The 129th Annual Varsity Show: Transfer of Power

The Varsity Show is Columbia’s oldest performing arts tradition and is dedicated to both celebrating and satirizing life at Columbia University. Now in its 129th year, this full-length musical is written, composed, directed, choreographed, designed, produced and performed entirely by undergraduate students to showcase aspects of our collective college experience. 

Creative Team: 

Director: Jackie Balestrieri

Producer: Amalia Garcia

Producer: Abby Svelan

Writer: Julian Gerber

Writer: Katy Haden

Composer and Music Director: Malcolm Toleno

Lyricist: Ava Roberts

Choreographer: Kambi Gathesha

Stage Manager: Emily Martin

Technical Director: Alex Malamud

Cast (in order of appearance):

Ariana Neal as Joan

Jaeden Riley Juarez as Rachel

Anja Vasa as Nola

Vincent Snyder as Damien Dartmouth

Tatiana Santos Mroczek as Dartmother/Tammy

Casey Rogerson as Wilder

Craig Cosentino as Jay/Chef Don

Kieran Lomboy as Barry Kane

Filip Przybycien as Mr. Noco

Tommy Doyle as Jonathan Lavine

Tyler Zwick as Michael Thaddeus/EA President

Nicholas Meyers as Jasper

Eleanor Babwin as Town Crier

Nina Dia as Edie

Paul Hanna as Sammy/CEO of ExxonMobil

Ana Huesa as Cammy

Hannah Carter as Dean Grinage

Shania Pahuja as Minouche Shafik

Creative Assistants: 

Assistant Director: Junnie Bae

Assistant Producer: Daisy Burckin

Assistant Producer: Sarah Alsharif

Assistant Choreographer: Su Ertekin-Taner

Assistant Music Director: Isaac Merkin

Assistant Stage Manager: Kurt McLaughlin

Assistant Stage Manager: Alina Virga

Assistant Writer: Rohan Mehta

Assistant Writer: Sophie Simons

Marketing Team:

Publicity Manager: Aleecia Mejia

Publicity Team: Bridget Hughes, Hannah Karsting, Dunia Sarkis, Lily Imai, Ariana Eftimiu

Graphic Designer: Sydney England

Photographer: Sungyoon Lim

Photographer: Olivia Kuan-Romano

Videographer Lead: Junnie Bae

Videographer: Sebastian Bader

Videographer: Brian Nguyen

Videographer: Sharon Santos

Music and Pit Orchestra:

Vocal Coach: Jalen Ford

Vocal Coach: Eliza Heath

Keys and Music Mom: Heli Sun

Keys: Dallin Attwool

Drums: Michael Manasseh

Percussion: Marino Bubba

Guitar: Jeffrey Stein

Trombone: Michael Boisture

Trumpet: Nina Halberstadter

Saxophone: Tony Kim

Flute/Piccolo: Kelsey Chin

Cello: Daniel Weitz

Viola: Pimprenelle Behaeghel

Trumpet and Orchestrator: Yiming Song

Bass and Orchestrator: Terry Foley

Orchestrator: Mia Gonzalgo

Design Team:

Set Designer: Caroline Egler

Set Designer: Emily Milian

Lighting Designer: Annabella Kliman

Lighting Designer: Jillian Prunty

Sound Designer: Kyle Murray

Props Designer: Sadie Klaus

Props Designer: Leila O’Rourke

Costume Designer: Abigail Fixel

Costume Designer: David Kuang

Makeup/Hair Designer: Vi Tran

Master Carpenter: Sophia Ling

Master Painter: Dalia Etessami

Master Painter: Laura Kors

Assistant Set Designer: Sudheshna Khadka

Assistant Lighting Designer: Solomia Dzhaman

Assistant Sound Designer: Nardos Chegen

Assistant Sound Designer: Olivia Kuan-Romano

Assistant Props Designer: Ruby Liebmann

Assistant Props Designer: Daniel Schneider

Sound and Lights Technician: Sophie Simons

Build/Run Crew: Kwamena Awotwi, Scout Burchfield, Lilly Gasterland-Gustafsson, Trevor Le, Monroe Lemaire, Miranda Paiz, Julia Patella, Nathalie Rodriguez, Victoria Sotomayor, Eliza Staples

Electrics: Emma Elizabeth Dempster

Wellness Team:

Intimacy Coordinator: Talia Hankin

Social Chair and Cast Mom: Grace Biondi

Alumni Coordinator and Cast Mom: Grace Brown

Spellchecker: Maggie Broyles

Spellchecker: Daniella Sapone

Sweet Snack Captain and Cast Grandma: Jaeda Mendoza

Salty Snack Captain: Molly Bynum

Drink Captain: Owen Mefford

Archivist/Historian: Ellie Ahn