The lights came up last week in Burden Auditorium, dazzling and delighting audiences with this year’s HBS Show, “Network Effect”.
Packed with witty references about life at HBS, the students and partners involved in “Network Effect”, established once and for all that there exist among us some highly talented HBS students and left the rest of us wondering what we have been doing with all our free time.
This year’s show centered on bringing reality TV to HBS and highlighting the infamous and lively (if you were there on Wednesday night you know what I am talking about) Section K. With rousing solos on such subjects as section love, Baker aspirations, Dean Kester’s inner turmoil, HBS’ religious commitment to 7.2%, and wistful memories of Analytics, this year’s cast did a phenomenal job of establishing what a unique and Ritalin-dependent community we truly are.
Character by character, real and imagined, the show trotted out all the HBS personalities we know and love. First we meet the students of Section K, where not so hidden agendas and afflictions are all in a name.
Hunter Drawers (Athelstan Bellerand, NJ), Ivana Job (Jane Andersen, Partner), Mary Rich (Irene Change, OC), Anna Lytics (Linda Griffith, ND), Fredo D. Feds (Chris Kawaja, ND), Baker Striver (Gordon C.C. Liao, NH), Ernest N. Shy (Danny Simon, NG), the ever-memorable Hope Leslie D’Orky (Katy Wade, Partner) accompanied by her partner-in-crime Willy Pass (Jonathan Waggoner, OC). Of course, it doesn’t end with the students, as the show also gave us a great look into the minds and hidden dreams of our fearless leaders, Dean Clark (Taylor Margis-Noguera, OB) and Dean Kester (Billy Gonzalez, OH) with an exclusive guest appearance by none other than our favorite case protagonist Erik Peterson (Anthony Keizner, OJ).
The Show climaxed when it is revealed that Ms. Audrey Dief (Kate Roche, ND), the plotting California producer and most recent FOC (Friend of Clark) who is determined to bring some style and “Hollywood substance” to HBS, purposely uses the wrong beta to value the presumed benefit of bringing reality TV to HBS. Dean Kester, forever our defender of ethics and our God-given right to Community Standards, and his new best buddy, Intern Getta Latte (Sarah Lynn Riggs, OF), save the day by revealing Ms. Dief’s true intentions, thereby returning HBS back to its New England, morally-upright self.
In addition to an engrossing plot line and A+ singing and acting, HBS students and partners exhibited some tremendous signs of flexibility and creativity through their numerous dance numbers. We were impressed by the twirling sensations of the dancers and ensemble cast and remain in great anticipation for next year’s encore by Gaurav, Ms. Bootilicious & friends.
The Editors particularly enjoyed the new “5” grading option apparently reserved for Harbus staff, which may further explain why our latest humor columnist – otherwise known as “That Guy”, has wisely chosen the anonymous route. While we at the Harbus feel we have already done our share to engage the national media attention, we commend the HBS Show for their initiative in highlighting the many wonders of HBS to the nation’s TV audience and for their wise insight when eventually concluding that our GMAT ratings will likely always be higher than our Nielsen ratings. Perhaps most notably, the cast and crew of the HBS show reminded us all of the importance of pursuing our passions and talents outside of Aldrich, not to mention the tremendous benefits of a good sense of humor.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Network Effect!
