The HLS Drama Society has reminded us just how talented our classmates are, in a light not often shone at the law school. This past weekend, students and faculty enjoyed the 64th Parody production, The Lawyer King: The Circle of Laws.
In a fight to reclaim the birthright bestowed upon him by his mother, Simba, son of Dean Martha Minfasa and heir to the Harvard Law Deanship, faced a villainous Professor Alan Dershowitz. Along the way, student groups, professors, and the administration alike were subject to tasteful deprecation. The writers satirized the law school experience in a way that was both memorable and clever, and the exceptional performances of the cast and band truly brought the words to life.
“The best part of the Parody is the people,” said Producer and third-year student Raul Campillo. “My highest priority is to make sure that everyone on the cast feels valued and that they know we care about their time and other goals. Without that, we could not put on a great show. The cast buys into the production because we invest in them as people.”
Cast members performed amusing renditions of popular songs between scenes—Coolio’s Gangsta Paradise was changed to “Gunner’s Paradise,” and Lady Gaga’s Poker Face altered to “Posner Case.” Parody members seemed to enjoy performing as much as the audience enjoyed watching.
“Working on this show has been a real labor of love for me,” said Daniel Dykes, Director and 3L. “The Parody is such a unique institution and we are so lucky to have it. I don’t think any other law school has anything to match it: not only is the production value impressively high, but it’s such a central social experience for HLS. It’s the single largest student-run event; the majority of the HLS community turns out to see us every year, and they always have a great time. It’s a bittersweet moment for me to participate in my final Parody.”
At a point in the year marked by an increasing workload and unrelenting cold, it is refreshing to see the (unexpected) performance talents of HLS students. The show was thoroughly enjoyable thanks to the wit of the writers and impressive acting, singing, and dancing skills of the cast. The leads of Ty Davis as Simba, Andrew Sullivan as Professor Dershowitz, Rachel Endick as Dean Martha Minfasa, and Neha Mehta as Nala, were especially notable. In total, more than 80 students from all class years came together to produce this year’s show.
“Being in Parody has been an awesome experience,” said 1L Andrew Ellis, who played his section leader, Professor Jon Hanson. “I feel so fortunate to have been cast as Professor Hanson, and also to have been a part of this wonderful community. The show has been the highlight of my 1L year, and I look forward to staying involved.”
The Circle of Laws was a pleasant reminder that it’s okay to laugh at ourselves as we attempt to navigate the law school experience. And for those of you have read this far—feel free to use this paper to wipe up your coffee now.