The Hinman Production Company (HPC) wrapped up their first production of the semester with a sold out final night performance of Binghamton Night Live (BNL). The show, which first ran in 2016, consisted of comedy sketches written and performed by students, for students. The 16th BNL, titled “Beast Mode,” ran from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25 in the Hinman Commons where students were able to attend for only $1 in exchange for a night of laughter.

BNL 16 came as a result of about a month of rehearsals and writing from the cast, crew and writers.

John Ferrara, co-director of BNL 16 and a junior double-majoring in biology and Italian, talked about how quickly the show has to come together and the effort put into it.

“The time constraint is part of the show,” Ferrara said. “It’s part of putting it on quickly, getting everyone together, getting all of the props, jury rigging, everything. It’s very DIY. We write everything. We perform everything. People have to be off the books the second time that they run a sketch.”

The show also reflected the sense of community that BNL has given its members. Mallory Kosiba, an actress in this year’s show and a freshman majoring in psychology, stated that her favorite part about being involved in this production has been the people.

“I really like the community,” Kosiba said. “I feel like it’s just a group of funny people who are easy to get along with. I feel like with some clubs it’s kind of hard to adjust to the group, but I feel like for BNL it was really like they welcomed me with open arms, and it was really nice.”

Ryan Nostro, co-director of BNL 16 and a senior majoring in economics, touched on the friendships BNL has brought him and his confidence in the younger members of HPC to continue BNL’s legacy in his director’s note.

“In all my time in the greater BNL area I never thought I would be so lucky as to have these people,” Nostro wrote. “This cast is made mostly of freshman, so like a proud father I sleep easy knowing that these are the people that will carry on the BNL torch all the way to BNL 100, which will happen in about 42 years — or never, it depends on if you’re using paper straws.”

The show tastefully incorporated pop culture and Binghamton University references, which added an element of relatability for BU students. References to Appalachian Collegiate Center, a popular spot for late-night dining on campus, and the Rathskeller, a popular bar Downtown, were both familiar and adored by the audience.

Popular television references were also included in sketches. “The Magic School Bus 30th Anniversary Special,” for example, had a darker twist than the children’s show, as Ms. Frizzle brought her students to the battlegrounds of World War II. Additionally, “To Catch a Janitor” was a parody sketch of “To Catch a Predator,” which was a returning audience favorite throughout the night, as BU’s own Chris Hansen, played by John LoBello, a senior double-majoring in mathematical sciences and economics, returned to catch wrestlers and a stegosaurus.

Rachel Doyle, an actress in BNL 16 and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed how this year’s show could be an outlet for students to enjoy themselves.

“I hope everybody laughs,” Doyle said. “I hope everyone has a great time. I hope everybody walks away feeling better than when they came in because it’s supposed to be an hour and a half of just lighthearted fun. There’s a lot of stressful things that are going on, and this is a great way to just totally step outside of that and for an hour and half you’re right here and that’s it.”

HPC will put on two more productions this semester — “Radium Girls,” which will run from March 21 to March 23, and “Pippin,” which will run from April 18 to April 20. (2)