The Commercial Appeal will not just be the name of a localnewspaper at The University of Memphis Saturday -- it will be thetheme of this year's Greek Follies.
Students from The University's Greek system will turn the phraseinto action at 8 p.m. at the University Center Ballroom withpromotional advertisements for the products of their choice.Tickets will be $7.
Greek students will participate in the Greek Follies, a biennialevent that alternates with All-Sing.
Like Homecoming events, the Greek chapters join together tocompete in the event. Each year has a theme teams must work theirperformance around.
"We have a very competitive Greek community," said Greek AffairsAdvisor Parice Tyler. "Teams will report on other teams who are notfollowing the rules."
Rules for the competition are strict, dictating amounts ofpractice time groups are allowed in the performance by-laws.
The competition is so fierce, teams practice behind closed doorsand covered windows. Team members don't work on individual moves inthe open, nor do they discuss their moves or individual themesexcept in generalities.
Robert Sloan, a junior business major, said he couldn't say muchabout Pi Kappa Phi's routine, just that "it's going to bebadass."
Fraternity Pi Kappa Phi and sorority Phi Mu are competingtogether this year. The chapters have been practicing an estimatedfour days a week and two to three hours a day for about a month,Sloan said.
Follies is the final event in the Greek year. To those whoparticipate, Follies is seen as bigger than intramural games,bigger than philanthropy events, even bigger than Homecoming. Theend result is bragging rights with the 2003 FolliesChampionship.
In addition to the competitive drive, chapters participate inFollies for the social aspect, Sloan said.
"You get to hang out with people you don't normally get a chanceto see," he said. "It's a lot of work, but there are times we getto joke around."
Nicole Shafer, All-Greek Board vice-president of philanthropy,said the most important part of Follies is the opportunity tostrengthen bonds with other Greeks.
"To me, it's a friendly competition," she said. "We compete, butnot to the point where it gets mean.
"When you're out there performing, you don't think aboutwinning, just how much fun you're having."
Shafer organized this year's event, starting with the initialplanning. She wanted this year's theme to be different from pastyears' when themes included Mo'town and Road Trip USA.
"It's always highly anticipated," Shafer said. "Everyone getsexcited about it."
Parice Tyler sees Saturday's event as a grand finale forher.
"I know we are going to end the year the same way we started it:with teamwork, cooperation and high spirits for U of M," Tylersaid.
