Red and Gold season is upon us. Everyone’s been sorted into their various categories. Some are feverishly learning three-minute dance routines, some are singing their hearts out, and others are sewing skirts and gluing sequins onto costumes. And while people have been sorted into popular categories such as drill, dance, publicity, and more, there’s one category that everyone seems to forget: script.
Junior year, I was hoping to be a choral captain. I had been on choral for the last two years, a choral captain for sophomore year, and I was fully planning on doing it once again. So when captain announcements came out, and I was put on script, I was absolutely flabbergasted.
Yet, for the last two years, I’ve continued to be on script. And, in my very humble and totally accurate opinion, it’s one of the most underrated categories of Red and Gold. I’m not saying that people forget that there is a script, necessarily. Merely, people seem to forget that it comes from two people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into this 45-minute performance.
Writing the entirety of a Red and Gold show — twice – has been one of the most terrifying, yet memorable experiences. As someone who enjoys writing in my free time, my skills have ultimately been put to the test.
Writing the script also comes with knowing nearly everything about the show, because I wrote it! I know all of the characters, drills, dances, and more because the other script captain and I were the ones who made it a reality. Honestly, it’s a really cool feeling.
Sami DiCrisi ‘26, one of Red team’s scriptwriters for this year, talks about her love of doing script, “I love doing script because it’s so fun, it was one of the most fun months of my life. It’s such a creative experience that I’d never trade for the world, except maybe sleep.”
With this lack of sleep comes a nearly three-month-long process filled with drafts, edits, and long nights. I’ll write a script for the show in late December (right after finals) and after I’m done, I just take a step back and watch as the show comes to life right before my very eyes. Especially since, once Red and Gold season starts, I’m basically done, I’m able to see all of the hard work I’ve put in early to come to life. It really is something special.
I may be ever so slightly biased, but I do genuinely think that script is not talked about enough. Although it is a category that can be extremely daunting at first (trust me, I know), once again, it’s ultimately been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. Christina Vaughan ‘26, my fellow scriptwriter and partner-in-crime for this year, puts it best: “Ultimately, being a scriptwriter is a unique privilege and a huge honor. It’s so wild to see the show I wrote come to life! It’s the best feeling in the world to see everyone laughing at the jokes I wrote or moving along to one of the dances we helped create.”
And scriptwriters are never alone. With another scriptwriter, producers, and 50 captains by their side, a daunting task becomes more manageable.
I’m graduating this year, and the script captain torch will be passed to the amazing writers who will continue to fill the four spots next year. To those who may be interested in filling the scriptwriter position, I would just make sure that you are willing to work hard from the beginning. The first four weeks can be a little brutal, but the reward comes at the end with being able to relax for the six weeks after. Although you need to be someone who can hold that leadership position, you also need to make sure you’re not too controlling. Once Red and Gold season officially commences, the script is out of your hands and into the hands of the other captains who will interpret it their own way. And ultimately, you just need to be willing to make decisions, whether you fully want to or not.
If I’m going to leave my mark on the school, I hope to emphasize not only how quintessential the script category is for Red and Gold, but also to encourage others to pursue the category after I am long and gone from the Academy.
