In nature, spring is marked by returns - the swallows to San Juan Capistrano, bears from their long hibernation. At the George Washington University Law School, the Spring Semester brings renewal, as well. For instance, there are the 24- to 36-inch Snowpocalypses - massive snow drifts returning after their week-long absence. And of course, this is the time of year when law students shed their books, outlines, and highlighters and take up instead the twin mantles of silliness and theatricality. Law Revue, the student-written, -produced, -acted, and -sung extravaganza, returns to Lisner Auditorium at 7:30, next Saturday night, February 20.

Tickets are on sale at the info desk from Tuesday the 16th until the Friday the 19th. Advance tickets cost $13, while tickets at the door will be $16. All tickets grant admission to the show and to the after-party at the K Street Lounge, where the show's producers have rented out the bar for the night. In the words of 3L producer Ashley Inderfurth, the after-party will have "a sizable bar tab" and there is no cover charge.

A fundraiser for the show, featuring the Law Revue House Bands - Restatement of Rock and Motion to Quash - will be held on Thursday, February 11 at DC9. Tickets cost $6, doors open at 8:00 pm, the show starts at 9:00, and Bar Review will be held nearby. 3L Jay Ramsey, one of the Law Revue producers, advised attendees to arrive early. "It is always packed and always sells out," he said. "It's amazing. I don't know what else to say."

3L Aaron Joachim, who plays in Motion to Quash and is also a member of the Law Revue cast, served as liaison between the show and the bands in setting up the fundraiser. According to Joachim, Restatement of Rock plays pop covers and "fun rock-sing-a-longs," while Motion to Quash is funkier, playing R&B and hip-hop songs. He pointed out that the costs of Law Revue exceed the funds it receives from the SBA and that the band show helps to allay those costs.

He added that the bands showcase some of the same talents on display in Law Revue. "Attendees will really be amazed at how talented our instrumentalists and vocalists are," he said. "They will feel like they're at a normal rock and roll concert, a million miles away from the pressures of law school - except for the fact that you know who's playing and can shout out their name and get them to wink back at you."

For the creators of Law Revue, preparation begins "the day after the [last] show ends," as director Terry Schoone-Jongen, a 3L, put it. "Last year," he said, "I was already thinking of ways to improve the show during the dress rehearsals." According to Schoone-Jongen, the Law Revue board holds elections in April, and over the summer, a general plan is put in place. In the fall, the budget is finalized and script solicitation begins. Auditions are held in November, and scripts are accepted in December. The cast devotes January and early February to rehearsals.

The show is composed of skits written by students and submitted to the board. According to 2L Matthew Linden, this year's head writer, his job is to collect the submissions and bring them to the board, which votes on what scripts to include in the show. After the vote, the head writer, the director, and the assistant director - this year, 3L Katie Earnest - go through the selected scripts and edit for time and content.

Linden feels the opportunity to bring the law school community together makes the effort putting on Law Revue worthwhile. "It provides a great night of fun that brings a large percentage of the law school community together," he said. "We take this whole law school thing pretty seriously. It's good to remember to poke fun at ourselves every now and then. There's more to life than law school."

This year's show features a cast of fifty-four law-student actors, all of whom appear in the opening and closing numbers. Details of the program are kept back until the performance. When asked about things to look forward to, Earnest replied, "It's top secret! We try every year to keep our list of numbers a secret to make it a surprise for our audience. But I will say that you can expect to see special guest stars in videos, a song or two from the Top 40, and a lot of good times." She added that "in the past, we've danced to Michael Jackson, belted out Broadway tunes (with lyrics changed to fit our beloved school, of course), and watched professors boogie on down with Muppets."

Schoone-Jongen was willing to elaborate a bit more. "This year's show promises to be the strongest in my three years of involvement," he said, "and I'm not just saying that because I'm in charge." As for content, Schoone-Jongen said the audience can expect "funny, SNL-type sketches, delightful song parodies (encompassing a wide range of genres this year), impressive choreography, and magnificent videos. I think we've really taken our video production to the next level this year - I won't elaborate, but we'll have some real treats there." He also hinted at cameos "from a number of faculty members." Both Earnest and Schoone-Jongen stressed that the show is adult-themed and probably not suitable for children.

Schoone-Jongen focuses on Law Revue as an opportunity for the GW community to come together. "I think we had about 850 people in the audience last year," he said, "most of those were students, but there are also many faculty and staff who attend, as well as alumni, friends, and family. It's not often we get that large or diverse a group together during the course of the year - and all this for the purpose of having a good time."

Earnest said that Law Revue is important because it shows off the talent of hidden in the law school, including "real live ballet dancers, Off-Broadway actors, and an opera singer." However, she also thinks the opportunity to poke fun at law school is valuable in and of itself. "[It] reminds students and professors about the humanity, the pratfalls, the humor of our profession," she said. "To be serious about the law and serious about having fun - those are not mutually exclusive things. I learned that here and will carry that through the rest of my career."

Students interested in participating in Law Revue next year should look for audition announcements in late October or early November.