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December 9, 2024
The famed Waa-Mu Show returns this spring to Cahn Auditorium with a romantic comedy exploring how love can transcend boundaries.
The new musical, “Romance en Route” follows six romantics on a journey through love, loss, heartbreak and self-discovery in Paris, the City of Lights.
By a chance of fate, Eve and Xander sit next to each other on their flight from Chicago. Meanwhile, their significant others, Lexi and Jenna, are in Paris competing for a high-stakes promotion. Alongside Tristan, a flight attendant with his head in the clouds, and Matthieu, a hotel concierge and part-time cynic, the two couples meet and are forced to confront fears, doubts and unavoidable conversations. Will they find themselves — and the love they deserve — before they return home?
“This year’s production is particularly exciting because it’s the first time in Waa-Mu history where the entire design team is made up of undergraduates,” said 2023 Waa-Mu co-chair Daniel Maton ’24. “I can’t wait for audiences to see the great work of Northwestern undergraduate designers as they transform Cahn Auditorium into the City of Lights”
The Waa-Mu Show, which the Associated Press dubbed “the greatest college show in America,” is written, composed, choreographed, designed and co-produced by more than 150 Northwestern students. In addition to Maton, the 2023 Waa-Mu co-chairs are Francis Brenner ’23, Madeline Oberle ’23 and Mitchell Huntley ’23. Leading the writing process are writing coordinators Kailey Morand ’25, Reva Sangal ’24 and Lena Moore ’25.
“This year’s story is centered around youthful self-discovery, and the uncovering of what role a relationship serves in one’s life,” Morand said. “I hope audiences go home believing in love, while also believing in their own value outside of a relationship.”
The Waa-Mu Show began in 1929 when the Women’s Athletic Association (W.A.A.) joined forces with the Men’s Union (M.U.) in a performance of original, student-written material. The show was traditionally a musical revue, consisting of Northwestern-inspired vignettes tied together by a theme. However, over the last decade, the Waa-Mu Show has evolved into an original full-length musical with book, lyrics and orchestration by students.
Tickets are available via the Wirtz Center website and range between $10 and $30. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Runtime is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.
