OSU a cappella groups stage 'Pitch Perfect' scene at Threes Above High

Residents can visit 2203 N. High St. on Thursday night to watch eight Ohio State a cappella groups perform a staged recreation of the 'riff-off' scene from the movie 'Pitch Perfect.' The event, named Aca-tober, begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free to attend. It marks a shift for the annual gathering, which has traditionally taken place on campus but is moving to an off-campus venue for the first time.

The participating groups include Ohio State of Mind, Scarlet & Grace Notes, Buck That!, Meshuganotes, OSU Dhadkan, Scarlet Fever, Majors & Minors, and Sound of Science. Members from these organizations will work together to recreate the film scene line by line. Each group will perform a separate segment of the original sequence. Molly McCafferty, a fourth-year political science student and president of Majors & Minors, said that group members picked their parts and the material split up well among them.

Beyond the movie recreation, each of the eight groups will perform two songs of their choosing. All the groups will also come together to sing 'Dracula' by Tame Impala. Zac Hillwig, a second-year city and regional planning student and music director for Scarlet Fever, noted that the groups added the 'riff-off' routine to their normal rehearsal schedules earlier this month. On Oct. 25, all the groups gathered in the Timashev Family Music Building or Weigel Hall to rehearse the full sequence together.

The performance will coincide with Halloween-themed festivities at Threes Above High. Staff members will nominate attendees for costume contests in the categories of Best Individual Costume, Best Couples Costume, and Best Group Costume. A staff pick will also be selected. Winners in the contest categories will be chosen through an audience cheer-off. Prizes include free Super Lytes, Pink Whitney pails, and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire for a year, as well as the ability to skip the line for the venue.

Scott Ellsworth, the owner of Threes Above High, said the venue is happy to give campus talent a place to show off their skills. He emphasized that the venue seeks out opportunities to support Ohio State students through organization-focused events. McCafferty described the event as a bonding experience that allows members of different groups to communicate more effectively than they do in group chats. She said seeing other members' faces and hearing their arrangements helps demonstrate the size of the a cappella community.

Hillwig said this event is one of the few times all campus a cappella groups gather in one place. He noted that while groups sometimes open for each other or attend one another's events, this annual occasion brings everyone together. The performers will wear their Halloween costumes during the show. The groups view the event as a chance to share their work before competing in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella in February.