A Cappella at the College of William and Mary draws something of a cult following. With a vast array of a cappella groups on campus, anyone who loves singing or listening to live music is sure to find a group or two (or twelve!) that they resonate with. Thanks to this passionate a cappella culture, the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre at Lake Matoaka was packed full of smiling faces the evening of Thursday, Aug. 28, for the fall a cappella showcase.
At the beginning of each semester, every a cappella group on campus has the opportunity to perform their best songs and encourage new and returning students to audition. Thursday, the tables lining the back of the amphitheater were swarmed by excited new students, friends and family. After the showcase, audition slots quickly filled up.
The Accidentals started off the showcase and showed no “Mercy” as they wowed the crowd with their vocals. The Accidentals were the first all-treble group to perform that evening.
As the first of the all-gender a cappella groups for the night, the Cleftomaniacs’ harmonies drew “Oscar Winning Tears” from the audience with their performance of Raye’s ballad.
The Stairwells brought an infectious energy that was enough to make any audience member want to hit “Replay” on their set. This group of lower voices graced the stage with an iconic mashup of “Replay” and “The Lazy Song” that brought the crowd’s energy up.
Another of the all-treble groups, Reveille swept the audience away from the “Battlefield” of the first week of classes with their ethereal vocals.
The Crim Dell Criers, an all-gender group brought an upbeat energy with “Someone New” and “Closing Time,” two crowd-pleasing and fun songs that got the audience tapping their feet along with the beat.
The performance from Passing Notes lifted the audience’s spirits so high that they had “No Tears Left to Cry.” This treble ensemble had the audience dancing in their seats to their Ariana Grande cover.
Once the Gentlemen of the College graced the stage, even a “Man of Constant Sorrow” would have no choice but to smile. The Gentlemen are the other all-lower-voice group on campus, and their setlist showed off their “Good Old Harmonies” with this tune.
No Ceiling sent a new energy rippling through the amphitheater, keeping everyone “Conscious.” As the College’s only competitive a cappella group, their set included some of their award-winning songs.
The Christopher Wren Singers sent the crowd “Sailing Away” on a trip back in time. This all-gender group specializes in folk and renaissance music, bringing a different niche to the a cappella scene on campus, and highlighting their harmonies and dynamics.
The Intonations were a powerhouse of voices that did not fail to “Surround Me” with a captivating performance of Léon’s song. This treble ensemble brought back some of their crowd favorites for the showcase.
The Tribetones, the final treble group of the night, brought a powerful sound to the stage and blew the audience away with their strong vocal abilities.
Doubletake brought a special kind of “Magic” to the ending of the showcase. This all-gender group closed out the evening with a bang, and their group harmony sent chills through the audience.
After so many performances in one evening, it’s hard to choose just one favorite song—or even a favorite group—but some of the members of the a cappella community gave their opinions on their favorite song of the night.
“It’s gotta be Intone’s first song, ‘July,’” Stairwells’ President Cade Bridges ’26 said.
The Intonations took the cake a second time when Cleftomaniacs Social Media Chair and No Ceiling Music Director Jake Eyles ’26 picked “Surround Me” as his favorite song of the evening, dubbing it a college a cappella cult classic.
Gentlemen of the College Publicity Chair Owen Smith ’28 crowned “Hello Mary Lou” as the best Gents song.
“I always love hearing [Reveille] do ‘Battlefield.’ That one’s always really awesome,” Smith said.
Lastly, Reveille and No Ceiling Assistant Music Director Ally Stump ’27 said that DoubleTake’s second song, “L.A.,” was her favorite from the showcase.
Performers noted that one of the highlights of the showcase was getting to hear a group’s best songs performed live. Since the groups don’t learn new songs for the showcase, they bring back songs that highlight their vocalists and put their best foot forward leading into the jam packed audition weekend.
As the showcase happens early in the school year, there isn’t much time for the groups to rehearse before performing. A Cappella groups generally hold two two-hour-long rehearsals each week throughout the school year in order to prepare for their Wren 10s, album recordings or any other performances. However, executive board members from various groups noted that it can be difficult to get everyone together prior to the showcase, with move-in, orientation and the first week of classes creating hectic schedules to work around.
“Sometimes we do recordings, so when you’re rehearsing at home, you take a recording of it and you send it to the music directors,” Intonations President Leighton Broaddus ’26 said.
These recordings allow music directors to help any group members who may be struggling with their songs without having to find the time for group rehearsals.
At the showcase itself, the groups arrive early to ensure they have enough time to troubleshoot any remaining issues. Groups hope to ensure a positive performing environment in which everyone is comfortable and confident walking onto the stage by spending time singing together.
“On the day of showcase, we had our soundcheck about an hour and a half before the showcase started, and after soundcheck we were able to reconvene and go over some parts of the songs that people had questions about as well,” Stump said.
An additional unique challenge the showcase presents is that the a cappella groups don’t rehearse, or usually perform, with microphones.
“I don’t think people understand how different we sound with and without mics, and in different environments,” Smith said. “We have to kind of get used to each environment in the 10 seconds that we have to check everything.”
The audio technology used for the showcases is something that nearly every a cappella group pointed out as a struggle, as it makes it harder for the group to hear themselves sing and find a healthy balance of voice parts.
On the other hand, the fall showcase brings the entire a cappella community together along with an audience of friends, which doesn’t happen many other times throughout the year.
“When the audience is good, it’s really fun. This is the best audience it’s been in a long time,” Bridges said.
Many members of the a cappella community agreed that they feed off of the audience’s energy, and that when the audience is as excited as the groups performing, the experience is even more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Another common feeling was the shared community that a cappella brings. With so many groups on campus, it’s hard to get every member of the a cappella community in one place at one time.
“It’s the first time everyone in a cappella gets to see each other again, so it’s so many reconnections and reunions,” Stairwells member Kyle Sharma ’26 said.
Members across all groups raved about the College’s welcoming and vibrant a cappella community. Members noted that they have found their best friends through a cappella, and several people compared their experience to the type of community found in Greek Life. Members also praised the supportive attitudes within and among each group.
“We’re all super supportive of each other, and at the end of the day, even if we’re in different groups, we all just love to sing and hang out,” Stump said.
Members of the a cappella community said any students who love to sing should audition. They noted that there is a group that’s right for everyone, and each group shared their excitement to meet auditionees and hear them sing. A Cappella lovers across campus can look out for upcoming Wren 10s, concerts, album releases and future auditions.
