission a professional media presentation) and then that chapter ends up showing the generic video from HQ - which, by dint of having to be so, is usually pretty generic.

As far as skits OR videos, if they give the PNMs a time to truly relax a little, are well done without being over the top AND actually say something about the individual qualities of the chapter - either can be great. If they don't do those things, they can bring the whole party to a screeching halt.

I agree. On our campus I kind of like doing ours. This year we did a rendition of "can I get your number?" where one of our sisters was the guy (she's really funny and pulled it off great) and another was a strong Tri Sigma girl who was respectful but wary. It was really funny, even after watching it over 10 times. Other chapters did similar themes, I know ZTA did a song skit based on "bed intruder". Apparently it was hilarious and I kind of wish we could have all seen each others'.