Headline: Spotlight Productions changes ticketing for annual comedy show

By: Stephanie Brzezinski

[email protected]

Spotlight Productions has helped host homecoming week activities at Grand Valley State University for many years. Perhaps the most well-known event is the homecoming show.

The year 2013 marked the fifth consecutive year for musical performances, while the last two years have featured comedy shows instead. Last year, Spotlight featured the Wayans brothers. 

This year, Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah and Aidy Bryant came to GVSU to provide a stand-up comedy show. More than 2,000 people attended.

However, this year, there was a change in the usual show pattern. After tickets had been on sale for a week, Spotlight Productions doled out free tickets to see the two comedians. Those who purchased tickets prior to this decision received refunds.

Megan Ellinger, campus programming graduate assistant and adviser for Spotlight Productions, said several hundred tickets were sold prior to the refund.

“We decided that we wanted this show to be available to all students whether or not they could afford to go, so in line with the homecoming theme of Once Upon A Laker, we made magic happen within the OSL and offered the tickets for free,” Ellinger said. “This is not too big of a change, as nearly all events put on by Spotlight are offered free for students.”

She said Spotlight has offered both comedy and concerts in the past; it has not been exclusively music.

“We have decided in an effort to diversify events and due to planning and timing restraints to have a comedy show in the fall and a concert in the spring, but those both could change someday too,” Ellinger said. “We are truly trying to reach the interests of the over 25,000 students at GVSU.”

Ellinger added that the organization’s budget covers the costs necessary for both the fall and spring show.

Spotlight Productions is a student-led organization that has coordinated campus events and programs since 1983. Besides the homecoming show, the group sponsors weekly movies in Kirkhof, the spring concert and GV’s Got Talent. The organization also provides free events for students throughout the year including the Dec. 2 hypnotist show, coffee shop concert and improvisation show. 

Anyone interested in contributing to the discussions can attend the Monday meetings at 9 p.m. in Kirkhof Center Room 2270.

More information about Spotlight Productions and the activities it hosts around campus is available online at www.gvsu.edu/studentlife/programming/, or by contacting [email protected].