By College Night judges

Judge 1

Congratulations on your show!

SCRIPT, LYRICS, SCORE – 

The concept is very smart. I think a bit of tightening of the storyline would make the tale easier to follow. The lyrics fit very well into the script and helped move the narrative along. I was very impressed with the sophistication of your ensemble/backing vocals. The harmonies were very nice and worked well to support lead vocals. Regarding the score, the consistent and effective use of underscoring was excellent. The scene shift music was also strong, and your orchestrations had many different colors, keeping it interesting. It appears your team has a good understanding of how to assemble a musical. 

DIRECTION, CHOREO, ACTING, SINGING – 

These elements were very strong overall. The diction could have been a bit clearer, but the vocal levels of individual players matched each other in volume and intensity, despite mic issues. Sometimes the singing edged toward yelling, which can affect intelligibility. The choreography was well suited to skills of the cast and was fun to watch. The places chosen for movement seemed well thought out. 

ORCHESTRA –

Congratulations to all. I feel the instrumentation chosen, as well as the ensemble playing of the orchestra was strong. There was a lot of contrast and the players were put to good use. I wish the dance music had been a bit fuller.

COSTUMES, SET, HAIR and MAKEUP, PROPS –

It’s clear that these departments invested a lot of thought and imagination into creating looks that worked for each scene. The costumes and set in particular were very integrated into the story telling. Everything looked like it belonged to the world you created.

LIGHTING DESIGN –

This is another area where the design really supported the show. I only wish there was more, especially when the kaleidoscope was being used. I really wanted something special when the kaleidoscope was destroyed. That being said, the lighting was smart and show-specific.

RUNNING –

The running of the show was generally smooth. Transitions went well, and was well supported with scene change music. The show itself ran a bit long, however. Tightening of the script would go a long way toward getting the show to fit into an hour.

FINAL THOUGHTS –

The show was entertaining, imaginative, and had nice moments of comedy. What really stood out was the obvious teamwork in all departments. I could tell that everyone was on the same page, and it showed in your final product. Congratulations!

Judge 2

It was an extraordinary College Night experience; I now understand why this event holds such a cherished place in the hearts of so many of my friends and colleagues.

I am amazed that such an opportunity exists on your college campus. What a remarkable gift you’ve been given—one whose meaning and richness will continue to unfold in the years ahead. It is truly something to treasure.

There was a profound sense of belonging in the room. It wasn’t only about connecting with those who were physically present; it felt as though we were joined by everyone who has ever taken part in a College Night, Gold and Purple alike. Their spirit filled the space, weaving past and present together in an extraordinary and deeply moving way.

Congratulations on your work leading up to College Night and on your performance. I am in awe of all that you accomplished and offer the following thoughts in a spirit of appreciation, with the hope that my reflections will be useful to your continued growth and understanding as theatre artists.

Script

• The concept is intriguing, and I deeply appreciated the central sentiment of “getting to the center of everything so we can all be free,” as well as the idea of finding self-validation by embracing life’s challenges as opportunities for transformation. That thematic through-line is rich.
• The opening pantomime sequence was particularly strong. However, once the narrative began, that thread seemed to dissipate, and I ultimately found myself confused about how it continued to function within the larger structure of the piece. One possible approach might be to establish Kaleidoscope or Triangle Man as a Svengali-like figure at the outset—perhaps allowing Kaleidoscope to transform into the Chief in full view of the audience—and then to have him actively orchestrate the transitions from scene to scene. I understand that Kaleidoscope is somehow trapped and exists in conflict with Triangle Man; nevertheless, this framing could help orient the audience to the central conceit and create a stronger sense of continuity as the piece unfolds.
• It is vitally important to orient the audience and give them the information they need in order to process what they are seeing. As presented, each new scene required the audience to re-orient themselves, which made it difficult to remain fully grounded in the journey.  
• There is also a great deal of complexity in the script’s frame—both stylistically (pantomime, realism, abstraction) and narratively, with multiple intersecting storylines (Dansby, Katie, Osric, Foz, Kaleidoscope, Triangle Man). Given the 75-minute time constraint, this may simply be too much material. When there are too many storylines, it becomes difficult to explore any one of them fully and equally challenging for the audience to invest deeply in the characters or their arcs.

Lyrics

• I often found it difficult to clearly understand the lyrics throughout the performance, primarily for two reasons. First, the balance between the orchestra and the back-up vocals was frequently quite hot, which obscured the lead vocal line. Second, the performers were not always articulating the text with sufficient clarity to ensure the lyrics were understood.
• From a lyricist’s perspective, it may be useful to revisit each song with a focus on its dramatic function. What specific information is the lyric conveying, and how does it move the story forward? While some songs are designed to capture a moment in time or explore an emotional state—and these can be very effective, particularly when supported by movement or visual storytelling—songs sung by principal characters carry an additional responsibility. They must actively advance the narrative and sharpen our understanding of the character’s journey.

Direction

• The production was very well cast.
• Strong use of picturization and clever staging, particularly in the High School and Hamlet sequences.
• The show was clearly well rehearsed, and the performers were fully invested in their work.

Choreography

• Loved the athleticism in the opening number.
• Interesting and specific movement choices from the detectives in “Crime Is My Only Friend.”
• “My Perfect Senior Year” was a fun, engaging number—loved the use of the horns onstage.
• “I Am What I Am” had a terrific opening and strong choreography throughout.

Acting

• Very strong physical embodiment of character across the ensemble.
• Performers were clearly invested and giving their all.
• Lieutenant: lovely clarity of character and excellent diction—I understood every word, even without a microphone.
• Wonderful physicality from Kaleidoscope.
• At times, excitement or nerves seemed to push the overall pace. The velocity of the performances often felt rushed, which caused story details to be lost. Use your words and let the microphones do the work. When energy gets too hot, the mics cannot handle it and the audience receives a garbled story. Do not sacrifice clarity for emotion—volume is not an interpretive device.

Singing

• Very nice voices onstage.
• Strong arrangements and pleasing vocal harmonies from the chorus.
• Trust the microphones—there is no need to work so hard vocally.

Dancing

• The dancing was quite strong.
• Well-rehearsed and cleanly executed.

Costumes

• Loved the costumes and the attention to detail—beautiful work.
• Standouts included Kaleidoscope, Osric, Foz and the gang.

Set

• Loved the angular design and dimensionality of the set.
• Effective use of transformational set pieces.
• Terrific flying elements—especially the neon signs in the bar scene.

Hair & Make-Up

• Very strong choices that supported the story well.

Props

• Nicely executed.

Lighting Design

• Nice use of color and movement throughout the show.
• At times, the focus of the story was lost. Emphasis was placed on color and movement rather than highlighting the principal characters. More consistent use of follow spots could have helped clarify storytelling moments.

Running

• Excellent transitions throughout—very smooth.

Thank you both for making College Night a huge success!  Congratulations!  I had a wonderful time and wish all of you the very best!

Judge 3

 KALEIDOSCOPE 

A Mind-Bending Musical Journey

Purple Side’s inventive Kaleidoscope certainly checks a lot of boxes: a murder mystery, complete with a journey through time and space, tied together through a pastiche of musical numbers. Though not as clean as I would have appreciated, it still packed a punch purely through creativity and taking chances. And the message that “originality is power” strikes a chord in this world of social media where we’re all trying to follow the latest trends. 

As a musician, my ear was drawn to the music. The orchestra grabs your attention right from the start with strong orchestrations (commendable for writing for individual players) and memorable underscoring and background vocals. The noir-style atmosphere was especially smart, helping to set the mood in what could have otherwise been a “too-much-exposition” scene. The use of different styles of songs was also appreciated: from rockabilly to a Shakespearean rap to a High School Musical-style closing number, my ear was never bored. 

It was a feast for the eyes as well. The use of color – though a bit manic at times – was well thought out. The set was designed with transitions in mind, and the geometry was fascinating. Costumes served their characters – I especially loved the Geometry Girls in a classic trio with slight variations of color. Speaking of transitions, kudos have to be given to the directing team: the flow from scene to scene was quite effective and let the action take center stage. My one exception to the visual element of the production is the kaleidoscope itself: for a production all about a kaleidoscope, it would have been nice to see a prop that wasn’t just a white tube. 

Standout performances include Cole Wilson and Mikalah Vinson. I was intrigued by the character of Kaleidoscope and appreciated that Wilson fully committed to a stylized yet down-to-earth performance. Vinson was bubbly and fun as Katie but played her with true heart. 

My major critique would be to trim the ideas down to the play’s essential qualities: what exactly are you trying to say and what is the most efficient way to say it? There were so many ideas in this production, and though most of them were executed well, the story became difficult to follow at times. When there is a lot happening onstage, how can you give the audience exactly what they need and make sure the story is first and foremost? Overall, though, Kaleidoscope packed a punch and reminded us that it truly takes all the colors to make a lasting work of art. 

Purple Victory 2026

Production & Total Points

	Judge 1	Judge 2	Judge 3	Points possible
Script	7/10	7/10	8/10	22/30
Lyrics	8/10	7/10	6/10	21/30
Score	9/10	6/10	8/10	23/30
Direction	9/10	8/10	6/10	23/30
Choreography	8/10	9/10	7/10	24/30
Acting	8/10	7/10	8/10	23/30
Singing	7/10	7/10	6/10	20/30
Dancing	8/10	9/10	8/10	25/30
Orchestra	7/10	8/10	6/10	21/30
Costumes	8/10	9.5/10	7/10	24.5/30
Set	9/10	9/10	7/10	25/30
Hair & Makeup	8/10	9/10	6/10	23/30
Props	3/5	4.75/5	3/5	10.75/15
Lighting Design	3/5	3.5/5	4/5	10.5/15
Running	8/10	9/10	9/10	26/30
Overall Effect of Production	12/15	13/15	13/15	38/45
Timing				5/5
Production Subtotal	122	124.75	112	358.75/470
Preproduction Subtotal				115.25/171
Total Points				479/646