Kent Haines '07 and Matt Vascellaro '07, the creators of "White Brown Friends," have collaborated once again to create a hilarious mockumentary about student government set at a familiar New England university. Brown Television's student-written and produced series "Elected" premiered Wednesday to an enthusiastic crowd in MacMillan 117.
"Elected" follows a traditional mockumentary style, cutting back and forth between the events that occur in the meeting room of the Undergraduate Council of Students and private interviews with each council member. Despite its traditional format, it is filled with original wit and hilarious spins on the kinds of characters and relationships that are all too familiar to a college audience.
After UCS's previous president mysteriously departs, former vice-president Jeff (David Dryer '07), a power glutton who can't back up his high sense of self-assurance, takes over the job. Dryer presents the character as unbearably irritating while still making the audience laugh.
Jeff often butts heads with Blair (Amanda Parker '07), the witty and sarcastic council member who has grown bitter over the incompetence of her UCS colleagues. One source of her irritation is Becky (Katie Bosland '07), who finds color-coordination and list-making the most significant aspects of student government.
Maura (Emily Roberts '08) is an exceptionally shy council member whose peculiar tendencies include an elaborate fantasyland and sporting flamboyantly patterned vests and turtlenecks.
Nick Clifford '08 portrays Trey, the son of a senator who finds himself in UCS because of a drunken decision. While the frat boy who never uses his head is an overused character in comedies, Clifford's portrayal does not fall prey to over-exaggeration but instead captures a believable persona, while still managing to make the audience burst out in laughter.
The premiere episode involves the selection of a new council member. Greg (Haines), the calm and collected candidate with previous student government experience under his belt, is clearly the best option. His entry into the council, however, will potentially be troubling for a number of reasons, including balancing the job with Becky, his girlfriend of more than two years - a tension that will likely unfold over the remaining four half-hour episodes of the season.
Vascellero explained that he and Haines, like many screenwriters, found it "hard to relinquish our baby," so they decided to become producers as well. Dealing with both aspects of the creative process meant "there were always about eight things you had to think about," explained Haines, but the two were dedicated, dealing with a schedule that demanded at least two hours each night of shooting and a process that began just before school started this past fall.
The final product reflects this effort and time. But even more obvious is the creative dynamic that exists between the show's two creators. The series promises to work both visually and conceptually, with scenes that are fast-paced but not jarring and a script that has ease, crispness and wit, shining light on the humorous aspects of the very familiar.
