As people started to file into the normally empty Durham Hall in the Memorial Union on Saturday, excitement began to grow for the start of the annually held Varieties competition.

For the last 65 years, Varieties Central Committee, a division of the Student Union Board, has organized the annual competition.

The two-hour show includes a mixture of skits and vignettes. Skits are 20-minute musicals that are the original works of ISU greek students, and vignettes are 10-minute skits showcasing the many talents of greek students.

Pairings of greek house teams begin planning their skit in October. For about a month the groups meet three times weekly to practice and make their skit look clean before first cuts at the end of November.

During first cuts, pairings perform their skit to Varieties Central Committee for a chance to get feedback on their songs and plot. This gives each pairing a chance to take the advice and apply it to the skit in time for second cuts in the beginning of February, when volunteer judges cut three of the six skits.

The final three skits and vignettes performed at Sweepstakes, the final cut, at 6 and 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, and at 8 p.m Saturday, Feb. 23.

Each skit showcased the hard work and time that had been put into making each mini-musical entertaining. The groups each performed five musical numbers with original lyrics and choreography using a band to keep tempo.

On Saturday night after the show, results were announced. The winning skit “Capes and Tiaras: A Bedtime Story,” was comprised of members from Pi Kappa Alpha, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Kappa, who went home with bragging rights.

Dressed in costumes of book characters, “Capes and Tiaras” allowed audience members to take away the moral that “we should never leave people out,” said Megan Rich, sophomore in elementary education.

“The winning skit did really well, and had a fun plot that everyone in the audience enjoyed,”  said Rich. “The winning vignette, ISU Juggling and Unicycling Club, was also really entertaining. I love attending Varieties each year because it’s a fun way to see the talent in the greek community, and it’s a nice change of pace from everyday life here at Iowa State.”