I just left this evening's first-ever "Orations & Libations", sponsored by our Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) and billed as "A Law Professor Talent Show." All I can say is, "Wow." Starting with some extraordinary MC-ing by Preston Meche, who just started work at Tulane as our public interest career counselor in the career development office, through 11 most diverse faculty performances, this was quite a night. There was a lot of laughter. And great food provided by PILF's very own in-house catering operation.
But back to the performances. Who knew that Professor Dombalagian has such a great voice and, as Professor Tetlow (no slouch herself, when she sang Gershwin's "You Can't Take That Away From Me") said, such chutzpah. Professor Townsend-Gard on ukelele, with back-up from her family, sang the zombie classic "We'll Eat Your Brains"--or maybe she was the back-up; it was hard to tell sometimes. Professors Martin Davies and Gabe Feldman, in their Monty Python-inspired "The Argument Clinic", were terrific, as were Professor Keith Werhan and Catherine Hancock performing "I'm Just A Bill" from Schoolhouse Rock. And then there was Professor George Strickler, performing a variety of migratory fowl calls. That one had me laughing so hard I was in tears, particularly with Dean Hoeffel playing Vanna White. You can't go to just any law school and see three faculty members--Professors Oei, Stein, and Palmer, in this case--perform "Training a New Law Professor--A Martial Arts Skit." Really. This was the same Professor Palmer who, earlier in the day, presented his paper on the development of privacy law (not to music, however).
And then there was Clinical Instructor Jane Johnson, reciting a collection of her very own Sarah Palin Haikus. As I said, where else can you find that? ..... Probably at the same school where you can find Vice Dean Hoeffel getting the rest of the faculty on stage to perform her original composition, "The Dave's You Know," memorializing the unusually large number of faculty and staff with that name. Or where Professor Davies performed a classical guitar solo, sort of. And the finale tonight was Professor Saru Matambanadzo, accompanied by a three-piece ensemble, singing the Beatles...while our erstwhile MC, Preston, laid down on the floor and held the mike so that everyone could hear the acoustic guitar.
We can't wait for the 2nd Annual Orations & Libations. What a night.
