The world of collegiate a cappella is quirky, fun, and a little out there. In the celebration of these qualities, we take a look at ways of making a cappella even unique, outlandish, and—well—absurd. We claim no responsibility for the results of actually trying anything we suggest here.

This time we discuss how to make your show one big musical.

Setting the Stage: Maybe it’s just me, but every time I exit the theatre after seeing a musical I feel a little bit down. After all, the world I was just taking in on stage was filled with constant singing and dancing. The world I live in—it’s just people walking around doing their boring ol’ talking thing, with no chance of a spontaneous melody arising from their everyday conversation.

The world of collegiate a cappella is quirky, fun, and a little out there. In the celebration of these qualities, we take a look at ways of making a cappella even unique, outlandish, and—well—absurd. We claim no responsibility for the results of actually trying anything we suggest here.

This time we discuss how to keep your secret relationship within your mixed group vibrant.

Setting the Stage: One of the realities of co-ed a cappella is that there is the potential intragroup romance. What with all that rehearsal time, singing and dancing with one another there’s all kinds of potential for feelings to develop into touching, which develops into all sorts of deeds not fit for a family friendly blog such as this.

It’s important that an intra-group relationship remain vibrant. After all, who cares about a dull relationship with your group mate? That’s just boring. And you don’t want to split up, or else things are going to make an abrupt detour into Awkward City every time you set foot in rehearsal.

If the primetime sitcoms of our youth have taught us anything, it’s that secret romances are inherently more exciting, interesting, and ultimately hilarious than any other sort of coupling, and so it’s important to keep your relationship hidden. But how to do this, while maximizing your co-ed a cappella potential for sexual tension?

The world of collegiate a cappella is quirky, fun, and a little out there. In the celebration of these qualities, we take a look at ways of making a cappella even unique, outlandish, and—well—absurd. We claim no responsibility for the results of actually trying anything we suggest here.

This time we discuss how to create the next YouTube sensation.

Setting the Stage: “Did you see that video of a cat parallel parking a pick up truck?”

“Yeah, how about the one of the old dude and the two year old doing the “All the Single Ladies” dance?”

“Or that one of the a cappella group Rick-rolling a New York subway?”

While each of the preceding three video descriptions sound realistic enough, only the third is real. A part of what this dialogue demonstrates, though, is that a cappella has just as much potential to go viral as cats, old people, and unfortunate children saying hello to their future girlfriends (OK, maybe not quite as viral as that last one). But how can a group go from recording just any old song to transcending the a cappella bubble out into mainstream America?