After 18 years of the beloved Tens by Teens production, LT Theatre Board debuts Sketchapalooza, a new spring feature featuring student-written sketch comedy. The production, founded by Theatre Director Kirsten Manthei, consists of short sketches, parodies, and musical numbers. It will premiere on May 1. 

“Sketchapalooza is a timely, original sketch comedy production featuring a variety of comedic styles and performances,” Manthei said. “Ever since I started teaching the Literature of Comedy [English] class years ago it has been my goal to produce student-written sketch comedy, so the premise is very much inspired by [‘Saturday Night Live’].”

Tens by Teens was an annual spring production initiated by now-retired Theatre Director Lawrence Keller. It showcased student-written, directed, and acted plays, each lasting 10 minutes. Sketchapalooza still incorporates the same level of student involvement with the production but is composed of short sketches that allow a wider range of content to be written.

“Since [Keller] retired last year, I became the director of the spring play,” Manthei said. “I wanted to produce a play that still allowed students to write, but my background is more in comedic writing. I feel that comedy provides its unique challenges, and I am incredibly excited to work with the writers of this show.”

Auditions for Sketchapalooza were held on Feb. 27 to decide the staff of 13 student writers who will create 90 minutes of material for the production. All students were welcome to submit sketches or try out to be actors with no previous theatre experience required. 

“Our students are incredibly talented writers and performers, and I know from years of teaching the Comedy class that our students are also very funny,” Manthei said. “So it should be really interesting to see what they can create.”

Production writers are now drafting skits to provide content for the 16 actors whose rehearsals begin after spring break, Sketchapalooza writer Mia Wojcik ‘26 said. 

“I applied to be a writer because I have a passion for writing but was never able to express it,” Wojcik said. “After LT took away the Playwriting course, and Tens by Teens had ended, I was worried that I would never have a chance to write for a stage, but I was able to through Sketchapalooza [with] writing sketch comedy skits.”

Sketchapalooza will be open to the public from May 1-3 in the NC Reber Center with tickets costing $10 for general admission, $5 for students and senior citizens, or free for students with an LT ID. The production aims to connect with its audience through skits and jokes in what Manthei hopes will become the new spring event for years to come.  

“I hope that Sketchapalooza will continue through the year[s],” Wojcik said. “Our previous spring production, Tens by Teens, was a great opportunity for students to not only showcase their acting, but also their writing skills, and Sketchapalooza allows this by letting students write sketch-comedy skits and perform in them.”