Hippodrome Skit & Talent Competition
Hippodrome is a celebration of the arts and features the creative talents of Wichita
State Shockers! Students interested in participating in Hippodrome can do so in the
following ways: 1) Create a Skit, 2) Showcase a Talent, or 3) Emcee the Show. The
95th Annual Hippodrome will feature these perfromances in the Skit & Talent Competition on March 31, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the CAC Theater. Groups participating in the Skit Competition will perform a 15 to 20 minute scripted performance with the use of this year's theme: Superheroes: "It's a bird! It's a plane! No..it's a....Hippo! ". The top three winners of the Skit Competition will receive awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, as well as individual awards for Best Actor, Best Use of Mystery Item and Spirit. The talent competition will be hosted in conjunction with the skit competition. Performers will take the
stage between skit performances and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will take home
cash prizes up to $150.
Hippodrome first appeared in 1928 where students and organizations were invited to
enter a stunt competition for a ten dollar prize. This traditional week used to be
a one-day event but has since dramatically grown to include a full weeks worth of
activities. The early years saw such events as wrestling and boxing matches, organizational
booths and a country store. Hippodrome has been cancelled twice since its inception,
once during WWII and the most recent during the coronavirus pandemic beginning in
2020. This year, Hippodrome returns to its original form as a one-day event.