Borrowing from the style of Saturday Night Live, students performed a series of skits poking fun at their medical school experiences at the 38th annual performance of In Vivo, Feinberg’s sketch comedy and variety show. The event raised money for a local non-profit focused on LGBTQ issues.
Dubbed “Feinberg Night Live,” the show performed to a standing-room-only audience with scenes satirizing everything from admissions tours to exam anxiety and acts that explored the lighter side of academic topics like AOSC research projects and learning competencies. The cast also cracked good-humored inside jokes about popular professors and Feinberg customs like Yoga Fridays.
“One of the things I love about Feinberg is that it fosters an environment where a group like In Vivo exists,” said Max Kelsten, a first-year medical student and a member of In Vivo. “It’s a really fun outlet, and a great way to interact with classmates outside the realm of science.”
This year’s In Vivo, held December 2, was directed by Noah Weingarten and produced by Nicole Lentini and Sean Posada, all second-year medical students. Eva Morgun and Nick Volpe, both first-year medical students, served as assistant producers.
The show also featured short comedic films — including parodies, one of which guest-starred Larry Cochard, PhD, associate professor of Medical Education and of Cell and Molecular Biology — as well as acts from other cultural groups on campus. Feinberg’s acapella group, Docapella, performed renditions of current pop songs, while members of the Dance Interest Group showcased dance routines in styles ranging from Bhangra and Bollywood to Hip-Hop, K-Pop and Salsa.
The evening, which raised more than $3,200 in ticket sales, benefited Chicago House, a local non-profit that assists people affected by HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ marginalization, poverty and homelessness.
“Given the tense political climate, we wanted to show support for the LGBTQ community, as well as other populations that suffer stigmatization,” Posada said. “By donating to Chicago House, we’re able to help find social services for those who feel neglected or threatened.”
Lentini added, “We’re so grateful for the support we received from the Feinberg community and we love that we had as many people as could possibly fit into Hughes Auditorium show up to laugh with us.”
The In Vivo student cast also included Javier Suarez, Jordan Rook, Hogan Randall, Kevin Shi, James Sabra, Ade Ilesanmi, Ben Peipert, Christine Pulido, Mellie Montoya, Conor Driscoll, Hannah Weiss, Ian Hollyer and Maja Ivanovic.
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of bringing hundreds of familiar faces to laughter,” said Weingarten, the show’s director. “My hope is that In Vivo’s annual show will bring joy to Feinberg for many winters to come.”