Life at Lee goes retro for Centennial Homecoming
The Kingdom Players preform at a Frontline event at Squires Recital Hall.
Photo by John David Clark
The Centennial celebration is everywhere at Lee, from campus-wide banners to commemorative events. Now, a special version of Kingdom Players’ “Life at Lee” skit is adding to the celebration.
This year's "Life at Lee" will offer a nostalgic feel as it closes out Homecoming weekend on Saturday, Nov. 3. Director of Kingdom Players Michael Delbonis said the idea was to pursue a retro theme.
“We didn’t want to create anything new,” Delbonis said. “We wanted it to be a look at life at Lee over the past 30 years.”
“Life at Lee” is typically a segment of the Lee Day weekend in the spring semester. However, organizers said they included the show in the Centennial Homecoming because of how beloved it is by those connected to the university.
Senior Kingdom Players member Rebekah Proctor commented on the continued positive response to the show, saying it makes people laugh and allows them to have fun.
Proctor is not alone in thinking the show brings people together. Senior member Jon Bouvier believes the production remains popular due to its unique way of connecting with people.
“[‘Life at Lee’] is just a culmination of inside jokes,” Bouvier said. “It’s so fun because it’s so relevant to the people here.”
One of the Kingdom Players during a performance at Squires Recital Hall.
Photo by John David Clark
One feature that will look different to “Life at Lee” fans is the media. During the beginning phases of planning, the videos started as highlights of campus life. However, Delbonis said “Life at Lee” writers started spoofing pop culture in 2004, which sparked a new idea.
For this Homecoming, the videos will be entirely from the archives. Delbonis said choosing a handful of videos from 30 years was a difficult process, but they have selected 90 minutes of footage for the show.
The skits themselves will also hold retro and nostalgic aspects. Historically, a committee wrote the script. Now, Kingdom Players members collaborate with Delbonis to write the show, though it is not exclusive to members of the group.
Typically, auditions are held, and people are asked to play certain roles. Kingdom Players members would then fill in where needed. This weekend, however, alumni will perform onstage and reprise their roles from when they were students.
Even the emcees of the show will be from years past. According to Delbonis, the four people that have hosted “Life at Lee” the most will tag-team in hosting the show. The emcees will include alumni as well as current faculty, such as Kyle Philippi, Adam Lewis, Phil Cook and Delbonis. They will take turns taking the audience on a journey composed entirely of content from years past, starting in the 1980s, focusing on their respective Lee eras.
According to those involved, the production will be a unique part of the weekend that no one should miss. Delbonis has been a part of “Life at Lee” since he was a student himself and said he still believes it is an important part of the Lee experience.
“[‘Life at Lee’] has definitely been the highlight of my time at Lee as a student and now, as a staff member,” Delbonis said. “To be asked to do this at Homecoming is an honor, and it’s exciting.”
Come out and experience the fun of “Life at Lee” on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Conn Center. This is not a ticketed event, so make sure to get there early for a seat.
