As you make your way up the aisle and to the stage, each footstep feels like your shoes are filled with lead. Heart thumping in your chest, you turn to face your adoring crowd, each of their faces alight with excitement and anticipation. Your breath steadies when you remember they came to watch and support, not judge or attack. Before you stands a microphone, an open one, yours for the taking. Another deep breath and it is time to show your talents off to the world like you’ve never been able to before. The stage is your oyster.
Many faces were present at CWU’s Open Mic Night on March 28. While staff members of the Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLICE) encouraged a welcoming environment, it could potentially still feel intimidating for students to go before a seated room of their peers and perform, particularly if they’d never done anything like it prior. The Observer had the opportunity to speak with three students who attended the Open Mic Night to get their perspectives on the prospect of participating in the event.
History major Jaleigh Stubblefield-Jacobs was quick to respond when asked what her thought process was on stepping up to the microphone. “I didn’t sign up, I just kind of did it on the fly but it looked like fun,” Stubblefield-Jacobs said. There came a point in the evening when the students who had physically used the sign-up sheet had all performed, causing SLICE staff to encourage the crowd to come up and show off their talents.
Among the first to step onto the stage was Stubblefield-Jacobs, who worked the crowd with her impromptu standup act. Perhaps the most impressive part about it though, was the fact that according to Stubblefield-Jacobs herself, it was completely unplanned. “I was considering doing a few different things, but comedy is just what I landed on, because, I don’t know, I like making people laugh sometimes,” Stubblefield-Jacobs said.
She was also the first to admit that she feels her comedy could have been better, and she would have liked to prepare better next time, but that it didn’t impair her from enjoying her time on stage. “I had fun going up there and trying something new,” Stubblefield-Jacobs said. “I’ve never really done that before. I had a fun time just seeing everything.”
Another impressive act, and a double one at that, was performed by music performance major Eliasib Alvarado alongside math education major Jonathan Fritz. The pair performed the song “Part Of Your World” from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” with Alvarado on vocals and Fritz pretending to play the piano parts.
It was not Alvarado’s first time attending an Open Mic Night at CWU, as he says “I actually did it in winter quarter, when I first transferred here, but I was really scared to do it at first.” Alvarado credited Fritz with being the main reason he was able to perform, citing his presence as a big help. Fritz on the other hand was more modest about his contributions. “I didn’t help that much,” Fritz said. “He sings and I don’t do anything talented, so I pretended to play the piano, which was also really fun and kind of on the fly.” When asked why he chose to sing, Alvarado acknowledged that it had to do with his musical experience with his major. “I’m a music performance major, but I actually play Viola, so I’m not actually singing all the time,” Alvarado said. “But I do like to sing in my free time.” While Alvarado feels that he may not be the best singer or the best comedian, he resolved to combine the two in order to create a fun environment for everyone in attendance.
Once again, Fritz was humble about his own contributions to the performance. “I don’t actually play piano,” Fritz said. “If you couldn’t tell that I was not playing. I’m really good at fake piano apparently.” Alvarado felt that his experience at the Open Mic was very much a positive one and that he was excited to be able to be involved in the event. “I’m running for student office and I’m running for student body president,” said Alvarado. “And I want to be more involved—as much as I possibly can.” Fritz also felt that the experience was a fun one for him. “I honestly didn’t expect we would be here for an hour and a half,” said Fritz. “It was fun to stay here and watch everyone perform.”
Whether you’re a comedian, musician or have something else to share entirely, these students feel that there’s a place for you at the Open Mic Night. Even if you don’t feel an urge to perform, it can be a great experience just to watch. As Fritz said, “I would do it again. Even just come back and watch again. I think it’s different every single time.”
