A recent tragedy has befallen the men of Keenan Hall. Over a week ago, the residents of Keenan were notified that Saint Mary's College was ending its tradition of hosting the Keenan Revue, stating that it does not align with the mission statement of our sister college. I write this letter not in anger, but rather, in extreme sorrow. Some of my closest friends attend Saint Mary's (many of whom fervently support the Revue), and I have the utmost respect for the College. While I understand the motivations behind cutting ties with the Revue, I am deeply grieved by the repercussions.
One of the greatest by-products of the Revue is that it gave Notre Dame students, especially women, a reason to wander over to Saint Mary's and behold its underappreciated beauty. This event was one of the few traditions between our two great schools that actually took place on Saint Mary's campus. Now, however, the Revue will be relocated to Notre Dame's Washington Hall, which has less than half the seating capacity of O'Laughlin Auditorium, or some other inferior venue off campus. As a result, fewer students will be able to enjoy the countless hours of hard work that Keenan residents devote to their signature event.
The sad fact of the matter is that this travesty could have been avoided. Every year before the curtain rose on opening night, the Revue was first performed in front of a Saint Mary's board who had the ability to censor any joke(s) they deemed inappropriate. This board effectively had the ability to veto any content that did not align with the College's mission statement (a power which they occasionally executed), but this fact that is no longer relevant. I fear that as a result of banning the Revue from Saint Mary's campus, the show will lose some of its magnificent luster and less respect will be shown to our sister college.
In the end, however, I trust that my brothers will band together to return the Revue to its deserved glory. Stay valiant, fellow Knights.
Fratre in Christo,
Andrew Balsley
grad student
Keenan Hall
Feb. 23
